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CNN Live Saturday
Powell Visits Syria, Beirut
Aired May 03, 2003 - 14:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is returning to Washington after a short trip to the Middle East, beginning to lay the ground work for peace there. CNN's Andrea Koppel is traveling with the secretary of state.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the swagger of a new sheriff, Secretary of State Powell shot straight from the hip, putting Syria's leaders on notice. The U.S. military victory in Iraq has made the status quo obsolete.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president always has a full range of political, economic, diplomatic and military options to pursue foreign policy objectives, but I am here to issue (ph) diplomacy, and mutual political efforts that both sides can be taken, and so the issue of war hostilities is not on the table.
KOPPEL: During close to three hours of meetings, U.S. officials say Powell told Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, in the strongest terms, Damascus must sever all ties to extremist groups the U.S. calls terrorists, responsible for carrying out attacks against Israel, and Powell did not stop there.
POWELL: There are issues with respect to weapons of mass destruction development, sealing the borders with Iraq, and a number of issues.
KOPPEL: Like Syria's military presence in Lebanon, which the U.S. also wants Damascus to end. A point underscored during Powell's brief stop in Beirut.
A lot has changed in the years since Powell last visited this region. Saddam Hussein's regime is no longer. A Palestinian prime minister with a new cabinet are now in power. And a U.S.-backed road map for Middle East peace was released last week.
Hoping to win Syria's support, Powell suggested its future success could be in Syria's interests, too.
POWELL: Even though the road map relates principally to the Palestinians and the Israelis, the United States sees this as part of a comprehensive settlement that must be achieved, that would include the interests of Syria and Lebanon as well.
KOPPEL: Weeks of saber rattling from Washington seems to have gotten Syria's undivided attention. U.S. officials say during their meeting, Assad gave Powell the impression he was willing to cooperate. Already Syria has closed its border with Iraq, visas are now a must, and some senior Iraqi officials who sought sanctuary were given the boot.
(on camera): Powell said the real test of these discussions here in Damascus and in Beirut won't come right away, but rather in the days ahead, after both sides have had a chance to reflect.
The implication, the U.S.-Syrian relationship is at a crossroads. The Bush administration believes avoiding a diplomatic showdown will be up to Syria.
Andrea Koppel, CNN, Damascus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 3, 2003 - 14:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is returning to Washington after a short trip to the Middle East, beginning to lay the ground work for peace there. CNN's Andrea Koppel is traveling with the secretary of state.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the swagger of a new sheriff, Secretary of State Powell shot straight from the hip, putting Syria's leaders on notice. The U.S. military victory in Iraq has made the status quo obsolete.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president always has a full range of political, economic, diplomatic and military options to pursue foreign policy objectives, but I am here to issue (ph) diplomacy, and mutual political efforts that both sides can be taken, and so the issue of war hostilities is not on the table.
KOPPEL: During close to three hours of meetings, U.S. officials say Powell told Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, in the strongest terms, Damascus must sever all ties to extremist groups the U.S. calls terrorists, responsible for carrying out attacks against Israel, and Powell did not stop there.
POWELL: There are issues with respect to weapons of mass destruction development, sealing the borders with Iraq, and a number of issues.
KOPPEL: Like Syria's military presence in Lebanon, which the U.S. also wants Damascus to end. A point underscored during Powell's brief stop in Beirut.
A lot has changed in the years since Powell last visited this region. Saddam Hussein's regime is no longer. A Palestinian prime minister with a new cabinet are now in power. And a U.S.-backed road map for Middle East peace was released last week.
Hoping to win Syria's support, Powell suggested its future success could be in Syria's interests, too.
POWELL: Even though the road map relates principally to the Palestinians and the Israelis, the United States sees this as part of a comprehensive settlement that must be achieved, that would include the interests of Syria and Lebanon as well.
KOPPEL: Weeks of saber rattling from Washington seems to have gotten Syria's undivided attention. U.S. officials say during their meeting, Assad gave Powell the impression he was willing to cooperate. Already Syria has closed its border with Iraq, visas are now a must, and some senior Iraqi officials who sought sanctuary were given the boot.
(on camera): Powell said the real test of these discussions here in Damascus and in Beirut won't come right away, but rather in the days ahead, after both sides have had a chance to reflect.
The implication, the U.S.-Syrian relationship is at a crossroads. The Bush administration believes avoiding a diplomatic showdown will be up to Syria.
Andrea Koppel, CNN, Damascus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
