Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Powell Travels to Jerusalem
Aired May 10, 2003 - 14:02 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: The road map to peace in the Middle East. Secretary of State Colin Powell is making a commitment to lead the way. He's traveled to Jerusalem for discussions with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and our Kelly Wallace is up late on a Saturday night there, with much more -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the secretary got to work shortly after arriving in Israel this evening. He is meeting at this hour now with the foreign minister of Israel, Silvan Shalom, and the two men will go before reporters just about an hour from now to take some questions.
Before the secretary arrived here in Israel, he described to reporters that this trip, he said, is really part of continuing the process of starting to reengage. He also wants to work on that so- called road map for Middle East peace and trying to get the two sides at least talking to each other about it.
But the secretary knows he faces a number of immediate challenges. Number one, he will meet on Sunday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel. And the secretary wants to see the Israelis take some steps now to ease the plight of the Palestinian people, such as removing road blocks and easing travel restrictions.
But the position of Prime Minister Sharon and his team continues to be, until Israel sees the Palestinians taking tangible and concrete steps on the ground to crack down on terror, the Israelis say for security reasons, they can't pull their forces out of Palestinian towns.
Now, when it comes to the Palestinians, Powell say he will talk to Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian prime minister, about steps he and his security team are taking to stop the violence and deal with radical Palestinian organizations, groups like Hamas, that are responsible for terror attacks against Israelis.
A senior official saying that the secretary will talk to the Palestinians about how they plan to take on these radical groups.
Now, there will be no meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat during this visit, but the secretary will also try to find out whether Yasser Arafat is trying to assert power behind the scenes.
Finally, there is again that road map, and the differing interpretations between the two sides about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this implemented immediately without any changes. The Israelis have said they want to see at least a dozen changes made. The secretary addressing that issue as well on the plane, talking to reporters, saying he knows the road map is controversial. He says people can comment about it, but he basically says this comment period should not stop us from moving on out. He says, quote, "both sides know exactly what they need to do in the first phase." So the view of the secretary is both sides need to take some action now -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And that's part of the unenviable challenge, trying to make everybody happy. Kelly Wallace from Jerusalem, thank you very much.
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 10, 2003 - 14:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The road map to peace in the Middle East. Secretary of State Colin Powell is making a commitment to lead the way. He's traveled to Jerusalem for discussions with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and our Kelly Wallace is up late on a Saturday night there, with much more -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the secretary got to work shortly after arriving in Israel this evening. He is meeting at this hour now with the foreign minister of Israel, Silvan Shalom, and the two men will go before reporters just about an hour from now to take some questions.
Before the secretary arrived here in Israel, he described to reporters that this trip, he said, is really part of continuing the process of starting to reengage. He also wants to work on that so- called road map for Middle East peace and trying to get the two sides at least talking to each other about it.
But the secretary knows he faces a number of immediate challenges. Number one, he will meet on Sunday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel. And the secretary wants to see the Israelis take some steps now to ease the plight of the Palestinian people, such as removing road blocks and easing travel restrictions.
But the position of Prime Minister Sharon and his team continues to be, until Israel sees the Palestinians taking tangible and concrete steps on the ground to crack down on terror, the Israelis say for security reasons, they can't pull their forces out of Palestinian towns.
Now, when it comes to the Palestinians, Powell say he will talk to Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian prime minister, about steps he and his security team are taking to stop the violence and deal with radical Palestinian organizations, groups like Hamas, that are responsible for terror attacks against Israelis.
A senior official saying that the secretary will talk to the Palestinians about how they plan to take on these radical groups.
Now, there will be no meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat during this visit, but the secretary will also try to find out whether Yasser Arafat is trying to assert power behind the scenes.
Finally, there is again that road map, and the differing interpretations between the two sides about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this implemented immediately without any changes. The Israelis have said they want to see at least a dozen changes made. The secretary addressing that issue as well on the plane, talking to reporters, saying he knows the road map is controversial. He says people can comment about it, but he basically says this comment period should not stop us from moving on out. He says, quote, "both sides know exactly what they need to do in the first phase." So the view of the secretary is both sides need to take some action now -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And that's part of the unenviable challenge, trying to make everybody happy. Kelly Wallace from Jerusalem, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
