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CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Ra'anan Gissin
Aired May 17, 2003 - 18:27 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: An important summit ended a short time ago in Jerusalem. Now for the first time in more than two years, the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority met face to face to discuss the Middle East road map to peace. CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Kelly Wallace is monitoring developments. She joins us live.
Hey there, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Anderson.
Well, that meeting lasted a little bit more than three hours. And now to get some insight into what happened behind closed doors, we're going to get the Israeli perspective. We're joined right now by Ra'anan Gissin, prime minister spokesman and adviser to Ariel Sharon.
First question to you, Ra'anan Gissin, what happened behind closed doors?
RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SENIOR ADVISER: Well, I think this was a very important and serious meeting. We call it a working meeting. As you probably noticed there were no photo ops, there was no statements made. And I think that's all for the better. This was a very serious meeting in which for the first time Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the prime minister of the Palestinians, Mahmoud Abbas, were able to discuss and explore the full range of measures and steps that are needed to be taken in order to combat terrorism. And that's the main purpose of this mission.
WALLACE: What main agreement came out of this meeting? It looks like the two men have agreed to meet again after Prime Minister Sharon's upcoming visit to Washington?
GISSIN: Well, I think it's a first step, you know, in the right direction. And I think this is sort of -- you could call it an historical meeting. And I think for the first time there was consensus. And I think agreement among all of the participants, including those on the Palestinian side, as well as those who participate on the part of Prime Minister Sharon, the advisers, that the first step, the first, initial step in order to assure that there can be any kind of progress on the road map, there has to be a relentless, concerted effort to fight terrorism.
And I think that's important. The Palestinians have promised that they are going to exert maximum effort in order to achieve just that, and I think that's a good beginning. WALLACE: Talking to some Palestinians, though, they say they need to hear Israel accept and formally implement this road map. They say until that happens Mahmoud Abbas can't really rein in these radical Palestinian groups. So, they're saying they need some acceptance and implementation by Israel.
GISSIN: Yes, there is no connection whatsoever between making a declaration about the so-called road map, OK, and reining in terrorism. What is needed right now is performance and action. We are willing to do it on our part. I believe the Palestinian, too.
To make another declaration about a road map that may still change in the future, both by us, and by the Palestinian, is not what is going to solve terrorism. And what is going to resolve what happened tonight in Hebron and in Ganak Tikva (ph), I mean, that --- we have terrorism continuing in those places.
Of course, the prime minister say, look, if we want to stop terrorism -- and, of course, he voiced his outrage regarding this terrorist attack in Hebron. What is needed is real steps. And I think the Palestinians understand, there is no escaping from taking real steps. Once these real steps are taken, then we can discuss the road map. Then we can come to terms about the next stages, the next stage, or the next phases in the road map.
WALLACE: What specific steps did Mahmoud Abbas say he would take? And when? And will that allow the Israelis to pull troops out of, let's say, the Northern Gaza Strip?
GISSIN: Well, I believe, that right now, it won't serve any useful purpose to go into the fine details of the various options that were explored. Suffice it to say that it was a very serious discussion, and all possibilities were explored. And of course, once the prime minister returns from Washington, immediately there will be another meeting, and we will continue this process.
WALLACE: What happens in Washington? Because the Palestinians say they are going to press the Americans to press Prime Minister Sharon to accept and implement the road map.
GISSIN: No one has to press them, no one has to press Prime Minister Sharon. The prime minister's committed to the road, he doesn't need the map, he knows the road to peace, believe me. And what is necessary right now is to reach the point where we can start on the road. We haven't reach that point yet. Because as long as we have terrorist attacks by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, as long as no real action is taken against terrorism, it's impossible to progress, to make any kind of progress, on any kind of road map.
So the first thing that has to be done is really to dismantle the terrorist organization, dismantle the terrorist infrastructure. Once those steps are being taken, you'll find Israel as a willing partner to this road map and to the vision of President Bush.
WALLACE: Ra'anan Gissin, a spokesman and adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Thank you for joining us. So that is the message here, Anderson, after more than three hours of meeting Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas agreeing to meet again after Prime Minister's Sharon upcoming visit on Tuesday to Washington. Back to you.
COOPER: All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much, live in Jerusalem.
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 17, 2003 - 18:27 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: An important summit ended a short time ago in Jerusalem. Now for the first time in more than two years, the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority met face to face to discuss the Middle East road map to peace. CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Kelly Wallace is monitoring developments. She joins us live.
Hey there, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Anderson.
Well, that meeting lasted a little bit more than three hours. And now to get some insight into what happened behind closed doors, we're going to get the Israeli perspective. We're joined right now by Ra'anan Gissin, prime minister spokesman and adviser to Ariel Sharon.
First question to you, Ra'anan Gissin, what happened behind closed doors?
RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SENIOR ADVISER: Well, I think this was a very important and serious meeting. We call it a working meeting. As you probably noticed there were no photo ops, there was no statements made. And I think that's all for the better. This was a very serious meeting in which for the first time Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the prime minister of the Palestinians, Mahmoud Abbas, were able to discuss and explore the full range of measures and steps that are needed to be taken in order to combat terrorism. And that's the main purpose of this mission.
WALLACE: What main agreement came out of this meeting? It looks like the two men have agreed to meet again after Prime Minister Sharon's upcoming visit to Washington?
GISSIN: Well, I think it's a first step, you know, in the right direction. And I think this is sort of -- you could call it an historical meeting. And I think for the first time there was consensus. And I think agreement among all of the participants, including those on the Palestinian side, as well as those who participate on the part of Prime Minister Sharon, the advisers, that the first step, the first, initial step in order to assure that there can be any kind of progress on the road map, there has to be a relentless, concerted effort to fight terrorism.
And I think that's important. The Palestinians have promised that they are going to exert maximum effort in order to achieve just that, and I think that's a good beginning. WALLACE: Talking to some Palestinians, though, they say they need to hear Israel accept and formally implement this road map. They say until that happens Mahmoud Abbas can't really rein in these radical Palestinian groups. So, they're saying they need some acceptance and implementation by Israel.
GISSIN: Yes, there is no connection whatsoever between making a declaration about the so-called road map, OK, and reining in terrorism. What is needed right now is performance and action. We are willing to do it on our part. I believe the Palestinian, too.
To make another declaration about a road map that may still change in the future, both by us, and by the Palestinian, is not what is going to solve terrorism. And what is going to resolve what happened tonight in Hebron and in Ganak Tikva (ph), I mean, that --- we have terrorism continuing in those places.
Of course, the prime minister say, look, if we want to stop terrorism -- and, of course, he voiced his outrage regarding this terrorist attack in Hebron. What is needed is real steps. And I think the Palestinians understand, there is no escaping from taking real steps. Once these real steps are taken, then we can discuss the road map. Then we can come to terms about the next stages, the next stage, or the next phases in the road map.
WALLACE: What specific steps did Mahmoud Abbas say he would take? And when? And will that allow the Israelis to pull troops out of, let's say, the Northern Gaza Strip?
GISSIN: Well, I believe, that right now, it won't serve any useful purpose to go into the fine details of the various options that were explored. Suffice it to say that it was a very serious discussion, and all possibilities were explored. And of course, once the prime minister returns from Washington, immediately there will be another meeting, and we will continue this process.
WALLACE: What happens in Washington? Because the Palestinians say they are going to press the Americans to press Prime Minister Sharon to accept and implement the road map.
GISSIN: No one has to press them, no one has to press Prime Minister Sharon. The prime minister's committed to the road, he doesn't need the map, he knows the road to peace, believe me. And what is necessary right now is to reach the point where we can start on the road. We haven't reach that point yet. Because as long as we have terrorist attacks by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, as long as no real action is taken against terrorism, it's impossible to progress, to make any kind of progress, on any kind of road map.
So the first thing that has to be done is really to dismantle the terrorist organization, dismantle the terrorist infrastructure. Once those steps are being taken, you'll find Israel as a willing partner to this road map and to the vision of President Bush.
WALLACE: Ra'anan Gissin, a spokesman and adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Thank you for joining us. So that is the message here, Anderson, after more than three hours of meeting Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas agreeing to meet again after Prime Minister's Sharon upcoming visit on Tuesday to Washington. Back to you.
COOPER: All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much, live in Jerusalem.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
