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Israeli Prime Minister, Bush Talk

Aired October 16, 2002 - 14:11   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, is meeting with President Bush this afternoon at the White House. And among other things, the two are discussing strategy on Iraq and Israeli's relations with the Palestinians.
Our White House correspondent is Kelly Wallace.

Kelly, what does the president hope to accomplish with this meeting with the prime minister?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the administration is well aware that getting Arab support for any possible action against Iraq could depend on progress when it comes to the Israelis and the Palestinians. So in this meeting, the president will be pressing the Israelis to live up to their commitments and take steps to ease the plight of the Palestinian people.

The administration wants Israel to ease travel restrictions on the Palestinians. And also to turn over hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian tax revenue that the Israelis have been holding on to. The thinking is this will send a message to the Palestinian people, and could pave the way for more reforms of the Palestinian Authority, again, progress there, the administration thinks could help dealing with Saddam Hussein -- Carol.

LIN: Israel has said if Saddam Hussein attacks Israel, Israel will strike back. Is the president going to try to convince the prime minister not to get militarily involved?

WALLACE: There's no question, Carol, the administration does not want Israel to get militarily involved. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, though, is under intense pressure at home to step in this time. You'll recall during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Israel did not respond even after the Iraqis did send SCUD missiles into Israel.

The message, we understand, will be the U.S. will try to convince the Israelis not to step in, that the U.S. will do everything it possibly can to prevent any Iraqi attack on Israel. The message, we also understand, to be sent is to try to get talk any talks about any retaliation to a minimum. This administration knows even talk of Israeli retaliation could impact getting Arab support for any possible war with Saddam Hussein -- Carol.

LIN: Perhaps very strong visual message today at the White House: the signing ceremony of the congressional resolution authorizing force on behalf of the president of the United States s. Is the president trying the use the signing ceremony today to send a message to the other members of the UN Security Council for a strong resolution?

WALLACE: He certainly was. He was taking full advantage, really, of this opportunity to sign this resolution into law. He was surrounded by Democrats and Republicans, members of his national security team. What he was trying to do is say the U.S. is now speaking, in his words, "with one voice." And he was hoping to put as much pressure as possible on the United Nations.

The president also sent a message to skittish U.S. allies. He says he hopes military action is not necessary. And he also sent a message to those concerned about what ill pact any attack on Iraq might have, how Saddam Hussein might respond to the president's messages. The world community cannot sit back and wait.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We go into battle as a last resort. We will confront an enemy of irrational miscalculations, capable of terrible deeds. As the commander in chief, I know the risks to our country. Fully responsible to the young men and women in uniform who may face these risks. Yet those risks only increase with time. And the costs could be immeasurably higher in years to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Carol, the president hoping those words will have some impact on U.S. allies up at the United Nations -- Carol.

LIN: Kelly, is that vote scheduled yet at the United Nations? I know that debate is just about to begin.

WALLACE: Debate is under way. Members of the United Nations talking about this, but really, this is an issue for the UN Security Council, most of the discussions still going on behind the scenes. The permanent five members -- the U.S., Britain, China, Russia, and France -- all with veto power on the United Nations Security Council. Carol, this administration still does not agreement for its proposal. So an uphill battle. Diplomacy still going on behind the scenes.

LIN: Thank you very much, Kelly Wallace, live at the White House today.

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 October 16, 2002 - 14:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, is meeting with President Bush this afternoon at the White House. And among other things, the two are discussing strategy on Iraq and Israeli's relations with the Palestinians.
Our White House correspondent is Kelly Wallace.

Kelly, what does the president hope to accomplish with this meeting with the prime minister?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the administration is well aware that getting Arab support for any possible action against Iraq could depend on progress when it comes to the Israelis and the Palestinians. So in this meeting, the president will be pressing the Israelis to live up to their commitments and take steps to ease the plight of the Palestinian people.

The administration wants Israel to ease travel restrictions on the Palestinians. And also to turn over hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian tax revenue that the Israelis have been holding on to. The thinking is this will send a message to the Palestinian people, and could pave the way for more reforms of the Palestinian Authority, again, progress there, the administration thinks could help dealing with Saddam Hussein -- Carol.

LIN: Israel has said if Saddam Hussein attacks Israel, Israel will strike back. Is the president going to try to convince the prime minister not to get militarily involved?

WALLACE: There's no question, Carol, the administration does not want Israel to get militarily involved. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, though, is under intense pressure at home to step in this time. You'll recall during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Israel did not respond even after the Iraqis did send SCUD missiles into Israel.

The message, we understand, will be the U.S. will try to convince the Israelis not to step in, that the U.S. will do everything it possibly can to prevent any Iraqi attack on Israel. The message, we also understand, to be sent is to try to get talk any talks about any retaliation to a minimum. This administration knows even talk of Israeli retaliation could impact getting Arab support for any possible war with Saddam Hussein -- Carol.

LIN: Perhaps very strong visual message today at the White House: the signing ceremony of the congressional resolution authorizing force on behalf of the president of the United States s. Is the president trying the use the signing ceremony today to send a message to the other members of the UN Security Council for a strong resolution?

WALLACE: He certainly was. He was taking full advantage, really, of this opportunity to sign this resolution into law. He was surrounded by Democrats and Republicans, members of his national security team. What he was trying to do is say the U.S. is now speaking, in his words, "with one voice." And he was hoping to put as much pressure as possible on the United Nations.

The president also sent a message to skittish U.S. allies. He says he hopes military action is not necessary. And he also sent a message to those concerned about what ill pact any attack on Iraq might have, how Saddam Hussein might respond to the president's messages. The world community cannot sit back and wait.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We go into battle as a last resort. We will confront an enemy of irrational miscalculations, capable of terrible deeds. As the commander in chief, I know the risks to our country. Fully responsible to the young men and women in uniform who may face these risks. Yet those risks only increase with time. And the costs could be immeasurably higher in years to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Carol, the president hoping those words will have some impact on U.S. allies up at the United Nations -- Carol.

LIN: Kelly, is that vote scheduled yet at the United Nations? I know that debate is just about to begin.

WALLACE: Debate is under way. Members of the United Nations talking about this, but really, this is an issue for the UN Security Council, most of the discussions still going on behind the scenes. The permanent five members -- the U.S., Britain, China, Russia, and France -- all with veto power on the United Nations Security Council. Carol, this administration still does not agreement for its proposal. So an uphill battle. Diplomacy still going on behind the scenes.

LIN: Thank you very much, Kelly Wallace, live at the White House today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com