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Reaching Out
Aired May 30, 2003 - 14:14 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's give you an update now on the road map toward peace in the Middle East. The prime ministers of Israel and the Palestinians meeting, posturing themselves, looking like they want to be peacemakers.
CNN's Kelly Wallace here to tell us if the looks belie reality, or if this is the real McCoy, so to speak.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, it appears to be the real McCoy, so to speak, because both sides saying the atmosphere in last night's talks was significantly better than the atmosphere of their first meeting just about two weeks ago. Perhaps there's no surprise this is the case, because both sides facing tremendous pressure to show progress before next week's summit with President Bush in Jordan.
Now as for the tangible agreements which came out of last night's talks, the Israelis announcing a number of confidence-building measures, including lifting the ban on Palestinian access into Israel from the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
The Israelis also saying they will do a review of all Palestinian prisoners, and Prime Minister Sharon has agreed to release two Palestinian prisoners, including a man held in Israeli jail since 1976.
The prime minister also, we are told, offered to pull Israeli troops out of the center of West Bank towns and the northern Gaza Strip if the Palestinians feel they are ready to take charge of security in those areas.
Now in an interesting development, the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in an interview shown on Israeli television a short time ago, he said the Palestinians should be able to take charge of security in places like the Gaza Strip in possibly two or three weeks. He also said something else. He said he is very optimistic he can achieve a comprehensive cease-fire with all the radical Palestinian groups responsible for attacks against Israelis, in about two to three weeks' timeframe.
Now again, this is significant. He's talking not just about Hamas, but all radical Palestinian groups. Again, though, the Israelis are saying a cease-fire will not be enough, that they want to see a full dismantling and crackdown on all these groups.
And at the same time, Miles, a lot of work is going on behind the scenes. You have two top-level U.S. Middle East envoys in the region now, working with the Israelis and the Palestinians on the statements which will come out of next week's summit to ensure there is a successful meeting involving President Bush -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about that, Kelly, because I'm not sure people are fully aware how much groundwork goes into a meeting like that before a president appears on the scene. You really can get a sense as to whether there will be something concrete, even before he gets on to the scene. What's the feeling there right now? Are things moving in that direction? Or there isn't much time to pull things off, is there?
WALLACE: Well, there isn't a lot of time. But number one, both sides feeling positive. It appears the U.S. Is likely to feel very positive about the meeting last night between the prime ministers of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Also again, as you said, a lot of work going on behind the scenes to create a successful environment. No big breakthroughs, Miles, are expected when President Bush meets with these two men next week. The expectation is that they will sign on to some statement indicating that this road map is now under way, that both sides have accepted this road map, they have said they have, the Israelis, of course, have attached some reservations.
But the momentum will be building, and that the two sides will commit to taking certain steps. Of course right now, not clear exactly what will be in those statements. But the work under way to ensure the two sides are committed to moving forward when they meet with President Bush -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kelly Wallace, taking us behind the scenes 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 30, 2003 - 14:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's give you an update now on the road map toward peace in the Middle East. The prime ministers of Israel and the Palestinians meeting, posturing themselves, looking like they want to be peacemakers.
CNN's Kelly Wallace here to tell us if the looks belie reality, or if this is the real McCoy, so to speak.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, it appears to be the real McCoy, so to speak, because both sides saying the atmosphere in last night's talks was significantly better than the atmosphere of their first meeting just about two weeks ago. Perhaps there's no surprise this is the case, because both sides facing tremendous pressure to show progress before next week's summit with President Bush in Jordan.
Now as for the tangible agreements which came out of last night's talks, the Israelis announcing a number of confidence-building measures, including lifting the ban on Palestinian access into Israel from the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
The Israelis also saying they will do a review of all Palestinian prisoners, and Prime Minister Sharon has agreed to release two Palestinian prisoners, including a man held in Israeli jail since 1976.
The prime minister also, we are told, offered to pull Israeli troops out of the center of West Bank towns and the northern Gaza Strip if the Palestinians feel they are ready to take charge of security in those areas.
Now in an interesting development, the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in an interview shown on Israeli television a short time ago, he said the Palestinians should be able to take charge of security in places like the Gaza Strip in possibly two or three weeks. He also said something else. He said he is very optimistic he can achieve a comprehensive cease-fire with all the radical Palestinian groups responsible for attacks against Israelis, in about two to three weeks' timeframe.
Now again, this is significant. He's talking not just about Hamas, but all radical Palestinian groups. Again, though, the Israelis are saying a cease-fire will not be enough, that they want to see a full dismantling and crackdown on all these groups.
And at the same time, Miles, a lot of work is going on behind the scenes. You have two top-level U.S. Middle East envoys in the region now, working with the Israelis and the Palestinians on the statements which will come out of next week's summit to ensure there is a successful meeting involving President Bush -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about that, Kelly, because I'm not sure people are fully aware how much groundwork goes into a meeting like that before a president appears on the scene. You really can get a sense as to whether there will be something concrete, even before he gets on to the scene. What's the feeling there right now? Are things moving in that direction? Or there isn't much time to pull things off, is there?
WALLACE: Well, there isn't a lot of time. But number one, both sides feeling positive. It appears the U.S. Is likely to feel very positive about the meeting last night between the prime ministers of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Also again, as you said, a lot of work going on behind the scenes to create a successful environment. No big breakthroughs, Miles, are expected when President Bush meets with these two men next week. The expectation is that they will sign on to some statement indicating that this road map is now under way, that both sides have accepted this road map, they have said they have, the Israelis, of course, have attached some reservations.
But the momentum will be building, and that the two sides will commit to taking certain steps. Of course right now, not clear exactly what will be in those statements. But the work under way to ensure the two sides are committed to moving forward when they meet with President Bush -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kelly Wallace, taking us behind the scenes 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
