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U.S. Diplomat to Meet with Israelis Saturday
Aired June 13, 2003 - 13:30 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: So what is happening now in the Middle East is a tough situation for the Bush administration, which is the primary backer of the latest push for peace.
CNN's Chris Burns is with the vacationing president right now in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Chris, any reaction to the president to this latest news?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this latest news, Heidi, comes moments ago. We did have a gaggle, a press gaggle, with Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman. The president is busy this weekend golfing and fishing with his father for the Father's Day weekend, but he's not losing track of the Middle East crisis, leaving it to his lieutenants to do the talking to the press.
Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman saying a half hour ago that all parties must cooperate to fight terror, there must be restraint, that the peace process begins -- everything begins with security, but it also ends with a vision. And this is what he said about the Israelis. They need to be mindful of the fact they need to keep the vision alive. The president trying to push ahead with this peace process, getting the road map back on track by trying to get both sides to show restraint. We're not seeing much restraint in those last few minutes, but the White House still would like to see both sides taking measures to show restraint and fighting terror.
So kind of a balanced message to both sides. We heard more of that from Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECY. OF STATE: We all are anxious to see restraint, and we understand that it's important to get the terror down, and if the terror goes down, the response to terror will no longer be required. So we have to get moving, bring the terror down. All of our efforts are focused on Hamas and persuading Hamas, and Islamic Jihad and other terror organizations that this is the time to abandon terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now Assistant Secretary of State John Wolf is on his way to the region with a troubleshooting team this weekend. The following weekend, Secretary Powell goes on to the Middle East for more talks. So the efforts are under way. Meanwhile, a bit of a lighter note, the president did manage to go out fishing and caught a fish. We managed to catch that on camera as he was out there. He went to a number of spots fishing, obviously trying to unwind a bit, trying to get away from the Mideast vortex for just a while. It's barely a week since he went to the Middle East meeting with that three-way Red Sea summit with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers, so he's taking time for R&R for Father's Day weekend with his father. Obviously, he'll be back to it beginning next week -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Certainly, a lot of work ahead, especially as we're getting this news this hour. Chris Burns, coming to us from Kennebunkport, Maine. Thanks so much, Chris.
BURNS: Thank you.
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 June 13, 2003 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: So what is happening now in the Middle East is a tough situation for the Bush administration, which is the primary backer of the latest push for peace.
CNN's Chris Burns is with the vacationing president right now in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Chris, any reaction to the president to this latest news?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this latest news, Heidi, comes moments ago. We did have a gaggle, a press gaggle, with Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman. The president is busy this weekend golfing and fishing with his father for the Father's Day weekend, but he's not losing track of the Middle East crisis, leaving it to his lieutenants to do the talking to the press.
Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman saying a half hour ago that all parties must cooperate to fight terror, there must be restraint, that the peace process begins -- everything begins with security, but it also ends with a vision. And this is what he said about the Israelis. They need to be mindful of the fact they need to keep the vision alive. The president trying to push ahead with this peace process, getting the road map back on track by trying to get both sides to show restraint. We're not seeing much restraint in those last few minutes, but the White House still would like to see both sides taking measures to show restraint and fighting terror.
So kind of a balanced message to both sides. We heard more of that from Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECY. OF STATE: We all are anxious to see restraint, and we understand that it's important to get the terror down, and if the terror goes down, the response to terror will no longer be required. So we have to get moving, bring the terror down. All of our efforts are focused on Hamas and persuading Hamas, and Islamic Jihad and other terror organizations that this is the time to abandon terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now Assistant Secretary of State John Wolf is on his way to the region with a troubleshooting team this weekend. The following weekend, Secretary Powell goes on to the Middle East for more talks. So the efforts are under way. Meanwhile, a bit of a lighter note, the president did manage to go out fishing and caught a fish. We managed to catch that on camera as he was out there. He went to a number of spots fishing, obviously trying to unwind a bit, trying to get away from the Mideast vortex for just a while. It's barely a week since he went to the Middle East meeting with that three-way Red Sea summit with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers, so he's taking time for R&R for Father's Day weekend with his father. Obviously, he'll be back to it beginning next week -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Certainly, a lot of work ahead, especially as we're getting this news this hour. Chris Burns, coming to us from Kennebunkport, Maine. Thanks so much, Chris.
BURNS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
