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A Cease-Fire Agreement in the Middle East?
Aired June 25, 2003 - 15:05 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a potential breakthrough in the Middle East peace process. And we say "potential".
Senior Palestinian officials say that three extremists groups have agreed today to a three-month suspension of attacks against the Israelis, but some Palestinian militants deny that any deal has been reached. And here in Washington President Bush sounds skeptical, as well.
Let's check in with our White House correspondent, Dana Bash. Dana, what are they saying and what is the President saying?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you just nailed it right there with using the word skeptical. That is exactly the way President Bush seemed to react when asked about this potential cease- fire.
First of all, in terms of the specifics, he said he didn't have any first-hand knowledge of it actually existing. But ultimately he said it's not about a cease-fire. He made clear with very strong language that it is about dismantling groups like Hamas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'll believe it when I see it, knowing the history of the terrorists in the Middle East. But the true test for Hamas and terrorist organizations is the complete dismantlement of their terrorist networks, their capacity to blow up the peace process.
That's the true test. You know, it's one thing to make a verbal agreement, but in order for there to be peace in the Middle East, we must see organizations such as Hamas dismantled, and then we'll have peace and a chance for peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now Mideast peace was already at the top of the agenda here at the White House. President Bush there was speaking after meeting privately with senior members from the European Union; a summit here in Washington at the White House.
They already were talking in private in the Oval Office, we are told, about the fact that President Bush wants all European nations to crack down on funding for Hamas and groups like Hamas. The White House believes that there are European nations, although they're not specific as to which ones they're talking about. But that are not to adequately making sure that no money is coming from their country to the Palestinian territories to fund terrorist groups.
Now, Judy, there was also an interesting bit of discussion from President Bush about another country in the Middle East. And that is Iran. He made clear that in his discussions with European leaders that they want Iran not to engage in any kind of practice that would take their nuclear program and make any weapons out of their nuclear program.
It was very clear that they want diplomatically to put pressure on Iran to make sure that doesn't happen. When asked what if Iran does not comply, he wouldn't go there except to say we'll deal with that if and when it happens.
WOODRUFF: All right. A lot to deal with at the White House today. Dana, 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 June 25, 2003 - 15:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a potential breakthrough in the Middle East peace process. And we say "potential".
Senior Palestinian officials say that three extremists groups have agreed today to a three-month suspension of attacks against the Israelis, but some Palestinian militants deny that any deal has been reached. And here in Washington President Bush sounds skeptical, as well.
Let's check in with our White House correspondent, Dana Bash. Dana, what are they saying and what is the President saying?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you just nailed it right there with using the word skeptical. That is exactly the way President Bush seemed to react when asked about this potential cease- fire.
First of all, in terms of the specifics, he said he didn't have any first-hand knowledge of it actually existing. But ultimately he said it's not about a cease-fire. He made clear with very strong language that it is about dismantling groups like Hamas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'll believe it when I see it, knowing the history of the terrorists in the Middle East. But the true test for Hamas and terrorist organizations is the complete dismantlement of their terrorist networks, their capacity to blow up the peace process.
That's the true test. You know, it's one thing to make a verbal agreement, but in order for there to be peace in the Middle East, we must see organizations such as Hamas dismantled, and then we'll have peace and a chance for peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now Mideast peace was already at the top of the agenda here at the White House. President Bush there was speaking after meeting privately with senior members from the European Union; a summit here in Washington at the White House.
They already were talking in private in the Oval Office, we are told, about the fact that President Bush wants all European nations to crack down on funding for Hamas and groups like Hamas. The White House believes that there are European nations, although they're not specific as to which ones they're talking about. But that are not to adequately making sure that no money is coming from their country to the Palestinian territories to fund terrorist groups.
Now, Judy, there was also an interesting bit of discussion from President Bush about another country in the Middle East. And that is Iran. He made clear that in his discussions with European leaders that they want Iran not to engage in any kind of practice that would take their nuclear program and make any weapons out of their nuclear program.
It was very clear that they want diplomatically to put pressure on Iran to make sure that doesn't happen. When asked what if Iran does not comply, he wouldn't go there except to say we'll deal with that if and when it happens.
WOODRUFF: All right. A lot to deal with at the White House today. Dana, 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
