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American Morning

President Bush to Contact Mideast Leaders

Aired May 23, 2001 - 09:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: John King, I'm going to go back to you at the White House for another topic. Just to change gears quickly, if we can, I understand you have some news concerning the Middle East this morning.
JOHN KING, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Leon.

More evidence this morning of the administration and the president directly taking a more aggressive and active role in the Middle East. CNN is told by several administration sources that the president this morning plans to call, not only the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, but also the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, to urge both leaders to accept a cease-fire in the Middle East.

Now this is significant for this reason. Back at the very beginning there was a brief conversation between President Bush and Mr. Arafat, a getting-to-know-you phone call, but the president has refused to speak to Mr. Arafat since saying that he would not deal with Mr. Arafat directly until and unless Mr. Arafat publicly condemned the violence. The administration deciding at this point the situation has deteriorated so much, the Mitchell report out there as a potential stepping stone for at least a cease-fire, that the president will pick up the phone this morning and make two key phones calls to the Israeli leader and the Palestinian leader hoping, at the end of those phone calls, that both will agree to a cease-fire.

HARRIS: Great. Thanks, John. Looks like they're going to have a busy day for you at the White House. Thanks so much. John King at the White House.

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