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American Morning

Katsav Visits Washington

Aired May 31, 2001 - 11:08   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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's president is making the rounds in Washington today. He met with President Bush at the White House. He is scheduled to sit down with Secretary of State Colin Powell at this hour. First and foremost on his agenda, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. CNN's Jeanne Meserve joins us from Washington now to bring us up to date on President Moshe Katsav's visit -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Stephen, Moshe Katsav was elected the last year as Israel's president, a largely ceremonial post. And his first meetings with President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell come amid renewed fighting between Israelis and Palestinians.

Mr. Katsav is urging the U.S. and other governments to suspend relations with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an effort to break the cycle of violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOSHE KATSAV, PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL: I believe that Yasser Arafat has the ability to stop the violence, to stop the terrorism. I believe that Yasser Arafat controls the situation. And I believe that my expression in this matter will surprise the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: And joining me now, CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno, who met with Mr. Katsav yesterday. No ambiguity here from President Katsav about Yasser Arafat's ability to control the situation.

FRANK SESNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, and even more remarkable, given, as you said, that this is a largely ceremonial post. His outspokenness on the topic is noteworthy, very noteworthy.

Yesterday over at Blair House over lunch, the president made it very clear that he and Israel, the national consensus of Israel, which he says he represents, hold Arafat directly responsible for the terrorism. He said he is, Arafat, the head of terrorism, that Arafat had, in Katsav's words, that he wants and desires the kinds of confrontations, violent confrontations, we have seen over the last eight months. They're holding Arafat directly accountable. Katsav says that Arafat can stop the violence if sufficient international pressure is brought to bear, which is why you heard today this notion of breaking relations essentially.

MESERVE: Given this, does Katsav believe Israel can negotiation eventually with Arafat?

SESNO: Well, that's the interesting thing, of course. Despite the very virulent rhetoric that's going back and forth, Katsav and senior Israeli officials say they can and they must continue to negotiate with Arafat. No one, of course, and certainly this was not the subject of discussion at Blair House yesterday, is talking about an Oslo peace process. Now, the discussion is much more in terms of managing the confrontation.

Katsav's point today here in Washington is that the administration should be involved, the U.S. administration, and the objective should be first and foremost to get to a cease-fire. That's where the pressure should be applied.

MESERVE: Talk about stopping the expansion of settlements from the Mitchell Commission just a couple of weeks ago. What did Katsav say about that?

SESNO: Look, the first thing that he said before you get on the Jewish settlements is cease-fire. That's their position. That's the first thing. And he said that that's -- even that the Mitchell Committee says cease-fire first. The violence must stop first.

The Israelis have made their position very clear on what they call the natural growth of the Israeli settlements. That is still one of the main sticking points between the two sides. The Palestinians, of course, want it stopped outright, the growth.

MESERVE: Frank Sesno, Washington bureau chief, thanks for your insight.

SESNO: Sure.

MESERVE: And now we're going to send it back to Atlanta Daryn and Stephen.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much, Jeanne.

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