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American Morning
Powell Concludes Middle East Peace Mission Today
Aired April 17, 2002 - 08:02 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, U.S. Secretary of State Powell did conclude his Middle East peace mission today. Powell said the Israeli incursion into the West Bank must end before a cease- fire can be discussed and he urged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to denounce terrorism and to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.
But this morning at the end of Powell's visit many questions remain unanswered.
And joining us now live with the very latest is CNN's Wolf Blitzer, who is in Jerusalem this morning -- good morning, again, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
As well, the secretary of state preparing to leave Jerusalem, head off to Cairo for a round of talks with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. But pointedly not with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak.
Earlier he spent two hours meeting with the Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah at his besieged headquarters. Afterwards, the secretary came back to Jerusalem, met with reporters, had some pointed words for both sides and he also had some direct questions for both sides, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: For the people and leaders of Israel, the question is whether the time has come for a strong, vibrant state of Israel to look beyond the destructive impact of settlements and occupation, both of which must end consistent with the clear positions taken by President Bush in his April 4 speech. Israelis should look ahead to the promise held out by the region and the world of a comprehensive, lasting peace.
For the people and leaders of the Palestinian Authority, the question is whether violence and terrorism can be renounced forever and whether your sights can be set squarely on peace through negotiations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: This was the first time the secretary of state had used the phrase "destructive impact" in referring to Jewish settlements on the West Bank, as well as the continued Israeli military occupation. He also had some strong words for Yasser Arafat, saying simply condemning terrorism is not enough. Those kinds of promises by the Palestinian leader must be backed up by deeds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: Confronting and ending terrorism are indispensable steps on the road to peace. In my meetings with Chairman Arafat I made it clear that he and the Palestinian Authority can no longer equivocate. They must decide, as the rest of the world has decided, that terrorism must end.
Chairman Arafat must take that message to his people. He must follow through with instructions to his security forces. They must act to arrest and prosecute terrorists, disrupt terrorist financing, dismantle terrorist infrastructure and stop incitement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: And U.S. officials say they do anticipate yet another statement from the Palestinians, perhaps as early as later today. But they also say they want the Palestinians to follow up with direct action, trying to do their best to prevent additional suicide bombing strikes against Israelis.
In that regard, the secretary did leave open the possibility that the CIA director, George Tenet, would return here for high level security cooperation talks with the Palestinians to try to get to an end of such kind of terrorism.
On the issue of a regional peace conference, Paula, the secretary of state said the U.S. is open to that idea and that he, the secretary of state, would be discussing it with President Bush once he returns to Washington -- Paula.
ZAHN: And, Wolf, I know that you probably heard part of my interview with Martin Indyk, who is a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, and he said although he feels Colin Powell is coming home with, as he described it, "thin gruel," he does think that one of his achievements has been that he has lessened tensions along that border between Lebanon and the borders with the northern part of Israel.
BLITZER: And that's nothing to sneeze at because there was serious U.S. concern that the tensions along Israel's border sneeze at because there was serious U.S. concern that the tensions along Israel's borders with Lebanon and Syria could flare up and escalate and create a wider regional war, specifically between Israel and Syria, that would be a disaster for everyone in this part of the world, including for U.S. interests in this part of the world.
There's been five days of calm now since secretary, since the secretary was in Beirut, later in Damascus. No more Hezbollah mortar attacks into this little tiny disputed area along the borders between Israel, Syria and Lebanon. As a result, that is something tangible that Colin Powell can look at. But as far as easing the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, the whole Israeli military operation that's been under way now for more than two weeks, there doesn't seem to be much that Powell can show for his visit here. And I guess a lot of us hadn't anticipated that there would be much, but he doesn't seem to have achieved much, at least not on the surface.
ZAHN: All right, well, thanks so much for that update. I know you've been doing some pretty fancy footwork juggling all these news conferences we've been covering live today.
Thank you again for that report.
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