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American Morning

Push for Peace in Middle East

Aired May 12, 2003 - 08:32   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To the Middle East right now. After meeting with Palestinian and Israeli leaders over the weekend, Secretary of State Colin Powell is in Cairo today. In fact, we heard a bit of his briefing last hour here on AMERICAN MORNING.
He is talking with Egyptian officials, seeking support for the new road map for Middle East peace.

Our Cairo bureau chief, Ben Wedeman, is standing by live now with more from there.

Ben -- good afternoon.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, good afternoon, Bill.

Yes, Secretary Powell was in Cairo; still is in Cairo. He spent the morning meeting with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, with the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Maher, about this road map, as it's called: the road map for peace.

But in a press conference this morning, he did acknowledge that this road map, or even peace in the Middle East, is going to be quite a tall order.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: There are no doubt challenging times ahead, and it's a challenging road ahead to reconstruct a democratic Iraq governed by Iraqis for the benefit of its people, to restore hope to Palestinians and Israelis and a peaceful, secure future, and to improve the lives of people throughout the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: And, of course, what we also have to deal with here is the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has not accepted officially this road map. The Egyptians are very concerned that in the absence of a clear Israeli acceptance, that this road map for peace is going to lead to nowhere -- Bill.

HEMMER: Ben Wedeman live in Cairo watching all of that for us, a critical time yet again for the future part of that world. Thanks, Ben.

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 May 12, 2003 - 08:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To the Middle East right now. After meeting with Palestinian and Israeli leaders over the weekend, Secretary of State Colin Powell is in Cairo today. In fact, we heard a bit of his briefing last hour here on AMERICAN MORNING.
He is talking with Egyptian officials, seeking support for the new road map for Middle East peace.

Our Cairo bureau chief, Ben Wedeman, is standing by live now with more from there.

Ben -- good afternoon.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, good afternoon, Bill.

Yes, Secretary Powell was in Cairo; still is in Cairo. He spent the morning meeting with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, with the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Maher, about this road map, as it's called: the road map for peace.

But in a press conference this morning, he did acknowledge that this road map, or even peace in the Middle East, is going to be quite a tall order.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: There are no doubt challenging times ahead, and it's a challenging road ahead to reconstruct a democratic Iraq governed by Iraqis for the benefit of its people, to restore hope to Palestinians and Israelis and a peaceful, secure future, and to improve the lives of people throughout the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: And, of course, what we also have to deal with here is the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has not accepted officially this road map. The Egyptians are very concerned that in the absence of a clear Israeli acceptance, that this road map for peace is going to lead to nowhere -- Bill.

HEMMER: Ben Wedeman live in Cairo watching all of that for us, a critical time yet again for the future part of that world. Thanks, Ben.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.