Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Surprise Resignation in Mideast
Aired May 16, 2003 - 07:33 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: We want to get back to the Middle East quickly, Fredricka here. A surprise resignation earlier today, the Palestinian minister in charge of negotiations. All this coming right now on the eve of the first meeting between the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian prime minister, the new man in charge, Mahmoud Abbas.
Kelly Wallace live in Jerusalem for more on the significance and what this means now -- Kelly, good afternoon there.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Bill.
Well, the key question continues to be why did Saeb Erakat, the man who was leading Palestinian negotiations through, since the mid- 1990s, decide to submit his resignation now and, again, the timing of this. Well, Saeb Erakat, in a phone call with CNN, said he doesn't want to comment, that he made the decision based on "a lot of things." And he also dismissed as nonsense reports that he was enraged at being excluded from the Palestinian delegation for this upcoming Saturday night meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Privately, some senior Palestinian sources are saying a bit more. They say that Saeb Erakat was "fed up" with the current Palestinian leadership.
Now, as for this coming meeting, expectations are low even though it is the first Israeli-Palestinian summit in two and a half years. The expectations are low because both sides entering the meeting with different agendas. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, wants to use the meeting, according to Palestinian sources, to try and convince the Israelis to formally accept the Mideast road map, something Israel has not yet done. And the message from the Palestinians will be until Israel accepts the road map, the Palestinians can't really be expected to go ahead and reign in radical Palestinian groups like Hamas.
Now, Prime Minister Sharon, according to Israeli sources, will say that until he sees Mahmoud Abbas taking tangible and concrete steps on the ground to crack down on groups like Hamas, he is not going to take more serious steps, such as pulling Israeli forces out of Palestinian towns.
And, Bill, there's another reason both sides don't really expect a breakthrough, and that is because many believe Prime Minister Sharon might wait to announce any big move that Israel might make after his meeting in Washington with President Bush, which takes place on Tuesday -- Bill. HEMMER: Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem.
Nonetheless, a very interesting meeting this week, and many would say just the fact that they are talking is good news there.
Kelly, thanks.
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 16, 2003 - 07:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to the Middle East quickly, Fredricka here. A surprise resignation earlier today, the Palestinian minister in charge of negotiations. All this coming right now on the eve of the first meeting between the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian prime minister, the new man in charge, Mahmoud Abbas.
Kelly Wallace live in Jerusalem for more on the significance and what this means now -- Kelly, good afternoon there.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Bill.
Well, the key question continues to be why did Saeb Erakat, the man who was leading Palestinian negotiations through, since the mid- 1990s, decide to submit his resignation now and, again, the timing of this. Well, Saeb Erakat, in a phone call with CNN, said he doesn't want to comment, that he made the decision based on "a lot of things." And he also dismissed as nonsense reports that he was enraged at being excluded from the Palestinian delegation for this upcoming Saturday night meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Privately, some senior Palestinian sources are saying a bit more. They say that Saeb Erakat was "fed up" with the current Palestinian leadership.
Now, as for this coming meeting, expectations are low even though it is the first Israeli-Palestinian summit in two and a half years. The expectations are low because both sides entering the meeting with different agendas. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, wants to use the meeting, according to Palestinian sources, to try and convince the Israelis to formally accept the Mideast road map, something Israel has not yet done. And the message from the Palestinians will be until Israel accepts the road map, the Palestinians can't really be expected to go ahead and reign in radical Palestinian groups like Hamas.
Now, Prime Minister Sharon, according to Israeli sources, will say that until he sees Mahmoud Abbas taking tangible and concrete steps on the ground to crack down on groups like Hamas, he is not going to take more serious steps, such as pulling Israeli forces out of Palestinian towns.
And, Bill, there's another reason both sides don't really expect a breakthrough, and that is because many believe Prime Minister Sharon might wait to announce any big move that Israel might make after his meeting in Washington with President Bush, which takes place on Tuesday -- Bill. HEMMER: Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem.
Nonetheless, a very interesting meeting this week, and many would say just the fact that they are talking is good news there.
Kelly, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
