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American Morning
Sharon, Abbas to Meet Today
Aired May 29, 2003 - 09:05 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet today. It is their second chance now to discuss the Bush administration's road map for Mideast peace.
Both sides will meet with President Bush when he arrives in the Mideast next week. Our Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna, standing by with more on that -- Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Heidi, the much- ameeted (ph) -- waited meeting between the two prime ministers taking place here in Jerusalem with in the next few hours. Mahmoud Abbas in the lead into the meeting has been sending conciliatory signals. In a rare interview with an Israeli newspaper he said he believes it is possible to get a cease fire agreement from militant Palestinian groups, an end to violence against Israeli civilians by these groups, one of Israel's preconditions for the implementation of this U.S.- backed road map.
So, Abbas and Ariel Sharon will sit down and discuss ways in which the road map can be implemented. Each side has obligations in terms of that road map, and they will discuss this as well when they meet with U.S. President George W. Bush. That meeting due to take place in Aqaba next week as the momentum of implementing this road map gets well under way -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I'm wondering, Mike, how much control do you think Yasser Arafat will actually have over these negotiations, even though both Israeli administration officials and the Bush administration officials say that they do not want him anywhere near these meetings?
HANNA: Well, that's a very clear point. U.S. and Israel, as you say, will have nothing to do with Yasser Arafat, who they believe is a factor encouraging violence against Israel and within the region.
But Palestinians insist that Yasser Arafat remains the leader of the Palestinian Authority. This the insistence, too, of the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. So as far as Palestinians are concerned, the U.S. and Israel can attempt to wish Yasser Arafat away, but his presence remains, and any agreement reached will probably have to be signed off by Yasser Arafat.
COLLINS: Mike Hanna, our Jerusalem bureau chief, live for us this morning. Thanks, Mike.
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 29, 2003 - 09:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet today. It is their second chance now to discuss the Bush administration's road map for Mideast peace.
Both sides will meet with President Bush when he arrives in the Mideast next week. Our Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna, standing by with more on that -- Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Heidi, the much- ameeted (ph) -- waited meeting between the two prime ministers taking place here in Jerusalem with in the next few hours. Mahmoud Abbas in the lead into the meeting has been sending conciliatory signals. In a rare interview with an Israeli newspaper he said he believes it is possible to get a cease fire agreement from militant Palestinian groups, an end to violence against Israeli civilians by these groups, one of Israel's preconditions for the implementation of this U.S.- backed road map.
So, Abbas and Ariel Sharon will sit down and discuss ways in which the road map can be implemented. Each side has obligations in terms of that road map, and they will discuss this as well when they meet with U.S. President George W. Bush. That meeting due to take place in Aqaba next week as the momentum of implementing this road map gets well under way -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I'm wondering, Mike, how much control do you think Yasser Arafat will actually have over these negotiations, even though both Israeli administration officials and the Bush administration officials say that they do not want him anywhere near these meetings?
HANNA: Well, that's a very clear point. U.S. and Israel, as you say, will have nothing to do with Yasser Arafat, who they believe is a factor encouraging violence against Israel and within the region.
But Palestinians insist that Yasser Arafat remains the leader of the Palestinian Authority. This the insistence, too, of the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. So as far as Palestinians are concerned, the U.S. and Israel can attempt to wish Yasser Arafat away, but his presence remains, and any agreement reached will probably have to be signed off by Yasser Arafat.
COLLINS: Mike Hanna, our Jerusalem bureau chief, live for us this morning. Thanks, Mike.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
