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American Morning

Bush Off This Morning on Trip That Aims to Mend Some Fences

Aired May 30, 2003 - 07:31   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: The biggest story right now, President Bush off this morning on a trip that aims to mend some fences in a lot of places, as well as tearing down others, possibly. On his way to Poland, the start of his seven day, six nation trip that will also take him to Russia and France and the troubled Middle East.
Live now on the front lawn, our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. More on this significant and ambitious trip -- Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.

President Bush, his wheels up for this historic trip. It's really a trip considered to be a test of his credibility. As you know, the president saying that with the fall of Iraq would bring about better chances for democracy and peace in the Middle East. It's the first time that he's going to be in the Middle East as president.

But as you noted, he starts off in Krakow, Poland to thank a staunch U.S. ally in the war on terror.

He goes on to Russia. That's where he's going to be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to deal with a tough subject, that is, Russia's alleged cooperation with Iran in providing for its nuclear program. U.S. officials believe that they may be starting a nuclear weapons program in that country.

And then, of course, it is on to Evian, France for the G8 summit. That is where he's going to be meeting with the host, French President Jacques Chirac, for the first time, face to face, since November. Both leaders indicating they want to move forward and patch up their rather rocky relationship.

And then, of course, Monday and Tuesday, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he's going to be meeting with Arab leaders to underscore the importance of their role in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together to the table.

And then finally Wednesday, that is the historic Middle East peace summit. That is going to be in Jordan. That is where he is going to meet with King Abdullah and then separately with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. He will bring them together in that historic summit. Everybody, all eyes on that particular event, of course, the highlight of his trip.

And then finally Thursday he'll be in Doha, Qatar. That's where he's going to be thanking U.S. troops for their service in Iraq. Also getting an update on the situation on the ground in Iraq from U.S. Central Command as well as some of the other officials there. An increasingly dangerous situation, but, Bill, a lot on the president's plate.

HEMMER: And you have set us up quite nicely, Suzanne.

Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon, can these two men now bring their respective sides to an agreement after decades of hostility?

Our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield, here to talk about that and give us a few things to think about.

You know, for Palestinians, just the thought of Ariel Sharon as a peacemaker is unthinkable to so many of them.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's true. He has been, for Palestinians, the very symbol of intransigence. He spent a quarter century as a military man, more, defense ministry in 1982. He was found by an Israeli inquiry to be indirectly responsible for massacres in two refugee camps in Lebanon, briefly forced out of public life.

Back in 2000, his visit to Temple Mount was said by Palestinians to be the spark that set off the second intifada, the wave of suicide bombings and other acts. And he's been traditionally the most reluctant to talk about dismantling the settlements and the whole idea of a Palestinian state.

And yet, Bill, that may be the very reason why Sharon could help bring about a peace.

HEMMER: Does that take us back to the maxim where some people believe that only hawks make peace?

GREENFIELD: It's very much so. It's the Richard Nixon, the most anti-communist of American anti-communists, opening the door to China 31 years ago. Part of any Israeli leader's job will be to sell a peace plan to his own country. So when Sharon talks about painful steps to peace -- and he means the end of some, if not most, settlements, when he seemed to speak of occupied territories as he seemed to do Monday, although he backtracked on that Tuesday, he's not speaking as a dove or as a peace politician given to making concessions. He's 75. He may want peace as his final legacy.

HEMMER: We know a lot about Ariel Sharon. What we do not know a lot about, though, is Mahmoud Abbas and his background in going forward, at least in this country, anyway. He's well known in the Middle East.

GREENFIELD: Well, absolutely. He's also known as Abu Mazen. But here again, you have one of the founders of the PLO. It was formed out of Fatah. He followed Yasser Arafat into exile in Jordan and Lebanon and Tunisia. He has long been a very forceful advocate for the so-called right of return, the idea of Palestinians reclaiming land in Israel that they or perhaps their forebears left decades ago. So among Israelis, there might be plenty of grounds for skepticism. But he is also known to have argued in the past against the use of terror tactics, which is an absolute condition for a peace process, and Mahmoud Abbas or Abu Mazen says he can get Hamas to agree to a halt in such tactics.

If he can do that and Sharon can sell those painful steps back home to the more hard-line elements in his coalition, maybe there's cause, maybe, for some optimism.

HEMMER: There is another factor involved here, and a significant one, too, reactions in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. How do they play into whether or not this thing can truly go forward midweek next week?

GREENFIELD: I think you saw a significant and not entirely -- in fact, a discouraging event in this area. In Saudi Arabia, whose government controlled media frequently publishes the most outrageous of anti-Semitic tales -- Jews killing children for blood to make matzos -- a leading critic of Wahabi fundamentalism, Jamal Khashoggi, he was the editor of "al-Watan" newspaper, he was fired. And that does not suggest that the royal family is especially eager to change the nature of its coverage.

When you consider that the man who controls the press, the interior minister publicly said not long ago that it was the Jews who were responsible for the September 11 attacks, that's not exactly encouraging news for a dispassionate coverage of Middle East peace, the kind that will bring what is called the Arab street, Arab public opinion, in line behind any peace process that develops.

HEMMER: It highlights the shift that is needed in a big and monumental way.

GREENFIELD: This is not going to happen in a day or two.

HEMMER: Oh, yes, big time.

Jeff, thanks.

GREENFIELD: Thank you.

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




Fences>


Aired May 30, 2003 - 07:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The biggest story right now, President Bush off this morning on a trip that aims to mend some fences in a lot of places, as well as tearing down others, possibly. On his way to Poland, the start of his seven day, six nation trip that will also take him to Russia and France and the troubled Middle East.
Live now on the front lawn, our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. More on this significant and ambitious trip -- Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.

President Bush, his wheels up for this historic trip. It's really a trip considered to be a test of his credibility. As you know, the president saying that with the fall of Iraq would bring about better chances for democracy and peace in the Middle East. It's the first time that he's going to be in the Middle East as president.

But as you noted, he starts off in Krakow, Poland to thank a staunch U.S. ally in the war on terror.

He goes on to Russia. That's where he's going to be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to deal with a tough subject, that is, Russia's alleged cooperation with Iran in providing for its nuclear program. U.S. officials believe that they may be starting a nuclear weapons program in that country.

And then, of course, it is on to Evian, France for the G8 summit. That is where he's going to be meeting with the host, French President Jacques Chirac, for the first time, face to face, since November. Both leaders indicating they want to move forward and patch up their rather rocky relationship.

And then, of course, Monday and Tuesday, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he's going to be meeting with Arab leaders to underscore the importance of their role in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together to the table.

And then finally Wednesday, that is the historic Middle East peace summit. That is going to be in Jordan. That is where he is going to meet with King Abdullah and then separately with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. He will bring them together in that historic summit. Everybody, all eyes on that particular event, of course, the highlight of his trip.

And then finally Thursday he'll be in Doha, Qatar. That's where he's going to be thanking U.S. troops for their service in Iraq. Also getting an update on the situation on the ground in Iraq from U.S. Central Command as well as some of the other officials there. An increasingly dangerous situation, but, Bill, a lot on the president's plate.

HEMMER: And you have set us up quite nicely, Suzanne.

Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon, can these two men now bring their respective sides to an agreement after decades of hostility?

Our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield, here to talk about that and give us a few things to think about.

You know, for Palestinians, just the thought of Ariel Sharon as a peacemaker is unthinkable to so many of them.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's true. He has been, for Palestinians, the very symbol of intransigence. He spent a quarter century as a military man, more, defense ministry in 1982. He was found by an Israeli inquiry to be indirectly responsible for massacres in two refugee camps in Lebanon, briefly forced out of public life.

Back in 2000, his visit to Temple Mount was said by Palestinians to be the spark that set off the second intifada, the wave of suicide bombings and other acts. And he's been traditionally the most reluctant to talk about dismantling the settlements and the whole idea of a Palestinian state.

And yet, Bill, that may be the very reason why Sharon could help bring about a peace.

HEMMER: Does that take us back to the maxim where some people believe that only hawks make peace?

GREENFIELD: It's very much so. It's the Richard Nixon, the most anti-communist of American anti-communists, opening the door to China 31 years ago. Part of any Israeli leader's job will be to sell a peace plan to his own country. So when Sharon talks about painful steps to peace -- and he means the end of some, if not most, settlements, when he seemed to speak of occupied territories as he seemed to do Monday, although he backtracked on that Tuesday, he's not speaking as a dove or as a peace politician given to making concessions. He's 75. He may want peace as his final legacy.

HEMMER: We know a lot about Ariel Sharon. What we do not know a lot about, though, is Mahmoud Abbas and his background in going forward, at least in this country, anyway. He's well known in the Middle East.

GREENFIELD: Well, absolutely. He's also known as Abu Mazen. But here again, you have one of the founders of the PLO. It was formed out of Fatah. He followed Yasser Arafat into exile in Jordan and Lebanon and Tunisia. He has long been a very forceful advocate for the so-called right of return, the idea of Palestinians reclaiming land in Israel that they or perhaps their forebears left decades ago. So among Israelis, there might be plenty of grounds for skepticism. But he is also known to have argued in the past against the use of terror tactics, which is an absolute condition for a peace process, and Mahmoud Abbas or Abu Mazen says he can get Hamas to agree to a halt in such tactics.

If he can do that and Sharon can sell those painful steps back home to the more hard-line elements in his coalition, maybe there's cause, maybe, for some optimism.

HEMMER: There is another factor involved here, and a significant one, too, reactions in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. How do they play into whether or not this thing can truly go forward midweek next week?

GREENFIELD: I think you saw a significant and not entirely -- in fact, a discouraging event in this area. In Saudi Arabia, whose government controlled media frequently publishes the most outrageous of anti-Semitic tales -- Jews killing children for blood to make matzos -- a leading critic of Wahabi fundamentalism, Jamal Khashoggi, he was the editor of "al-Watan" newspaper, he was fired. And that does not suggest that the royal family is especially eager to change the nature of its coverage.

When you consider that the man who controls the press, the interior minister publicly said not long ago that it was the Jews who were responsible for the September 11 attacks, that's not exactly encouraging news for a dispassionate coverage of Middle East peace, the kind that will bring what is called the Arab street, Arab public opinion, in line behind any peace process that develops.

HEMMER: It highlights the shift that is needed in a big and monumental way.

GREENFIELD: This is not going to happen in a day or two.

HEMMER: Oh, yes, big time.

Jeff, thanks.

GREENFIELD: Thank you.

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




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