Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Road to Peace
Aired June 16, 2003 - 08:34 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: John King's our senior White House correspondent at the Front Lawn now.
John, good morning there.
How comfortable right now is the White House with Egypt getting involved and truly spearheading these talks in Gaza City with Hamas and others?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bill, the administration is fully supportive and behind the scenes, working to help the Egyptians on the effort. The United States calls Hamas a terrorist group. It would not be welcome for U.S. delegation to meet with Hamas, nor would this administration tolerate having U.S. officials meet directly with Hamas. So Egypt taking the lead role, but with the administration's full support.
The president, though, making clear over the weekend, this would be just one step. They hope for a cease-fire, a period of calm, so that then they can have some more diplomatic progress. But the president is talking not just about a cease-fire with Hamas. He says for any Middle East peace initiative to be long-term successful, you have to put Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, other Palestinian militant groups completely out of business.
But, Bill, they hope to get a cease-fire in the next 24 to 48 hours. The administration would consider that progress, and it would be very grateful for Egypt's help.
HEMMER: John King from the Front Lawn. John, thanks for that.
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 June 16, 2003 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: John King's our senior White House correspondent at the Front Lawn now.
John, good morning there.
How comfortable right now is the White House with Egypt getting involved and truly spearheading these talks in Gaza City with Hamas and others?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bill, the administration is fully supportive and behind the scenes, working to help the Egyptians on the effort. The United States calls Hamas a terrorist group. It would not be welcome for U.S. delegation to meet with Hamas, nor would this administration tolerate having U.S. officials meet directly with Hamas. So Egypt taking the lead role, but with the administration's full support.
The president, though, making clear over the weekend, this would be just one step. They hope for a cease-fire, a period of calm, so that then they can have some more diplomatic progress. But the president is talking not just about a cease-fire with Hamas. He says for any Middle East peace initiative to be long-term successful, you have to put Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, other Palestinian militant groups completely out of business.
But, Bill, they hope to get a cease-fire in the next 24 to 48 hours. The administration would consider that progress, and it would be very grateful for Egypt's help.
HEMMER: John King from the Front Lawn. John, thanks for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
