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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush, Blair Wrap Up Talks

Aired April 07, 2002 - 09:02   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well today, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrapped up their weekend of talks, which were largely dominated by the Middle East crisis. CNN's Kelly Wallace is traveling with the President. She joins us again live from Crawford, Texas. Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Kyra. Well, President Bush and British Prime Minister Blair are expected to have breakfast this morning before the Blairs depart the President's ranch.

As you said, the two leaders spending a great deal of time during this get together at the ranch discussing the situation in the Middle East and, Kyra, the message coming from the Bush White House this morning is that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's promise to wrap up the military offensive as quickly as possibly is not enough, that Mr. Bush wants to see Prime Minister Sharon withdraw all his forces from the Palestinian areas now.

You see the Prime Minister as he entered an emergency cabinet meeting on this day. Mr. Bush delivered his message to the Prime Minister during a phone conversation yesterday that one aide described as "pretty direct." In that conversation, aides say Mr. Bush said that Mr. Sharon needed to act now, so as to insure the success of Secretary of State Colin Powell's mission, which as we know gets underway later today.

We also know in that conversation, the Prime Minister said he would wrap up the offensive "as expeditiously as possible." In response to that, we understand, the President saying he wants more.

Now the President also tried to ratchet up the pressure, using the podium. During a news conference yesterday with the British Prime Minister, that is when the President said he wants to see withdrawal "without delay." Those last two words were new, because on Thursday, the President called for Israel to begin withdrawing its forces from the Palestinian areas. He did not use the words "without delay."

But after Israel ignored that call, and actually widened its offensive, senior administration officials say the President decided to be more explicit during that news conference with the Prime Minister, and again, also on the telephone. That phone call, his first call to the Israeli leader since the Israeli raids began a little more than a week ago. So as for what happens now, Kyra, well U.S. officials say they will keep the pressure on Israel publicly and privately to see that Israel does in fact begin to withdraw its forces from the Palestinian areas.

The President is also keeping the pressure on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. We saw him during that news conference yesterday say that Arafat has not earned his trust, and has not kept his word when it comes to fighting terror.

And, Kyra, the administration continuing to keep it an open question whether Secretary Powell will, in fact, meet with Yasser Arafat when he heads to the region. It appears the message is if Arafat does not do more to crack down on terror, he might not even get a meeting with the Secretary of State. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Kelly, what are the consequences if Israel refuses to do what the President is asking?

WALLACE: Well that is a good question, and you know the President was asked that yesterday during his news conference and the President really said, well I expect Israel to "heed the call." He expects Israel to do what he is asking Israel to do.

So U.S. officials, even privately, are not talking about consequences just yet, but they are making it very clear that the President is expecting to see action now. And there's a lot of concern, Kyra, again about the impact on Secretary Powell's mission, that part of the reason the President wants to see some withdrawal now is that to have Israel, in the President's words, "diffuse the situation" according to a senior administration official, and again to allow diplomacy to succeed.

So no one is really talking about consequences for Israel right now, but you can bet that we'll hear from the Secretary of State and Condoleezza Rice, the President's National Security Adviser, on interview programs this morning, and the message again is likely to be that Israel must act now, again to allow the diplomatic processes to get underway. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace from Crawford, Texas, thank you so much.

WALLACE: Sure.

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