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CNN Sunday Morning

Powell Expected to Visit Beirut

Aired April 14, 2002 - 11:09   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Tensions continue to build in northern Israel, along the Lebanese border, and that's exactly why Secretary Powell has now decided to head to Beirut. Our own Beirut Bureau Chief Brent Sadler is on the phone with us now to talk a little bit more about what the Secretary might see and experience once he gets to Beirut. Brent.

BRENT SADLER, BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Well first of all, Fredricka, there's appreciation being expressed by Lebanese officials here that Secretary of State Powell is seeing for himself, and not only what's happening between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but also what leaders immediately adjacent to Israel, to front line Arab states. Remember Lebanon and Syria still technically in a state of war and

Lebanon and Syria still in a state of war technically with the Israelis, so it's very important, I think, as it's seen here that Colin Powell is now, if you like, expanding this mission and touching base with the Lebanese authorities and indeed with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Now Prime Minister Rafic Hariri is due to meet President Bush in Washington this Wednesday. As a sign just how late this was arranged, Mr. Hariri was really clearly preparing to leave Beirut to head to Washington several hours ago, postponed his planned departure for 24 hours, so that he can sit in with the scheduled meetings, which may take place just over a few hours at Beirut International Airport Monday, and it is expected Secretary Powell will move on to Damascus.

Now it's not just a question of the border issue here, although why should that be interesting now? Why should that take up the Secretary's time? Two reasons one because of concern that that border could really get out of hand. There's been almost two weeks of cross- border clashes, as a result of strikes into occupied Arab land at the foot of the Golan Heights, and concern that Israeli border settlements in the north of Israel could be targeted.

And it's clearly the intention of Hezbollah to link their ongoing attacks against Israeli troops with what's happening between the Israelis and the Palestinians in those territories. So there's definite linkage there. Secretary of State Powell wants to listen to the Lebanese authorities who back Hezbollah's guerrilla campaign against Israeli occupation troops in the foot of the Golan. The government here, the authorities here do not accept or recognize that there should be renegade Palestinian attacks outside that much talked about Shebba Farms area.

Very many complicated issues, but essentially you're right. It's contained again, as Major Garrett was talking about there. Any escalation along the border, and it will be important for the Lebanese and the Syrians to make the point that it was only just about two weeks ago that there was an Arab Summit, hosted here in the Lebanese capitol, which worked on that peace initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah, and which at the end of several days of intense debate here, the summit, that Arab Summit came out with an unprecedented offer of peace, normal relations between the Arab world and the Israelis in exchange of land for peace, and removal of Israeli forces from land captured since 1967.

So these issues that will get a lot of airing here are going to be very important for the Lebanese and the Syrians and, of course, Secretary Powell's visit here is certainly going to be interesting to see what comes out of that. Back to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much Brent Sadler in Beirut.

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