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CNN Sunday Morning

Peacemaking Efforts Gaining Momentum

Aired May 19, 2002 - 09:14   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Peacemaking efforts are gaining some momentum in the Middle East. Palestinian leaders are eying elections that are seen as vital to reform and peace, and Israel Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is once again pushing a plan calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state. CNN's Rula Amin is in Ramallah and she has more for us. Hello, Rula.

RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles. You know they say that Yasser Arafat is the most conservative revolutionary and that he will resist change until the last minute. The pressure is mounting on him still to change and to change his ways.

The Jordanian Foreign Minister was in Ramallah today. He met with Yasser Arafat and he had the same message, "it's time to reform." Now the Palestinians, about 15 Palestinian cabinet members had already told us they told Yasser Arafat yesterday they are willing to resign to accelerate the process of reform.

He has not accepted their resignation yet. He said he will at the right time. We asked him when does he think he is going to dissolve his cabinet and form a new one as a first step towards change. He said when the time is right.

Also Yasser Arafat is talking about elections. He says as soon as possible but without setting a time. Palestinian officials are saying the right time is when they had prepared enough. They had prepared enough, and they say they have to create the right environment for such reelection.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANAN ASHRAWI, PALESTINIAN LEGISLATOR: There are reforms that are immediate and that are subject to an independent Palestinian decision and they should be taken immediately. There are others that are dependent on Israeli behavior, because when you're under siege, when you're being shelled or when people are being assassinated, when Israeli incursions take place every day, when we have no freedom of movement, there are other issues that can not be implemented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMIN: Now despite these difficulties that the Palestinians are talking about, they're trying to send the right message that they are willing to reform. They're willing to have elections, that they are serious about it and that they will go ahead with their preparations.

Yasser Arafat is meeting today with the committee in charge of preparing all the logistics to have such elections. This comes at the same time when Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is saying that he is going to present his plan, which may lead to a Palestinian state within weeks. Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Rula Amin thank you very much.

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