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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Speaks Out on Middle Eastern Bloodshed

Aired August 04, 2002 - 09:05   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now, President Bush issued some very strong words on the bloodshed in the Middle East this morning while vacationing in Maine. And CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace is traveling with the president with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Bush spoke out very early this morning in Kennebunkport, Maine. He said he was distressed to learn about the latest bombing, and then he called on everyone, who believes in peace in the Middle East, throughout the Arab world, throughout Europe to join together and put an end to terrorism.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are a few killers who want to stop the peace process that we have started and we must not let them. For the sake of humanity, for the sake of the Palestinians who suffer, for the sake of the Israelis who are under attack, we must stop the terror. I call upon all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers.

WALLACE: The president then got on with his golf game with his father, the former president. The current president enjoying some downtime in Kennebunkport, Maine before heading to Crawford, Texas next week for a month-long getaway from Washington.

This, though, just the latest blow to an already fragile Middle East peace process. It was in the Oval Office late last week when President Bush was with King Abdullah of Jordan. During that time, Mr. Bush said he was furious about the killings of five Americans and two Israelis during a bombing at Hebrew University. The president saying the U.S. would work with the Israelis to find those responsible.

King Abdullah, for his part, has expressed some frustration, wanting to see this administration move faster, in creating a work plan to pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state.

On that front, we understand Palestinian officials are scheduled to be in Washington possibly sometime this coming week to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. This would be the highest-level meeting between Palestinian officials and the Bush administration since President Bush late June called for new leadership within the Palestinian community to one day bring about a Palestinian state. I'm Kelly Wallace, reporting, Kennebunkport, Maine.

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