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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Saeb Erakat
Aired May 11, 2003 - 07:28 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Want to check in now with Jerrold Kessel who is standing by in Jericho for some early Palestinian reaction to statements made earlier this morning by Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Jerrold, good morning.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, Anderson.
We're down here in Jericho, where a short while from now the newly installed Palestinian prime minister, and his team of negotiators, Mahmoud Abbas will be meeting with the Secretary of State Colin Powell. And we're joined by one of the member of that Palestinian team, Saeb Erakat.
Thanks very much, Saeb, for joining us.
The secretary of State, we just heard a short while ago, in his meeting, after meeting with the Israeli prime minister, saying he expects the Palestinians to act rapidly and decisively to disarm and dismantle terrorist organizations. When the secretary of state puts that to you, will you be able to answer him positively?
SAER ERAKAT, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: Yes, we are willing to carry all of our obligations, anything from the road map, including the security ones. The road map was introduced 12 years ago, we have said yes. Clearcut yes to the road map. So far we haven't heard an Israeli answer.
We hope that Mr. Powell will get an Israeli yes. We stand a good chance, as Israelis and Palestinians tonight from here, Jericho, to revive hope, to reengage serious (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for peace process. But it all depends on Sharon's answer. And we hope the answer will be yes to the road map.
KESSEL: In other words, is it provisional yes from your side, if Mr. Sharon says yes, accepts the road map, then you will act? Or will you act anyway?
ERAKAT: The whole road map is not reinventing the wheel. It is compiling obligations from both sides that should be implemented in parallel, not sequential. And at the same time with the monitoring of the American, and European, and other monitors on the ground.
So, if we say yes and the Israelis don't say yes, we don't have a road map. What will take us towards arriving at the peace process is the road map. And this is why it was introduced. It wasn't introduced to go to the archives. It was for implementation and not for a discussion.
So, it is really essential for Mr. Powell to get an Israeli yes, because that's the key to kicking the process forward.
KESSEL: When Mr. Sharon says first he needs to see decisive action, and what the secretary said, decisive action to disarm and prevent further terror act, then Israel can -- the onus will be on Israel.
ERAKAT: That's not the road map. The road map specifies mutual, reciprocal, parallel implementation by both sides. We have obligations. We will honor them.
Jerrold, let me ask just one question. Imagine had the road map been introduced 12 years ago, Israel had said yes and we did not give an answer. What would be the position in the White House, in the Senate, in the Congress, worldwide? What we need to give this meaningful process a chance, and we don't want to waste it, is an Israeli yes to the road map, and we need that for the Americans and others to continue with us.
KESSEL: Thanks very much, Saeb Erakat, giving an indication there, Anderson, of some of the complications. Who goes first? That's that big question. Well, we're here in Jericho. It's tough. It is the oldest city in the world. Certainly got a reputation for being one of the hottest. But one of its absolute attributes is it's the lowest city on the face of the earth. Perhaps the Israeli- Palestinian equation, the confrontation can't go any lower, and it is possibly from here that you can see them moving back from confrontation, from the very depths that they're at, confrontation back to negotiations, but to do that, Colin Powell has a mountain to climb.
COOPER: Certainly seems like they've got some tough negotiations ahead. Jerrold Kessel, thanks very much.
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 May 11, 2003 - 07:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Want to check in now with Jerrold Kessel who is standing by in Jericho for some early Palestinian reaction to statements made earlier this morning by Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Jerrold, good morning.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, Anderson.
We're down here in Jericho, where a short while from now the newly installed Palestinian prime minister, and his team of negotiators, Mahmoud Abbas will be meeting with the Secretary of State Colin Powell. And we're joined by one of the member of that Palestinian team, Saeb Erakat.
Thanks very much, Saeb, for joining us.
The secretary of State, we just heard a short while ago, in his meeting, after meeting with the Israeli prime minister, saying he expects the Palestinians to act rapidly and decisively to disarm and dismantle terrorist organizations. When the secretary of state puts that to you, will you be able to answer him positively?
SAER ERAKAT, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: Yes, we are willing to carry all of our obligations, anything from the road map, including the security ones. The road map was introduced 12 years ago, we have said yes. Clearcut yes to the road map. So far we haven't heard an Israeli answer.
We hope that Mr. Powell will get an Israeli yes. We stand a good chance, as Israelis and Palestinians tonight from here, Jericho, to revive hope, to reengage serious (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for peace process. But it all depends on Sharon's answer. And we hope the answer will be yes to the road map.
KESSEL: In other words, is it provisional yes from your side, if Mr. Sharon says yes, accepts the road map, then you will act? Or will you act anyway?
ERAKAT: The whole road map is not reinventing the wheel. It is compiling obligations from both sides that should be implemented in parallel, not sequential. And at the same time with the monitoring of the American, and European, and other monitors on the ground.
So, if we say yes and the Israelis don't say yes, we don't have a road map. What will take us towards arriving at the peace process is the road map. And this is why it was introduced. It wasn't introduced to go to the archives. It was for implementation and not for a discussion.
So, it is really essential for Mr. Powell to get an Israeli yes, because that's the key to kicking the process forward.
KESSEL: When Mr. Sharon says first he needs to see decisive action, and what the secretary said, decisive action to disarm and prevent further terror act, then Israel can -- the onus will be on Israel.
ERAKAT: That's not the road map. The road map specifies mutual, reciprocal, parallel implementation by both sides. We have obligations. We will honor them.
Jerrold, let me ask just one question. Imagine had the road map been introduced 12 years ago, Israel had said yes and we did not give an answer. What would be the position in the White House, in the Senate, in the Congress, worldwide? What we need to give this meaningful process a chance, and we don't want to waste it, is an Israeli yes to the road map, and we need that for the Americans and others to continue with us.
KESSEL: Thanks very much, Saeb Erakat, giving an indication there, Anderson, of some of the complications. Who goes first? That's that big question. Well, we're here in Jericho. It's tough. It is the oldest city in the world. Certainly got a reputation for being one of the hottest. But one of its absolute attributes is it's the lowest city on the face of the earth. Perhaps the Israeli- Palestinian equation, the confrontation can't go any lower, and it is possibly from here that you can see them moving back from confrontation, from the very depths that they're at, confrontation back to negotiations, but to do that, Colin Powell has a mountain to climb.
COOPER: Certainly seems like they've got some tough negotiations ahead. Jerrold Kessel, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
