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CNN Sunday Morning
Sharon Postpones Trip to Washington, D.C.
Aired May 18, 2003 - 08:04 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: As we just reported, Prime Minister Sharon postponed his trip to Washington today. He was due to meet with Bush on Tuesday.
Our White House correspondent John King joins us with reaction from the White House.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you Anderson. The White House working on an official statement condemning these attacks. We also are told, the White House will call on both parties, the Israelis and Palestinians still in the wake even of these deadly bombings yet again, to take whatever steps -- whatever steps they can take to continue on what has been a very slow process toward getting back into a peace process.
The meeting was to be Tuesday night, President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon at that meeting. At that meeting, President Bush was to appeal Prime Minister Sharon to do a bit more to inspire faith on the Palestinian side, Release more frozen Palestinian assets. Most importantly, the White House says it wanted to urge Prime Minister Sharon to get into detailed security negotiations with the Palestinians so that at some point down the road a bit Israel could pull back from Palestinian territories and meet some of the key demands of the Bush Road Map for peace in the Middle East.
White House officials stress, however, there was not even before this latest round of bombings, was not going to be a demand that the Israelis pull out immediately. The White House says the Palestinians are simply not prepared to assume full responsibility for security right now. And you can be certain that those in the White House making that argument will feel their case has only strengthened, tragically, by what we have seen in recent hours.
But we are told, the bottom line here at the White House will be that the president's message is that the bombing -- this latest tragic bombings, plural, is security improvements must be made urgently. But he will continue to urge both the Israelis and the Palestinians to try to take steps outside of dealing with the aftermath of this latest violence to prove that they are committed to the Road Map in the long term -- Anderson.
COOPER: And I suppose this doesn't come as much surprise to the White House, these kinds of attacks to occur before when Sharon has attempted to visit. KING: Had that conversation with a very senior administration official just yesterday about this, about the Bush-Sharon meeting and the early steps to try to get the Road Map going. And the official leaned back in the chair and said as sure as I am sitting here, something will happen to derail the process. Somebody will inflict violence trying to derail the process. So it is not a surprise at all. Unfortunately, this is quite predictable in the cycle of violence, small steps and setbacks that is the Middle East peace process.
COOPER: Unfortunately indeed.
John King at the White House. 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 18, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: As we just reported, Prime Minister Sharon postponed his trip to Washington today. He was due to meet with Bush on Tuesday.
Our White House correspondent John King joins us with reaction from the White House.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you Anderson. The White House working on an official statement condemning these attacks. We also are told, the White House will call on both parties, the Israelis and Palestinians still in the wake even of these deadly bombings yet again, to take whatever steps -- whatever steps they can take to continue on what has been a very slow process toward getting back into a peace process.
The meeting was to be Tuesday night, President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon at that meeting. At that meeting, President Bush was to appeal Prime Minister Sharon to do a bit more to inspire faith on the Palestinian side, Release more frozen Palestinian assets. Most importantly, the White House says it wanted to urge Prime Minister Sharon to get into detailed security negotiations with the Palestinians so that at some point down the road a bit Israel could pull back from Palestinian territories and meet some of the key demands of the Bush Road Map for peace in the Middle East.
White House officials stress, however, there was not even before this latest round of bombings, was not going to be a demand that the Israelis pull out immediately. The White House says the Palestinians are simply not prepared to assume full responsibility for security right now. And you can be certain that those in the White House making that argument will feel their case has only strengthened, tragically, by what we have seen in recent hours.
But we are told, the bottom line here at the White House will be that the president's message is that the bombing -- this latest tragic bombings, plural, is security improvements must be made urgently. But he will continue to urge both the Israelis and the Palestinians to try to take steps outside of dealing with the aftermath of this latest violence to prove that they are committed to the Road Map in the long term -- Anderson.
COOPER: And I suppose this doesn't come as much surprise to the White House, these kinds of attacks to occur before when Sharon has attempted to visit. KING: Had that conversation with a very senior administration official just yesterday about this, about the Bush-Sharon meeting and the early steps to try to get the Road Map going. And the official leaned back in the chair and said as sure as I am sitting here, something will happen to derail the process. Somebody will inflict violence trying to derail the process. So it is not a surprise at all. Unfortunately, this is quite predictable in the cycle of violence, small steps and setbacks that is the Middle East peace process.
COOPER: Unfortunately indeed.
John King at the White House. 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
