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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Nabil Shaath
Aired May 25, 2003 - 09:41 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now on the phone is the Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, who is joining us from Nablus to respond to the breaking news that we've had this morning, the acceptance by the Israeli cabinet of the U.S.-backed road map for peace. What's next as far as you can see it, Mr. Shaath?
NABIL SHAATH, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, I see this as really a point of guarded optimism. I'm optimistic in the sense that the approval by the Israeli government after the approval of the Palestinians sets the tone for really going back to the road of peace and end of violence, something that both our peoples, I'm sure, have been looking for.
I'm a little guarded, because we have to await tomorrow a meeting between the prime minister of Israel, the prime minister of Palestine, to talk about implementation. If the Israelis are ready for implementation as much as we are ready, not only the announcement of approval, then I think my guarded optimism will turn into full optimism.
KOPPEL: Well, we've already heard the Israelis say they still have at least a dozen, if not more, reservations to the road map. So how does the cabinet's approval change things?
SHAATH: Well, the American statement was very clear from the White House. Saying that those reservations are really concerns that the United States will address while the road map is being implemented. And therefore, if the Israeli government has voted on that basis, it means that they should plunge directly into implementation with the hope that their reservations will be discussed as we go along. And not as a prerequisite or a precondition for movement into implementation as soon as possible.
KOPPEL: Is the new prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, capable of and ready to stop the violence and use his clout with Hamas and other Palestinian extremist groups to end the violence?
SHAATH: I think this is a matter that has been fully explained to the American government. And I am sure was also explained by Abu Mazen to Mr. Sharon when they met last week.
We have a readiness from all the Palestinians organizations that they will be ready to go immediately into a total cease-fire as soon as the Israelis signal their readiness to stop all military actions against the Palestinian people and start pulling out of the occupied territories. I think a serious start of implementation of the road map will give that signal, so that we should be seeing, as soon as possible, a total cease-fire from our side.
KOPPEL: I'm sure we'll all be watching that meeting, the second one tomorrow between the new Palestinian prime minister and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Nabil Shaath, joining us on the phone from Nablus, thank you 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 25, 2003 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now on the phone is the Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, who is joining us from Nablus to respond to the breaking news that we've had this morning, the acceptance by the Israeli cabinet of the U.S.-backed road map for peace. What's next as far as you can see it, Mr. Shaath?
NABIL SHAATH, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, I see this as really a point of guarded optimism. I'm optimistic in the sense that the approval by the Israeli government after the approval of the Palestinians sets the tone for really going back to the road of peace and end of violence, something that both our peoples, I'm sure, have been looking for.
I'm a little guarded, because we have to await tomorrow a meeting between the prime minister of Israel, the prime minister of Palestine, to talk about implementation. If the Israelis are ready for implementation as much as we are ready, not only the announcement of approval, then I think my guarded optimism will turn into full optimism.
KOPPEL: Well, we've already heard the Israelis say they still have at least a dozen, if not more, reservations to the road map. So how does the cabinet's approval change things?
SHAATH: Well, the American statement was very clear from the White House. Saying that those reservations are really concerns that the United States will address while the road map is being implemented. And therefore, if the Israeli government has voted on that basis, it means that they should plunge directly into implementation with the hope that their reservations will be discussed as we go along. And not as a prerequisite or a precondition for movement into implementation as soon as possible.
KOPPEL: Is the new prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, capable of and ready to stop the violence and use his clout with Hamas and other Palestinian extremist groups to end the violence?
SHAATH: I think this is a matter that has been fully explained to the American government. And I am sure was also explained by Abu Mazen to Mr. Sharon when they met last week.
We have a readiness from all the Palestinians organizations that they will be ready to go immediately into a total cease-fire as soon as the Israelis signal their readiness to stop all military actions against the Palestinian people and start pulling out of the occupied territories. I think a serious start of implementation of the road map will give that signal, so that we should be seeing, as soon as possible, a total cease-fire from our side.
KOPPEL: I'm sure we'll all be watching that meeting, the second one tomorrow between the new Palestinian prime minister and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Nabil Shaath, joining us on the phone from Nablus, thank you 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
