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CNN Sunday Morning
Palestinian Militants Postpone Cease-Fire Announcement
Aired June 29, 2003 - 07:05 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.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: We're turning to the Middle East and efforts at a cease-fire. The Palestinians had been expected to declare a truce any time now, but there are reports that factional disputes have put that off. This comes during meetings between President Bush's National Security adviser, Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian and Israeli officials.
It's just after 2:00 in the afternoon in Jerusalem where our Sheila MacVicar is following all this. She joins us live -- Sheila?
SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, there. Yes, indeed, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice continuing her visit here, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this morning, meeting before that with Israeli and Palestinian officials together.
One senior Palestinian official, who was in that meeting, telling CNN that a lot of progress has been made.
Now Condoleezza Rice's visit is the third visit by a senior U.S. administration official to the region in under a month. President Bush was here last week. Secretary of State Colin Powell was here. And now we have the National Security Adviser.
And that's probably symptomatic of the amount of encouragement and indeed pressure that is required on both parties, and on this process from the U.S. administration, as they try to coax, cajole, and push both sides, the Israelis and Palestinians along that road map.
We had been expecting that the Palestinian militant factions might announce a unilateral cease-fire, a temporary three month cease- fire today. We are told that there are ongoing discussions amongst those militant factions that they have not yet agreed on the final wording of the cease-fire document.
And so, we are now being told by senior faction leaders that there is a further delay in announcing that cease-fire. Another 24 to 48 hours we are being told. And it is not yet clear what conditions, if any, will be attached to that.
In addition to that, of course, we have coming to fruition now an agreement which was reached between Israelis and Palestinians, again, under American assistance on Friday. Logistics discussions now concluded about the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. That would mean that the -- there will be a security transfer from Israeli backed Palestinian control. And the Israeli forces in northern Gaza Strip will be withdrawn, we believe, beginning within a few hours, perhaps overnight tonight. Back to you.
ARENA: Sheila MacVicar in Jerusalem, 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 June 29, 2003 - 07:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: We're turning to the Middle East and efforts at a cease-fire. The Palestinians had been expected to declare a truce any time now, but there are reports that factional disputes have put that off. This comes during meetings between President Bush's National Security adviser, Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian and Israeli officials.
It's just after 2:00 in the afternoon in Jerusalem where our Sheila MacVicar is following all this. She joins us live -- Sheila?
SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, there. Yes, indeed, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice continuing her visit here, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this morning, meeting before that with Israeli and Palestinian officials together.
One senior Palestinian official, who was in that meeting, telling CNN that a lot of progress has been made.
Now Condoleezza Rice's visit is the third visit by a senior U.S. administration official to the region in under a month. President Bush was here last week. Secretary of State Colin Powell was here. And now we have the National Security Adviser.
And that's probably symptomatic of the amount of encouragement and indeed pressure that is required on both parties, and on this process from the U.S. administration, as they try to coax, cajole, and push both sides, the Israelis and Palestinians along that road map.
We had been expecting that the Palestinian militant factions might announce a unilateral cease-fire, a temporary three month cease- fire today. We are told that there are ongoing discussions amongst those militant factions that they have not yet agreed on the final wording of the cease-fire document.
And so, we are now being told by senior faction leaders that there is a further delay in announcing that cease-fire. Another 24 to 48 hours we are being told. And it is not yet clear what conditions, if any, will be attached to that.
In addition to that, of course, we have coming to fruition now an agreement which was reached between Israelis and Palestinians, again, under American assistance on Friday. Logistics discussions now concluded about the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. That would mean that the -- there will be a security transfer from Israeli backed Palestinian control. And the Israeli forces in northern Gaza Strip will be withdrawn, we believe, beginning within a few hours, perhaps overnight tonight. Back to you.
ARENA: Sheila MacVicar in Jerusalem, 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
