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CNN Saturday Morning News

Zinni Meets Separately With Israelis, Palestinians

Aired March 16, 2002 - 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More now on our top story, the crisis in the Middle East. U.S. Envoy Anthony Zinni is holding separate meetings with Israelis and Palestinians today. He is trying to negotiate a truce in the bloodshed.

Our Michael Holmes joining us live from Jerusalem with the latest on this shuttle diplomacy -- Michael, hello.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.

Yes, after what passes for a quiet night here, Anthony Zinni continues to try to bring about a cease-fire with, as you put it, shuttle diplomacy. It's a good description. He's met already today with senior Palestinians in Ramallah, including the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat. Afterwards they had lunch together and Yasser Arafat dropped by, we're told, and joined in on the lunch. So no doubt some more informal discussions at least taking place there at that lunch.

Now some significant news from Saeb Erakat. He's told us that the talks, as they continue, will include not just security issues, but political issues. Anthony Zinni, of course, when he came here on his mission, that mission was to secure a cease-fire, which, of course, falls under the heading of security. The fact that political issues, wider issues may well be brought into any talks that do take place between the Palestinians and Israelis is, indeed, significant. The Palestinians during their meeting reiterating that all Israeli troops must withdraw from all Palestinian controlled areas. There are still some IDF, Israeli Defense Forces troops, in a couple of places controlled by Palestinians, so-called Area A place, including Hebron and Bethlehem, where there were some firefights, some shooting overnight. Also, two Palestinians were killed overnight.

Now General Zinni has already met with Israeli leaders and last night after his meeting with Yasser Arafat he did say that he is very optimistic. Later this afternoon he will meet once again, or later today, it'll be later this afternoon or early this evening, he'll be meeting once again with the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon. That meeting will take place in southern Israel at Mr. Sharon's farm, where he does spend the weekend.

Now as the talks go on, as I said, relatively quiet. Calm is a relative term in this region, as you know. Those two Palestinians shot dead and the exchanges in Bethlehem and Hebron. It is the Sabbath here and that is in some ways a worry. In the last, on the last two Saturday evenings after the end of the Sabbath we did see attacks take place on Israeli soil. If that were to happen again, it would not be helpful to Mr. Zinni's job -- back to you, Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Michael Holmes in Jerusalem, thank you very much.

Michael will be back with us in our next hour along with White House reporter Kelly Wallace, there to take your questions about the Mideast crisis. We already have a lot of good ones, I should tell you, but if you would like to participate -- no guarantees at this juncture because I have so many -- but please, if you have something you want to share with us, we invite you to do so. Send us an e-mail, wam@cnn.com. That'll be in the 9:30 a.m. Eastern segment. That's 6:30 on the Pacific.

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