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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush, Blair Discuss Mideast at Texas Ranch

Aired April 06, 2002 - 09:02   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: As tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are meeting in Texas. The Mideast crisis and the need for a solution are expected to dominate the weekend talks.

Joining us now from Crawford, White House correspondent Kelly Wallace. Hi again, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi again to you, Kyra. Greetings from inside Crawford Elementary School. This is where reporters gather when we are here covering the president during his visit to Crawford, Texas.

As you said, the Middle East definitely to dominate the talks between Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush. The two leaders were expected to begin their day getting a national security briefing from the president's intelligence advisers, definitely getting the latest on the situation on the ground.

And as we've been saying, it was a bit of a low-key but very warm arrival ceremony for the prime minister. This was the scene last night. You can see Mr. Bush in blue jeans and work boots greeting the prime minister, who is dressed a bit more formally, you can say.

Then we see Mr. Bush getting into his white pickup truck and driving off with the prime minister and the first lady.

Mr. Blair is only the second world leader to get what has become a very prized invitation, a visit to the Bush ranch. You will recall that Russian President Vladimir Putin was here back in November.

The two men, though, getting down to some serious business, discussing the situation in the Middle East. Mr. Blair pretty much supportive of the administration's handling of the crisis while many other European leaders were very critical, calling on the administration to get more engaged.

Mr. Blair, though, expected to give the message to Mr. Bush that the administration, the world community, need to remain engaged and discuss political issues.

The two men will meet with reporters a couple of hours from now, look for them to get questions on the Israeli military offensive, which continues. So far the Bush White House is not criticizing the Israelis, just saying that the president expects a withdrawal from that -- those Palestinian areas as soon as possible.

And also look for the two leaders to get questions about Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. And we are seeing President Bush making it very, very clear he does not believe the Palestinian leader has performed. He said that the Palestinian leader has not yet earned his trust.

Here is an excerpt of some what -- other things Mr. Bush had to say when he did an interview with a British journalist on Thursday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It starts with him proving that he can lead. He has let his people down. And there are others in the regions who can lead, and those, I've called upon those others in the region to lead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And Secretary Powell when he leaves Sunday night, he'll head to the Middle East. He's expected to have meetings with the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Again, a big focus of this White House, encouraging the Arab leaders to get more involved, to do more to crack down on terror, to put more pressure on the Palestinian leader, and perhaps to begin a dialogue with other Palestinian leaders, the message being if Yasser Arafat is not going to do more to crack down on terror and help the Palestinian people achieve a Palestinian state, perhaps there are other leaders who will do that -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And perhaps other topics, Kelly, to be discussed, Iraq and Saddam Hussein and what next with him?

WALLACE: Definitely on the agenda as well, what to do about Saddam Hussein, as you and Robin and myself were discussing just a short time ago. The prime minister facing a lot of domestic pressure. A lot of lawmakers very concerned that Mr. Bush is gearing up for imminent military action against the Iraqi leader. So much so that the prime minister's spokesman made it clear to reporters that this was going to be a meeting to discuss options, not a, quote, "council of war."

As for Mr. Bush, he has said that he no immediate plans for any military activity, but he has said that Saddam Hussein must go. The key question is how to achieve that. So look for the two leaders to discuss some strategy, but not likely to make any imminent decisions -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Kelly Wallace, thank you so much.

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