Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Bush Pays Close Attention to Powell's Mideast Mission

Aired April 14, 2002 - 15:32   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush has been keeping close tabs on the secretary's visit. To the White House now and Major Garrett, more reaction there from the front line. Major, good afternoon to you back in Washington.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. The president spent the morning at Camp David, and while there, received a call from his National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who had been briefed by telephone by the Secretary of State Colin Powell immediately after his three-hour meeting in Ramallah with the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The president is now back at the White House. He returned here shortly after noon, spending a quiet afternoon in the executive residence, we are told. But everyone in the Bush administration has been, of course, monitoring the events.

And as far as this international conference you just talked about, Bill, Bush administration is in no way thrown any cold water on that, basically saying we are open to any constructive ideas that can bring the parties closer together.

But as you have seen in the region so many times, Bill, every time a new idea is put on the table, the other side has to analyze it and then cross-analyze it, and sometimes disagreements come up from exactly how things are going to proceed, whether it's a cease-fire, whether it's a withdrawal, maybe also on this international conference idea.

But the Bush administration has said, whatever is put on the table by both sides and is agreeable to both sides, clearly they're for. And they're looking for a way to create an atmosphere whereby that Saudi Arabian peace plan can be dealt with in the context of a final solution. This may be one means of getting there. Bush administration is not sure, and there's no immediate reaction here as to whether or not this international conference will go forward. But the White House has at least been open to the idea -- Bill.

HEMMER: Major Garrett at the White House. Major, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com