Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Sharon Travels to Europe
Aired July 13, 2003 - 16:29 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.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is on a mission to persuade Europe to cut ties with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Mr. Sharon arrived in London today to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He's expected to tell Mr. Blair Arafat is interfering with the road map to peace. CNN's senior European political correspondent Robin Oakley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wherever else the road map may take him, Israel's prime minister knows the way to 10 Downing Street. Lately, there have been bumps along the route. Back in January, Britain didn't invite Israel to a London conference on Palestinian reforms. Israel tried to wreck the conference by preventing Palestinian leaders from traveling. So it had to be conducted by videophone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shall we begin? Can you hear me?
OAKLEY: Britain has joined the EU in condemning the Israeli damage to the Palestinian infrastructure and imposing trade restrictions on goods from Israeli settlement areas. But Israel's ambassador in London says both sides now anticipate a new beginning. Israelis don't feel too comfortable with Europe in general.
SVI SHTAUBER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR: Most Israelis feel, rightly or wrongly, feel that the European Union do not -- does not treat us fairly.
OAKLEY: But they're happier about Tony Blair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tony Blair is considered as a friend of Israel. He showed it. He's a traditional friend of Israel.
OAKLEY: Mr. Sharon, say analysts, has the chance to become Israel's general de Gaulle. Only he can win the backing of the Israeli right and nationalists for bold concessions. And there, they say, Mr. Blair could be a persuader.
DANA ALLIN, STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE: Whatever the U.K. prime minister can do to reassure the Israeli prime minister that Britain in particular, Western Europe in general, is ready to be even handed about this conflict, is not viscerally pro-Palestinian, I think might actually be conducive to moving the peace process forward.
OAKLEY: But Israel will be looking for assurances that U.K. and Europe will stop organizations like Hamas sheltering behind charities to collect money for terrorism. And it sees one key way in which outsiders can help the peace process.
SHTAUBER: Insisting the Palestinian Authority must fight terror. Any discount and disregard, any shortcuts, any cease-fire that substitutes a serious addressing of the problem will not do.
OAKLEY (on camera): Progress with the road map has changed the atmosphere. Diplomats reckon Mr. Blair's meeting with Ariel Sharon will be less the repair job that seemed needed only a few months ago, more a mutual stock taking on how to move forward.
Robin Oakley, CNN, Downing Street, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 July 13, 2003 - 16:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is on a mission to persuade Europe to cut ties with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Mr. Sharon arrived in London today to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He's expected to tell Mr. Blair Arafat is interfering with the road map to peace. CNN's senior European political correspondent Robin Oakley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wherever else the road map may take him, Israel's prime minister knows the way to 10 Downing Street. Lately, there have been bumps along the route. Back in January, Britain didn't invite Israel to a London conference on Palestinian reforms. Israel tried to wreck the conference by preventing Palestinian leaders from traveling. So it had to be conducted by videophone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shall we begin? Can you hear me?
OAKLEY: Britain has joined the EU in condemning the Israeli damage to the Palestinian infrastructure and imposing trade restrictions on goods from Israeli settlement areas. But Israel's ambassador in London says both sides now anticipate a new beginning. Israelis don't feel too comfortable with Europe in general.
SVI SHTAUBER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR: Most Israelis feel, rightly or wrongly, feel that the European Union do not -- does not treat us fairly.
OAKLEY: But they're happier about Tony Blair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tony Blair is considered as a friend of Israel. He showed it. He's a traditional friend of Israel.
OAKLEY: Mr. Sharon, say analysts, has the chance to become Israel's general de Gaulle. Only he can win the backing of the Israeli right and nationalists for bold concessions. And there, they say, Mr. Blair could be a persuader.
DANA ALLIN, STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE: Whatever the U.K. prime minister can do to reassure the Israeli prime minister that Britain in particular, Western Europe in general, is ready to be even handed about this conflict, is not viscerally pro-Palestinian, I think might actually be conducive to moving the peace process forward.
OAKLEY: But Israel will be looking for assurances that U.K. and Europe will stop organizations like Hamas sheltering behind charities to collect money for terrorism. And it sees one key way in which outsiders can help the peace process.
SHTAUBER: Insisting the Palestinian Authority must fight terror. Any discount and disregard, any shortcuts, any cease-fire that substitutes a serious addressing of the problem will not do.
OAKLEY (on camera): Progress with the road map has changed the atmosphere. Diplomats reckon Mr. Blair's meeting with Ariel Sharon will be less the repair job that seemed needed only a few months ago, more a mutual stock taking on how to move forward.
Robin Oakley, CNN, Downing Street, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
