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DATE=10-14-2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-267932

TITLE=Clinton&Mideast (L)

BYLINE=David Gollust

DATELINE=White House

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Clinton, who engaged in days of delicate negotiations to help arrange the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, has welcomed its convening but is setting low expectations for it. Mr. Clinton will attend the summit in Egypt along with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian leader Yasset Arafat and Egypt's President, Hosni Mubarak VOA's David Gollust reports from the White House.

TEXT: Administration officials say emotional wounds inflicted by two weeks of Israeli-Palestinian violence make it unrealistic to expect an early resumption of the U-S mediated peace process.

In a brief statement here, Mr. Clinton weary from almost non-stop telephone diplomacy on the Middle East made clear the summit goals are modest

///Clinton actuality///

Our central objectives must now be to stop the violence, to restore calm and safety, to agree on a fact-finding mechanism concerning how this began and how it can be prevented from occurring again, and to find a way back to dialogue and negotiations.

///end act///

Mr. Clinton said there should be no illusions about the task ahead saying while the situation on the ground appears calmer, the region is tense. He said he expects Israel and the Palestinians to do all they can in advance of the meeting to cease hostilities and halt the violence

The President also discussed Middle East events including Thursday's terrorist attack on the Navy destroyer U-S-S Cole in Yemen -- in his regular Saturday radio address.

He praised the dedication and idealism of the fallen and surviving crew members and said the perpetrators whom he described as "hate-filled cowards" will not stop the United States from pursuing peace and security in the region:

///Clinton act two///

They can take innocent life. They can cause tears and anguish. But they can never heal or build harmony or bring people together. That is work only free-law abiding people can do. And that is why we will do whatever it takes, as long as it takes to find those who killed our sailors and hold them accountable. And why we will never let the enemies of freedom and peace stop America from seeking peace, fighting terrorism and promoting freedom.

///end act///

Mr. Clinton spoke by telephone Friday with the skipper of the U-S-S Cole Navy Commander Kirk Lippold and with Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh who promised his government's full cooperation in the investigation of the attack.

Aides say Mr. Clinton will take part in a memorial event for those killed on the destroyer this coming week after his return from the Middle East Summit. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/PLM