Albright Interview on CNN from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt Oct. 17
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt)
INTERVIEW OF SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT ON CNN
October 17, 2000
MR. JOHN KING: Madame Secretary, first, you can put words on paper,
but we have seen in the past 18 days raw anger, bitterness, bloodshed,
death. How fast will there be a cease-fire in the Middle East?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: It is supposed to happen within hours,
immediately. And it is very important calmness be restored, that
violence ends, and that undertakings be carried through. Now, this is,
as you have pointed out, this has been a terrible period, and it was
very evident when the leaders were here that they have gone through a
very raw period. President Clinton I think did manage to get them to
agree on steps that need to be taken, and they need to be taken
quickly.
MR. KING: Point number two is a fact-finding commission. It seems
there will be a compromise there. There is an agreement on the US led
commission, but not on the composition. Is that a potential landmine
in the days ahead when you actually try to fill those slots?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that what was important here is that we
did agree on a fact-finding commission, to be able to look at what
happened so that it wouldn't happen again. But both parties, in fact,
have -- we will consult with them about the people on it. I think that
they both want it to happen, so we will keep working on it with them.
MR. KING: Now, in two weeks or so, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators
will come to Washington. You will try to convince them, or at least
test to see if the climate is right, to resume the actual peace
negotiations. But you have seen Mr. Arafat and Mr. Barak bitterly,
angrily denounce each other these past two-plus weeks. Anything here
to give you any hope that they are ready to sit across from each other
and trust each other?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: First of all, what I found so interesting, and so
did the President, is that despite the anger and what was happening on
the ground, that there were real indications from both of them that
they did see the peace process as their vehicle to end this. They
both, in fact, wanted to come to Washington in order to work out the
procedure.
I think, frankly, the horrors of what has been seen and the tragedy
has impelled them to understand that there is a choice between a
future like what we have seen in the last ten days and one where they
can learn to live together.
But, again, I think we have seen how hard this is. We are going to
keep working on it. The President really worked; he was the driving
force all night on this. And we got something, and I think we know
that we shouldn't have illusions about it. But we need to have that
hope because the leaders themselves do.
MR. KING: Our time is short, but the Administration was quite public
in its criticism of Mr. Arafat coming into this meeting, that it did
not believe he was doing what was necessary to stop the violence. Are
you committed now that he is prepared to step up, and do you believe
he has the control to stop the violence?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: There are some very specific things that he needs
to do, and there needs to be a return to the rule of law and calmness,
and no incitement and violence. I believe he has the authority. He may
not be totally in control of everything, but he does have the
authority, and he should exercise his control and regain control
because that is essential.
MR. KING: Thank you very much. The US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright offering her views on the agreement struck here again in
Sharm el-Sheikh just a short time ago.
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