Military

DATE=10-24-2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268394

TITLE=Clinton Mideast Jordan (L)

BYLINE=Deborah Tate

DATELINE=White House

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Clinton is stepping up his call to Israelis and Palestinians to end three weeks of violence that has claimed some 130 lives. Mr. Clinton is offering to invite Palestinian and Israeli leaders to meet with him separately at the White House if progress is made in restoring calm. Correspondent Deborah Tate reports from the White House.

Text: Mr. Clinton called Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to urge him to do all he can to implement the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.

A U-S official said Mr. Clinton raised the possibility of inviting Mr. Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak separately to the White House to discuss ending the cycle of violence, but only after they make sufficient progress toward implementing the Sharm el-Sheikh accord reached last week.

White House spokesman P-J Crowley said if progress is made in three areas of the accord - making concrete steps to improve security, signing a formula for a fact-finding mission into the violence, and finding a path to return to the peace process then the door can be opened to making progress in the political process.

Mr. Clinton has refrained from publicly commenting on the violence since his participation in the Sharm el-Sheikh summit. But on Tuesday he used a signing ceremony for a U-S Jordanian trade pact in the East Room of the White House to call on both sides to end their clashes and pave the way toward resuming peace talks.

// Clinton actuality //

There must be an end to the violence, and Israelis and Palestinians must find a way out of confrontation and back to the path of peaceful dialogue, and they must do it sooner rather than later. For in the Middle East, as we have all learned, time does not heal all wounds. It simply rubs more salt in them. The issues do not change, they just get harder to solve.

// end act //

Jordan's King Abdullah, whose country has a peace treaty with Israel, stood by Mr. Clinton's side. He noted that it was two years ago to the day that his late father, King Hussein, stood in the same room and made a passionate appeal to Israeli and Palestinian leaders to follow the path of peace. King Hussein's role helped clinched the interim peace deal known as the Wye agreement.

King Abdullah said his father's words still resonate today.

// Abdullah actuality //

He told us we have no right to dictate through irresponsible action or narrow-mindedness the future of our children and our children's children. There has been enough destruction, enough death, enough waste. These words are still true today as they were then. The echo in our minds at this difficult time when the courage and determination of peacemakers is being called upon that this time of the tragic events of the past few weeks have left much anger, bitterness and despair in our region, there is a need to keep the faith in peace.

// end act //

The Jordanian monarch underscored his country's commitment to peace, and said the new trade agreement with the United States would further that end.

// Abdullah actuality /

The establishment of a free-trade area between our two countries contributes to the strengthening of the economy of Jordan, thus enhancing the prospects of regional stability. We shall continue to pursue our cherished goal of peace in our region. For us, it is the only future - one that does not describe the anatomy of a conflict but rather holds promise, hope and fulfillment.

// end act //

Mr. Clinton said the trade pact which aims to eliminate tariffs between the two countries over a 10-year period 'will be good for the United States, good for Jordan, and good for the long-term prospects for peace in the Middle East.'

U-S officials believe the deal will attract much-needed foreign investment in Jordan.

The agreement which must be approved by the U-S Congress and the Jordanian parliament would make Jordan only the fourth country with which the United States has a free trade agreement, after Israel, Canada and Mexico.

// rest opt //

In addition to bolstering regional stability, Mr. Clinton also hopes the trade accord yields political benefits for Vice President Al Gore, who is in a tight race for the White House with Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush. It is the first such trade deal to include commitments from each side to enforce environmental and labor laws demands long sought by trade unions, who are traditional supporters of the Democratic party.

Texas Governor Bush has argued that such labor and environmental provisions thwart free trade rather than enhance it. (signed)

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