01 April 2002
Bush Says Tenet, Mitchell Plans Offer Way to Mideast Peace
(Violence is not a solution, the administration says) (1090)
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington -- President Bush says the solution to the escalating
violence in the Middle East is not more violence but implementation of
the Tenet security plan, named for U.S. Central Intelligence Director
George Tenet, and then movement to political discussions under the
Mitchell plan, named for former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George
Mitchell.
"We've got a plan that will lead to peace," Bush said, at the White
House April 1, noting that both sides have agreed to it.
U.S. special Middle East envoy, retired general Anthony Zinni, remains
in the region trying to get the parties to take first steps under the
Tenet plan. Bush characterized that plan as "a series of concrete
steps to reduce the violence."
Bush again called on Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to
denounce terrorist suicide bombings and he said it is important for
Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon "to keep a pathway to peace
open," even though he understands Israel's need to protect itself.
"[T]here ought to be a pathway, the capacity to achieve a peaceful
resolution to this issue," said Bush. "It's important for Israel to
understand that."
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters at his midday
briefing April 1 that President Bush "does not want Israel or the
United States or the Palestinians to be derailed from a path that
leads to peace.
"The losses on the Palestinian side, losses on the Israeli side
trouble the President deeply," Fleischer said, "but the President's
approach is still to work through it all to find a way to achieving
peace and not to allow setbacks to deter him from that ultimate goal."
Bush has "deep faith" in the ability of General Zinni and believes
that Zinni was very close March 27 to getting an agreement between the
Israelis and the Palestinians toward achieving a cease-fire, but those
efforts were derailed by a suicide bombing in Israel, said Fleischer.
"It's proof that if the parties are willing, General Zinni can be
successful," the White House Press Secretary said.
"Both sides need to exercise statesmanship to find a path to peace,
even despite the violence. That still is the core mission. Bush will
remain committed to finding a way to achieve peace in the Middle East
no matter how difficult it gets," said Fleischer.
"But at its core, it remains an issue where no one can force peace on
the region. The Israelis and the Palestinians have to want peace, seek
peace and work to create peace. And in so doing, they will always have
the United States standing at both sides' shoulders in order to
achieve peace," the Press Secretary said.
Fleischer repeated that Bush believes Chairman Arafat can do much more
to stop the terrorism, even in his current circumstances. "Chairman
Arafat has the power and the responsibility and the authority to
reduce the violence," Fleischer said.
Asked whether the U.S. administration has taken notice of the Arab
anger on the street over the way Arafat is now being treated,
Fleischer said that one of the reasons President Bush "has pushed for
a Palestinian state and called for the parties to work together and
has General Zinni in the region, and asked the Vice President to
travel to the region, is because of his concern about the plight of
the Palestinian people. I don't think it's a small accomplishment for
a sitting United States President to go to the United Nations and call
for a Palestinian state.
"And that's why the President wants to make certain that the leaders
in the area exercise the statesmanship required -- so that that vision
of a Palestinian state can become a reality that's based on peace and
based on Israel living in secure borders. So the president does hear
that message," said the Press Secretary.
"The President is sensitive to that call, and the President believes
that's why it is so important for the parties to work productively
with the United States to achieve that peace, because the plight of
the Palestinian people is something that's on the president's mind."
At the State Department, Deputy Spokesman Philip Reeker told
reporters: "We remain very concerned over the ongoing violence and
terror. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the series of
terror attacks, including that which was on the newswires just as I
was coming out here. Palestinian leadership must act now against those
responsible and make clear to the Palestinian people that terror and
violence must stop. Terror, including suicide bombings, will not
advance the Palestinian cause, and it brings the Palestinians and
Israelis no closer to peace.
"The time is now for a cease-fire and the start of Tenet," Reeker
said. "We're gravely concerned at the situation in Ramallah and other
areas where Israeli forces are moving. We deplore the killing and
wounding of innocent Palestinians, and we urge Israel to use maximum
restraint to avoid harm to civilians and permit access for
humanitarian services.
"As the President has said, and the Secretary (Powell) has reiterated,
while the Israeli government must decide what actions best serve their
security and the interests of the Israeli people, we call upon Prime
Minister Sharon to carefully consider the consequences of those
actions and to keep open a pathway for peace," said the State
Department spokesman.
"Terror will never advance Palestinian political aspirations, and
continued confrontation cannot bring genuine peace and security for
Israelis. There's no military solution to this conflict," he said.
Former Senator Mitchell, speaking April 1 on CNN, said "there is no
military solution" to the Middle East conflict on either side. "The
only way to resolve this is through negotiation and an agreement which
provides the Israelis with the security they need, and the
Palestinians with the state that they need," he said.
And on CBS's "Early Show" April 1, Mitchell said he thinks the peace
plan that bears his name has a future because "both sides have come to
realize, are coming to realize, that the option that they're now
pursuing is disastrous for both.
"Violence will not produce an end to this conflict," said Mitchell.
"The only way that you can get this done is through negotiation by
both sides."
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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