Military

DATE=4-02-02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT (CQ)

TITLE=POWELL / MIDEAST (S)

NUMBER=2-288262

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT

CONTENT=

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VOICED AT:

INTRO: Secretary of State Colin Powell says sending Yasser Arafat into exile would not help the situation in the Middle East. Appearing on morning network television programs Tuesday, Mr. Powell said the beleaguered Palestinian leader still has a role to play in peace efforts. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

TEXT: Mr. Powell says the Palestinian leader has not done enough to halt anti-Israeli terror attacks. But he says United States still sees him as part of the process in restoring peace in the area and believes that sending him abroad as Israeli officials have suggested they might would not help the situation.

Making the rounds of morning television talk shows, Mr. Powell said Israeli officials have told the United States that Mr. Arafat confined to a few rooms of his Ramallah headquarters will not be harmed or killed. He also said he hopes the Israeli military incursion in the West Bank will "end quickly" though he said he expects the operation to last a couple of weeks.

The Secretary of State who is scheduled to go to Europe next week -- said he was prepared to visit the Middle East if it would help get the cease-fire process moving forward but was not interested in "trips just for the sake of trips."

The Bush administration has been trying to get the parties to implement a cease-fire plan drawn last year by C-I-A director George Tenet as a prelude to the broader program of confidence measures and peace talks of the Mitchell committee. (Signed)

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