10 March 2003
Boucher Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to Middle East Roadmap
(Says U.S. looks forward to working with Palestinian prime minister) (720)
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher says the President Bush is
personally committed to the Middle East "roadmap" that has as its goal
two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and
security. Boucher was speaking at the regular State Department noon
briefing March 10.
"The president has stated his determination to see the roadmap
implemented as soon as possible," Boucher said. "We've been looking
for both parties to take actions in the right direction. So we will
continue to work with them, and we will continue to look for what's
the best way to move forward."
Responding to a question about the appointment of a Palestinian prime
minister, Boucher said, "We look forward to being able to work with an
empowered and credible prime minister on the Palestinian side in order
to implement this vision of two states, in order to prepare for that
eventuality, in order to work, to move forward on the elements of the
road map."
Following is the transcript of State Department Spokesman Richard
Boucher's remarks on the Middle East, from the March 10 State
Department briefing.
(begin excerpt)
QUESTION: The latest developments in the Middle East. What do you make
of those and is the report that appeared on Saturday, I believe, in
The New York Times, that you guys have shelved the roadmap until after
Iraq is taken care of. Is that correct?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) Prime Minister of --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think that's what he was referring to, but he
wasn't as precise as you were. But I'm glad to try to deal with all
those questions.
All right. First question on the roadmap: let me make clear, the
President's made very clear his own personal commitment to the roadmap
and to the vision that he outlined on June 24th. The roadmap is the
means to make progress toward the goal of two states, Israel and
Palestine living side by side in peace and security.
We and our partners in the Quartet have drafted the roadmap as a means
to make progress. The President has stated his determination to see
the roadmap implemented as soon as possible. As you all know, we were
looking for a new Government Israel, we were looking for a responsible
and empowered Palestinian Prime Minister that we could work with and
we've been looking for both the parties to be able to take actions in
the right direction, so we will continue to work with them and we will
continue to look for what's the best way to move forward.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) appointment of the Prime Minister is the first
step in implementing the roadmap.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't want to get into the details of the roadmap, but
certainly we've looked forward to being able to work with an empowered
and credible prime minister on the Palestinian side in order to
implement this vision of two states, in order to prepare for that
eventuality in order to move forward on the elements of the roadmap.
The change is not the change of structure. That change that needs to
be undertaken is the change of empowerment of Palestinian institutions
so that we have credible institutions that we can work with and so
that the Israelis and others in the region have credible institutions
that they can work with; and institutions that eventually can form the
basis of supporting a state.
QUESTION: But do you consider Mahmoud Abbas the Prime Minister is
well-chosen, I mean, since he deplore any, you know, suicide attack or
all these things?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't want to comment on individuals at this point. I
don't think the debate and discussion is quite finished. My
understanding is the Palestinian legislature is still discussing the
whole issue of appointments and powers and division of powers, and so
we're looking forward to seeing how that comes out.
In the end, as I said, the individual is only part of the picture.
It's a question of is the person empowered, is the person capable of
moving forward? Is the person given the authority? Are the
institutions given authority to stop the violence and start
establishing a regular state?
(end excerpt)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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