12 May 2003
Powell Hopes Israelis and Palestinians Can Take Steps for Peace
(U.S. Prepared to Work Closely with Palestinian Prime Minister) (1420)
In an interview with the NBC Today Show, televised May 11, Secretary
of State Colin said the end of the war in Iraq marks an opportunity to
pursue a resolution of the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Powell held
talks with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the region May 11.
According to Powell, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon understands
that Israel's long-term interests are harmed by occupation. "It's a
burden on him, it's a burden on his economy, on his military, on
tourism and a lot of other things," Powell said.
"What he [Sharon] is hoping to do is to move side-by-side,
step-by-step with the new Palestinian prime minister, where both sides
take steps. Let's not call them concessions. Let's call them steps
toward progress down the road to peace," Powell suggested.
Asked whether Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas could end the
suicide bombings, Powell said he believes Abbas is committed to do
whatever he can to end these attacks.
"I told him, on behalf of the president, that we would be prepared to
work with him, and are going to be working with him, to help him
generate that capacity," Powell said.
Following is the transcript of Secretary Powell's May 11 appearance on
the NBC Today Show:
(begin transcript)
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
On NBC's Today Show with Jay Leno
May 11, 2003
David Citadel Hotel, Jerusalem
(Aired 7:15 a.m. EDT, May 12)
MR. LENO: Before we get started, I want to ask you, and do you
remember the name you wanted to be called? You were on the Tonight
Show once with me a number of years ago, and you said there's a name
you really wanted to be called by. Do you remember?
SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, I do, Jay. I think it was Skip.
MR. LENO: Skip, yeah. Somehow, Skip doesn't apply today. So "Mr.
Secretary" I will go with, I think. You just don't seem like a Skip.
As much as you would like to be called that, it just doesn't seem to
work.
Let me ask you, how hard is it to be diplomatic in the Middle East
right now?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, it is a challenge, but I am pleased to have
the opportunity I had today to speak to Prime Minister Sharon and
members of his government, as well as the new Prime Minister of the
Palestinian people, Prime Minister Abbas. And we have a new moment of
opportunity here in the Middle East, Jay. With the end of the war in
Iraq, President Bush has turned his attention to this part of the
world again.
MR. LENO: Well, let me ask you about your meeting with Prime Minister
Sharon earlier today. What concessions is he willing to make to the
peace process? Is he going to withdraw Israeli troops from the
Palestinian areas?
SECRETARY POWELL: I wouldn't call these concessions. I think these are
steps he wants to take. He has no desire to keep troops in the
Palestinian areas; it's a burden on him, it's a burden on his economy,
on his military, on tourism and a lot of other things. What he is
hoping to do is to move side-by-side, step-by-step, with the new
Palestinian Prime Minister, where both sides take steps. Let's not
call them concessions. Let's call them steps toward progress down the
road to peace.
MR. LENO: Let's talk about the Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas for a
minute. Do you think he can bring an end to these suicide bombings, as
Yasser Arafat wasn't able or didn't want to do?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think he is committed to that. He said he
understands that this kind of activity must end. I told him, on behalf
of the President, that we would be prepared to work with him, and are
going to be working with him, to help him generate that capacity, but
we are expecting him to speak out and make the politically difficult
choices of moving down this road.
MR. LENO: Now, Arafat can't be happy about not seeing you this trip.
Is he just irrelevant at this point? Is he just out of the picture?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I believe he should be out of the picture. I
think he is a failed leader, but he remains the elected president of
the Palestinian people. But the United States has made it clear since
last year that we can't deal with him because we don't believe he has
been a partner for peace. Other nations have different views. So we
are trying to do everything we can to support Prime Minister Abbas.
MR. LENO: Let me ask you about Jerusalem. They both want it as their
capital. Is it realistic to think this could end up being a divided
capital? Is that even in the running? Is it possible?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, we will have to see. What we have found in
previous negotiations with the two sides is that Jerusalem holds a
special place in the hearts and minds and souls of both peoples, as
well as many other peoples and religions around the world. And so the
final status of Jerusalem will have to be decided by negotiations
between the parties, and there are strong views on both sides. And
that is why we have left the final status of Jerusalem to be one of
those issues we will deal with at the end of the road and not at the
beginning of the road.
MR. LENO: Just a couple more things. Saddam Hussein -- let's say he's
alive, we find him. Do we try him in the United States? Does he get
tried by the Iraqi people? What would happen if we find him alive?
SECRETARY POWELL: That remains to be seen. I think the Iraqi people
have a lot of charges they would like to levy against him, and let's
hope that that's the way it would be handled. I think that would be
the proper justice. But at the moment, we don't know if he's alive or
dead, and that's the best answer anyone can give you on the matter of
Saddam Hussein.
MR. LENO: Now, how about you and Donald Rumsfeld? Are you guys going
to be playing golf together anytime soon? How is that going?
SECRETARY POWELL: I'm not a golfer, but Don and I get along just fine.
MR. LENO: Okay.
SECRETARY POWELL: We have strong views and we work for a President who
encourages his Cabinet officers to have strong views and present
strong views. And it is a favorite parlor game in Washington to say,
you know, who's ahead one day or the other, me or Don. The fact of the
matter is Don and I get along fine, we argue our views out, and we
argue them out for only one purpose: so that our two views can help
one person form his view, and that's the President of the United
States.
MR. LENO: Now, Dick Cheney is coming back in 2004. Will you stay on?
SECRETARY POWELL: Jay, I serve at the pleasure of the President, and
that is the best answer I can give and the only answer I will give.
MR. LENO: All right, let me ask you this. Let's say you solved
everything, everything's worked out great. What would you rather be
doing?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I'm very pleased to be serving my nation in
this capacity, honored to be serving this President, but there will
come a day, Jay, when I will go back into retirement; and then you
know what both you and I will want to do when we are both in
retirement, and that's get together and play with our cars.
MR. LENO: That's right. All right, tell you what. We'll do that. In
fact, we'll have a race. Your Volvo against my Lamborghini. That's
fair.
SECRETARY POWELL: I'll beat you.
MR. LENO: All right, you're on.
SECRETARY POWELL: You don't know how I've -- you don't know how I can
"soup up" a 1966 Volvo station wagon.
MR. LENO: Sir, if there's anyone can do it, you're the one. So thank
you. Thanks a lot. Keep up the good work. Thank you, sir.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thanks, Jay.
MR. LENO: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.
SECRETARY POWELL: Good talking to you.
MR. LENO: You, too.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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