30 June 2003
Palestinian Ceasefire Is A Beginning, But Not Enough, Powell Says
(Speaks with ABC's Good Morning America June 30) (730)
Following is a transcript of Secretary of State Colin Powell's June 30
interview on the U.S. television morning news program Good Morning
America on ABC:
(begin transcript)
Interview on ABC's Good Morning America with Charlie Gibson
Secretary Colin L. Powell
Washington, DC
June 30, 2003
MR. GIBSON: Mr. Secretary, we've had moments of optimism in the past
in the Middle East. Should we be any more optimistic about this one,
or should we be skeptical?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think we should be optimistic. I think we've seen
a very positive development over the weekend with the security
agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to turn over
responsibility for the Gaza Strip from Israel to the Palestinian
Authority. They have worked very hard on this turnover over the last
week or so, and I'm glad it came to a successful conclusion, and it
didn't take them long to execute. Israeli Defense Forces are leaving
Gaza. Palestinian Authority officials are taking over. The people of
Gaza will now be able to use that main north-south road to get to
schools, to get to hospitals, to get to jobs, and that should improve
their life.
This is one of those important steps that was called for under the
roadmap. Israel has obligations. The Palestinian Authority has
obligations. Both sides are taking those early steps toward the
satisfaction of those obligations. And so it's a good development.
And then we also note that Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah
have declared ceasefires. A ceasefire, in and of itself, isn't enough,
but at least it's a beginning. What we really want to see is the
elimination of the terrorist capability of those organizations, and
we'll be working toward that end.
But, in any event, this ceasefire at least reinforces what's happening
in Gaza, and let's get some moments of calm here so that we can move
forward even more aggressively. But we're pleased at these
developments.
MR. GIBSON: Mr. Secretary, many past peace efforts have been scuttled
when there has been an outbreak of violence -- groups that didn't want
ceasefires or peace. One significant incident here -- this is a very
dicey time -- one very significant incident, and doesn't the entire
roadmap come apart?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I hope not. What we have found in the past is
that we have allowed the process to become hostage to one group, one
individual, one bomb. And I think both sides realize this time is,
that if there is good faith between the two, and if trust and
confidence are reestablished, and with the presence of an American
monitoring group under Ambassador John Wolf, we can continue to go
forward and not let a single incident of an outsider, of a terrorist
who really doesn't want peace, to derail the effort. Then I think we
can make progress.
But it depends upon best efforts and best intentions and actual
performance on the part of the Palestinian Authority to bring these
groups under control and disarm them. Otherwise, the hopes of the
Palestinian people will be dashed once again, and, for that matter,
the hopes of the Israelis for an opportunity to live in peace once
again in their communities.
MR. GIBSON: Mr. Secretary, let me turn to Iraq. Secretary of Defense
Rumsfeld has said there will be some untidiness after the military
victory was over. Isn't what we're seeing now more than "untidiness,"
but we're seeing organized resistance?
SECRETARY POWELL: We're seeing resistance. It's not clear how
organized it is. So far, I don't think we can say that it is a
nationwide insurgency or effort that is under central direction. We
don't see that. We're seeing some remnants of the Hussein regime, some
Baath Party remnants. We're seeing a lot of criminal activity. We're
seeing a lot of looters. And so we are concerned about the level of
violence we have been seeing. But at the same time, we are confident
that with our security forces and with our military forces, and with
the rebuilding of Iraqi infrastructure, especially the Iraqi police
force, we can bring this under control.
MR. GIBSON: Mr. Secretary, always good to talk to you. All the best.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.
MR. GIBSON: Thank you.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you, Charlie.
MR. GIBSON: Take care.
[End]
(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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