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CNN Live Event/Special
Powell Speaks Outside State Department
Aired January 29, 2004 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a live picture of Washington, D.C., just outside the State Department. Secretary of State Colin Powell standing there with the Turkish prime minister. Actually, the Turkish foreign minister. Excuse me for that. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
QUESTION: My question is, you're happy and satisfied by the position taken by Mr. Gul and Mr. Erdogan. What about the Greek side? Are you putting pressure on the Greek side? Mr. Papandreou today made a statement saying that Greece has been forthcoming up until now and some people feel it's unfair to put the pressure on the Greek side.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We are in touch with both sides, and I expect to talk to Secretary General Annan in a few hours. He has been talking to, I think, President Stephanopoulos and others. And I, of course, will be talking to my Greek colleagues as well.
I think it's time for all of us to put pressure on all sides to get a resolution to this difficult situation. It's gone on for so long and I think we're getting close to a solution.
So to the extent that we can assist the secretary general in his efforts and assist all the sides in coming together on the basis of the secretary general's plan, then we will do so.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the horrific suicide bombing in Jerusalem today; your reaction to that?
And, sir, the road map appears to be not really going forward right now. Do you still believe that the respective deadlines associated with the road map will still take place? Do you think those deadlines will still be met?
POWELL: The minister and I reflected on the horrendous attack that took place in Jerusalem this morning and we condemn it thoroughly.
Once again terrorists have killed innocent people, and at the same time they have struck a blow once more against the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have a homeland of their own.
This kind of action has got to stop. And I once again implore the Palestinian leaders, and especially Prime Minister Abu Ala, to do everything in his power, everything in their power to ostracize these terrorists, to go after them and to deal with this terrorist activity. Because as long as it continues, the hopes of both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, for peace will constantly be dashed.
And so I condemn the action of these terrorist organizations and these horrible people who would do this on a civilian bus in the middle of the day.
With respect to the road map, the road map is still there. The longer time goes by without progress because we can't get it going, the parties can't get moving because of this terrorist activity, the more difficult it will be to achieve the goals laid out in the road map with respect to a timetable.
It's time to end the terror, and the Palestinian leadership has to realize this and face it.
And I am hopeful that they will come to that realization, and I'm confident if we can get moving, the Israelis will be forthcoming with many of the ideas that we have presented to them and they have agreed to and are reflected in the road map.
QUESTION: To Mr. Gul: In this process, did you accept the Annan plan to this point?
ABDULLAH GUL, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, I mean, we are going to take it as a reference.
KAGAN: We've been listening in, Secretary of State Colin Powell taking question in front of the State Department, commenting about the bus bombings takes place in Jerusalem on a day that should have been a step forward for Middle East peace relations, marred by this bus bombing. Taking credit for it, al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 29, 2004 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a live picture of Washington, D.C., just outside the State Department. Secretary of State Colin Powell standing there with the Turkish prime minister. Actually, the Turkish foreign minister. Excuse me for that. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
QUESTION: My question is, you're happy and satisfied by the position taken by Mr. Gul and Mr. Erdogan. What about the Greek side? Are you putting pressure on the Greek side? Mr. Papandreou today made a statement saying that Greece has been forthcoming up until now and some people feel it's unfair to put the pressure on the Greek side.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We are in touch with both sides, and I expect to talk to Secretary General Annan in a few hours. He has been talking to, I think, President Stephanopoulos and others. And I, of course, will be talking to my Greek colleagues as well.
I think it's time for all of us to put pressure on all sides to get a resolution to this difficult situation. It's gone on for so long and I think we're getting close to a solution.
So to the extent that we can assist the secretary general in his efforts and assist all the sides in coming together on the basis of the secretary general's plan, then we will do so.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the horrific suicide bombing in Jerusalem today; your reaction to that?
And, sir, the road map appears to be not really going forward right now. Do you still believe that the respective deadlines associated with the road map will still take place? Do you think those deadlines will still be met?
POWELL: The minister and I reflected on the horrendous attack that took place in Jerusalem this morning and we condemn it thoroughly.
Once again terrorists have killed innocent people, and at the same time they have struck a blow once more against the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have a homeland of their own.
This kind of action has got to stop. And I once again implore the Palestinian leaders, and especially Prime Minister Abu Ala, to do everything in his power, everything in their power to ostracize these terrorists, to go after them and to deal with this terrorist activity. Because as long as it continues, the hopes of both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, for peace will constantly be dashed.
And so I condemn the action of these terrorist organizations and these horrible people who would do this on a civilian bus in the middle of the day.
With respect to the road map, the road map is still there. The longer time goes by without progress because we can't get it going, the parties can't get moving because of this terrorist activity, the more difficult it will be to achieve the goals laid out in the road map with respect to a timetable.
It's time to end the terror, and the Palestinian leadership has to realize this and face it.
And I am hopeful that they will come to that realization, and I'm confident if we can get moving, the Israelis will be forthcoming with many of the ideas that we have presented to them and they have agreed to and are reflected in the road map.
QUESTION: To Mr. Gul: In this process, did you accept the Annan plan to this point?
ABDULLAH GUL, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, I mean, we are going to take it as a reference.
KAGAN: We've been listening in, Secretary of State Colin Powell taking question in front of the State Department, commenting about the bus bombings takes place in Jerusalem on a day that should have been a step forward for Middle East peace relations, marred by this bus bombing. Taking credit for it, al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
