Powell says he is determined to freeze out Arafat, seek other Palestinian leaders

AP | 6/28/02 | BARRY SCHWEID

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON, Jun 28, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell held firm Friday on excluding Yasser Arafat from Mideast peacemaking. Turning to other potential Palestinian leaders, Powell said "there's a price to be paid for inaction against terrorism, inaction against reform."

Powell, in an Associated Press interview, said he had had "the most direct conversations" with Arafat to try to sway him "but we've not seen change or improvement."

In fact, Powell said, an attempt to smuggle in Iranian weapons and evidence Arafat authorized a payment to a group that carried out a suicide bombing against Israel hardened the U.S. administration's resolve to turn to other Palestinian leaders.

"There are others in the Palestinian movement who can help transform it," Powell said.

While President George W. Bush's call for Arafat's ouster has not met with unanimous approval around the world, Powell said, "it is universally recognized" among Arab and other leaders that the current leadership of the Palestinian people under Chairman Arafat has failed.

Looking ahead, Powell said the Bush administration would focus in coming weeks and months on pushing reform of Palestinian institutions. "Clearly, we are anxious to work with responsible leaders in the Palestinian movement," he said, "and we are ready to mobilize the international community."

"We are going to be focusing on transformation," Powell said.

He said Assistant Secretary of State William Burns would meet in London next week with U.N., European Union and Russian officials "and explore with them how to move forward."

Diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Burns might then go on to the Middle East for talks with Israeli and Arab leaders.

Powell said on other subjects:

-He was pleased that the Islamic government of Iran had agreed to accept a U.S. offer of humanitarian assistance in response to a devastating earthquake last weekend.

"I'm not prepared to say it's the beginning of a new policy with Iran or a rapprochement. But I'm glad to see that they recognize that the aid we were offering came with no strings attached," Powell said.

-The United States was proposing specific dates and locations to North Korea for a resumption of long-stalled security talks.

Other sources said the administration at a meeting on Thursday in New York proposed that the talks be resumed in mid-July in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and that Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly likely would lead the U.S. delegation.

On the Arab-Israeli conflict, Powell refrained from suggesting Israel consider terminating its latest military foray into Palestinian-held positions on the West Bank. "People have to defend themselves against terrorism," he said.

Still, Powell called on Israel to loosen its restraints on Palestinian workers so they could get to their jobs. "The current Israeli activity makes things more difficult," he said.

Powell acknowledged that Bush's prescription for Palestinian statehood within three years, and without Arafat, "may have jarred some nerves, upset some people."

But, he said, the speech last Monday reflected reality.

"He made it clear the current leadership, the leadership of Chairman Arafat, has not matched at this time the needs of the Palestinian people," Powell said.

He said he had no plans to get in touch with Arafat or to see him "although I don't know what the future holds."

And Ronald Schlicher, who heads the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem that is in regular contact with the Palestinian Authority, "has had no occasion to speak with Mr. Arafat in recent days," Powell said.

By BARRY SCHWEID AP Diplomatic Writer

Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved

News Provided By  

[jae471]

I have to wonder how big of stick it took to knock sense into Powell.

[hchutch]

Powell has had that sense for a while. He and Bush merely played good cop/bad cop almost perfectly against Arafat in April. The memos the IDF found sealed the deal. Once you cross Powell, you are T-O-A-S-T.

[The Vast Right Wing]

Agreed. I seriously doubt that Powell does much without the explicit approval of the President. Powell is a soldier that follows orders. His commanding officer is the President, end of story.

[Coop]

Powell said "there's a price to be paid for inaction against terrorism..."

Now, Sec. Powell, that's not fair. Mr. Arafat has been very active in his support of terrorism.

[frmrda]

Boy, this is really going to bother the Euro-sissies. Powell was always the one they would cry to and look to for comfort when Bush talked reality. Now that Colin has got on board w/ W they're not going to know what to do.

[monkeyshine]

"there's a price to be paid for inaction against terrorism..."

You're right. They don't want to go so far as to call him a terrorist. He IS a terrorist -- he always has been, and we used to call him one. We should never have changed our policy towards him.

[Coop]

They who? President Bush said the current Palestinian leadership has been compromised by terror. I'm able to connect those dots quite easily.

[TheOtherOne]