[RCW2001]

Reuters spin...

Bush supports Palestinian state with new leaders

 (adds details) 
    By Steve Holland 
    WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - In a harsh rebuke to Yasser 
Arafat, President George W. Bush said on Monday the United 
States supported creating a provisional Palestinian state but 
only if there is a "new and different Palestinian leadership." 
    "Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, 
so that a Palestinian state can be born. I call on the 
Palestinian people to elect new leaders not compromised by 
terror," Bush said as he set out his Middle East peace policy. 
    In the much-awaited speech, Bush laid out his vision for a 
provisional state called Palestine to be set up after about an 
18-month period. 
    But he set stern conditions, saying the Palestinians must 
find a new leader, create democratic institutions, and 
establish new security arrangements with Israel. 
    "When the Palestinian people have new leaders, new 
institutions, and new security arrangements with their 
neighbors, the United States of America will support the 
creation of a Palestinian state," Bush said in a statement 
delayed several times because of continuing violence in the 
region. 
    Bush never mentioned Arafat by name. But a senior aide, 
asked if the president meant that Arafat must go before the 
United States would back a provisional state, said: "We've been 
very clear that we think there has been significant problems 
with the Palestinian leadership." 
    Bush said borders and certain aspects of the sovereignty of 
the new state would be provisional until resolved as part of a 
final settlement. He called on Israel to pull back to its 
positions before Sept. 28, 2000, basically clearing out of 40 
percent of the West Bank. 
    The aides said if the conditions are met, a provisional 
Palestinian state could be established in 18 months and then 
made permanent in about three years as part of a final Middle 
East settlement. 
    Bush called on Israel to halt settlement activity in the 
occupied territories and to release frozen Palestinian 
revenues. 
    And he said once new Palestinian insitutions and leaders 
emerge, he expected Israel to respond by working toward a final 
status agreement. 
    "With intensive effort by all, this agreement could be 
reached within three years from now. I and my country will 
actively lead toward that goal," he said. 
    Bush said Israelis and Palestinians must ultimately address 
the core issues that divided them if there is to be a real 
peace, resolving all claims and ending the conflict between 
them. 
    He said any settlement must be based on U.N. resolutions 
242 and 338, and that "we must also resolve questions 
concerning Jerusalem, the plight and future of Palestinian 
refugees, and a final peace between Israel and Lebanon, and 
Israel and a Syria that supports peace and fights terror." 
    A senior U.S. official said Secretary of State Colin Powell 
was in contact with leaders in the region but was not 
immediately going there, as had been widely reported. 
 Bush did not mention the prospect of a Middle East peace 
conference, which U.S. officials have said they hope to hold 
this summer. The U.S. official said the situation was too 
volatile at this moment to try to arrange a conference. 
((Washington newsroom, fax 202 898 8383, email 
Washington.bureau.newsroom@reuters.com)) 

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Pressterrorists speak again.

[rintense]

I swear both accounts you have posted are using completely 'SPUN' headlines that are so misleading, that unless you watched the speech, you'd think he wanted a Palestinian state tomorrow.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Notice how Reuters says that Bush wants frozen Pale assets released-but,neglects to print the rest of his statements-but,only to honest and trustworthy leaders.That gives Israel wide latitude to determine who deserves to receive those moneys-not Arafat and the terror orgs,like Reuters is implying.

[rwfromkansas]

I wonder why Reuters didn't mention Bush saying a state can't be based on terror.....perhaps because they love terrorism.

I have never seen a Reuters contact before....let's e-mail the newsroom there and tell them what we think...:)