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CNN LIVE SATURDAY
White House Reacts To News Of Mahmoud Abbas' Resignation
Aired September 6, 2003 - 14:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Washington, former Middle East mediator Dennis Ross says Abbas could still be persuaded to stay on as Palestinian prime minister. What is being said at the White House? CNN's Dana Bash is there -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, President Bush is at Camp David today, but his national security adviser, Condaleeza Rice, has been there with him. She has been working the phones, getting the latest information on what is going on the ground and been briefing the president constantly, according to White House spokesman Taylor Gross (ph). And although, as we just heard, the situation does seem to be quite fluid, the idea of Mahmoud Abbas tendering his resignation does not come as a surprise to this White House.
However, if they do end up losing him as their point person, it certainly would be a blow to this administration. It is really because of Mahmoud Abbas' ascension as prime minister that has made it possible, according to President Bush, for him to get more involved in the Mideast peace process.
After two and a half years, when Mahmoud Abbas became prime minister, the president decided that he would throw his weight behind the so-called road map for peace, get personally involved in the whole peace process. He of course went to the Mideast and stood with Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon in order to get this whole process started. And every diplomatic move that the Bush administration has made has been about propping up Mahmoud Abbas, making sure that he has the support that he needs both from within the Palestinian people and also from the Israeli side, in order to make sure that he is somebody that they can deal with in terms of pushing the road map forward.
But there has been increasing concern at the White House that Yasser Arafat, whom President Bush made very clear early on that he would not deal with at all, that he is still quite involved, that he of course has a lot of support on the streets in the Palestinian areas. And there has been concern that he has not given over the security forces and given Mahmoud Abbas the tools that he needs in order to fulfill some of the promises laid out in the road map. And, as a matter of fact, Colin Powell, the U.S. secretary of state, said just yesterday that Yasser Arafat has not been playing a helpful role.
So the Bush White house has spent a lot of time trying to convince European allies and even some Arab leaders in the region to convince Yasser Arafat to be more helpful. They are hoping that all of the pressure being put on him and on this whole region will help with Mahmoud Abbas. And hopefully, they hope here at the White House, that Abbas will prevail at the end. But they are certainly watching this very closely because this is key to the Bush administration policy in the Middle East, key to the road map.
Back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dana Bash from the White House. Thank you very much.
BASH: Thanks, Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Well, President Bush's address to the nation is slated for 8:30 Eastern tomorrow night. Our special coverage begins 30 minutes before that. Please tune into CNN for the president's address.
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