Arab foreign ministers meeting President Bush

Описание: (19 Jul 2002)

1. Pan from Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister and Jordanian Foreign Minister to US President George Bush and US Secretary of State Colin Powell seated together
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President George Bush:
"I'm beginning to think that every time we have a high level meeting, something happens is not coincidental. I think the enemies of peace try to send signals, try to derail peace and try to discourage us and one of the things I'm going to tell the leaders today is we refuse to be discouraged. We're going to continue to work for peace. We're going to continue to push hard for peace because we know it's in our vital interests."
3. Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister and Egyptian Foreign Ministers approach microphone
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Saud al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister
"We take what the president says to us seriously. When he says that they will bear their responsibility to the full extent. When he says that the Palestinians and the Israelis are equally responsible for the pursuit of peace and the actions that lead to the pursuit of peace, we believe the president. We trust the president. We must be encouraged by what the president has encouraged us in this regard."
5. Wide-shot foreign ministers
6. Cutaway press
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ahmed Maher, Egyptian Foreign Minister:
"We did not mention the question of the leadership of the Palestinians in as much as we both believe in democracy and we both believe that it is up to the Palestinian people to choose their leaders and to elect their leaders. We are sure that all the Palestinians are willing to work with us and with the United States in order to achieve the vision that the president expressed. We will have to work on the three tracks, the security, the political and the economic track. The Palestinians are determined to continue to work with us and we will continue our efforts as agreed by our heads of states when they met President Bush."
8. Pan from press to foreign ministers

STORYLINE:

President Bush pledged on Thursday to proceed with peacemaking between Israel and the Arabs despite fresh violence, moving closer to the stand taken by European and Arab governments.

At the start of a White House meeting with three Arab foreign ministers, Bush said the United States, Israel, the Palestinians and others in "the neighbourhood" all had a responsibility.

He also said that the terror attacks on Israel are the work of a few opponents of peace. He added that it didn't seem to be a coincidence that a new attack coincided with a high-level meeting for peace.

Secretary of State Colin Powell sounded the same theme after meeting with three Arab foreign ministers - Ahmed Maher of Egypt, Marwan Muasher of Jordan and Prince Saud al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia.

Bush's statement and Powell's remarks indicated a narrowing of the gap between the administration and other governments that have complained the pursuit of a settlement was being held up.

For months, the administration has called for an end to attacks on Israel as the first order of business in Middle East peacemaking, with progress on a settlement dependent on curbing violence.

The Arabs and European governments have sought prompt action on setting up a Palestinian state and compelling Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza.

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