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Powell, Abbas on difficult steps ahead
(CNN) -- The following is a partial transcript from a press conference Friday by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in the West Bank town of Jericho. Powell met earlier Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem as part of an effort to bolster the U.S.-backed "road map" to peace. ABBAS (through translator): So far, houses are being demolished, citizens are being assassinated and detained. Settlements are still expanding. At a time when the borders have been diminishing among states, Israel is establishing this separating fence that separates the Palestinian citizens from their own land. In brief, the political development was not interpreted yet into tangible and practical measures that will make Palestinians feel the profits of the road map and the peace process. We are still committed to the road map, and we see that it is a solution that will bring us to our national goals with ending the occupation that started in 1967, establishing our state on this land, with Jerusalem as its capital and reaching an agreed-upon solution for the refugees based on national legitimacy. We aim to reach our objectives through these negotiations, and will an enemy into a partner. We are at the threshold of a new era and therefore the methodology should change; the logic of confrontation, it cannot match with the logic of peace. The Israeli behavior reflects hesitation in adopting the new way for progress. We ask Israel to withdraw ... -- deport usurpers from Bethlehem as the first step to enable to implement our commitments. And we hope that Israel will not continue to deter this step by concentrating on the trivial parts. Israel should, however, release the Palestinian detainees, should lift the restrictions on the movement of citizens and end its provocative acts and end the settlement and lift the siege imposed on President [Yasser] Arafat. Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, we know that entering a new stage is always difficult and full of concerns, but these small steps will not bring a result about. And we have taken a decision before our legislative council, before the world and before our people to continue our initial dialogue. Israel will find in us a serious partner. The role of the American administration and the role of the international community is very important, and in the course of implementing the road map, we and the Israelis will resolve to need your good efforts. You and the quartet, we are sure, and the international community will provide all efforts to make our efforts a success. And also your efforts in monitoring and verification will also help us to solve the differences and will help us to reach the goals that we all aspire. The task ahead of us is very difficult, but the objective is noble. We are committed because we are convinced that the peoples in the area -- they don't just need a better future but also a better present as well. We are committed and Mr. Bush is committed; we don't doubt his seriousness. And for the Israeli government, we hope that their temporary concerns will not deter their commitment to this common goal. We thank you for your efforts, and we hope to meet you once again also in a very short time. Thank you very much. POWELL: ... [Today] was a very good discussion, following up on the Sharm el-Sheikh and Aqaba summits, which were just a little over two weeks ago. For his part, the prime minister, as he just noted, reaffirmed his commitments made at the summit, and I assured him of President Bush's strong engagement in the process and of the president's personal commitment to help the Palestinian people build a better and brighter future. We all have work to do, and the best way forward for both the Palestinian people and the Israeli people is decisive action toward realization of the president's vision -- all of our visions -- for two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and in security. I am pleased that Ambassador John Wolf is here. He spent the entire meeting with the prime minister and I. And he is here as the president's envoy to help the two sides take the practical steps necessary to move forward with the road map. And he and his team will be monitoring and promoting the performance of both sides. None of this is easy. Both the Palestinians and Israelis need to make some very difficult decisions and to take some hard steps. But now is a moment of opportunity, and we all must seize it. I know that the prime minister wants the best for his people, as does the United States. As the prime minister has said, violence and terror is not the way to build a state. I'm encouraged that the prime minister has authorized his ministers to re-engage in direct talks with the Israelis on security and other issues. And in our conversation today, most of the time was spent not on esoteric subjects but on practical aspects of security: how to arrange for the transfer of responsibility for Gaza, the details of the transfer, what are the outstanding issues that have to be dealt with before we can go forward with this transfer? And Ambassador Wolf will be following up our discussions with both sides. In my talks with Prime Minister Sharon and his government today, I made clear -- I made clear that Israel, too, has obligations. Israel must follow up on initial steps to build confidence and to ease the daily plight of the Palestinian people. Earlier today, Prime Minister Sharon and I discussed all of the issues that are of so much concern to the Palestinian people, including prisoners, removal of unauthorized outposts and concrete steps to improve the daily steps of the Palestinians. He understands that he has a responsibility to see that progress is made on these issues as well as on security. And I think as we move forward down the path laid out by the road map, and as both sides take that strong action that I mentioned earlier, we can see additional progress in these areas of improving life and conditions of life for the Palestinian people and allowing the people of Israel to feel a sense of security. We have to move urgently. We have to move with great speed and deliberateness. It has been only two weeks since the Aqaba summit, but we don't want time to pass without action taking place. And so I've encouraged both sides today to do everything they can to take the steps called for in the road map. What we are trying to achieve together is the president's goal: a viable, independent, sovereign and democratic Palestine living in peace and security alongside an Israel that has been fully integrated into the region. All around us are extremists who want to block our path. We saw another terrorist attack today, which we condemn and our condolences go out to the families of the victims. We must not allow terrorists to win. The president has committed the United States to helping us move forward. And I'm pleased that Prime Minister Abbas is committed to working with us, all of us working together in the cause of peace. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. ABBAS: Thank you. Questions from pressREPORTER: You will focus on the security of the Israeli citizens, but you don't focus on the security of the Palestinian citizens as well? POWELL: ... Through our monitoring activities, through our brokering activities, serving as friends of both sides, we, in fact, provide something of a guarantee to what is happening. And both sides can have some assurance of performance as a result of Ambassador Wolf's efforts and the efforts of the other members of the American diplomatic team in Tel Aviv and in Jerusalem. I mourn for all who have lost their lives during this terrible period. I am as concerned about a mourning family of a Palestinian as a mourning family of an Israeli. They're all human beings, all God's children. And America is trying to do everything it can to solve this crisis so that there will be no more mourning. And the only way to do that is to get the terror and the violence under control so that response is not in any way justified or called for and to find a way to move through this peacefully. And one of the first steps in the road map process is to find a way to transfer responsibility in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority so that people can see the Palestinian Authority, under the new leadership of Prime Minister Abbas, take responsibility for the welfare of its own people and demonstrate to the region that they are capable of putting in place security and dealing with terrorist acts. And with that kind of step, then I think Israel is prepared to take additional steps on the road map, and the United States is in the position to help both sides move forward. REPORTER: Prime Minister Abbas, how much, if any, progress do you feel you've made in seeking to negotiate a cease-fire with Hamas and other militant groups? And, Secretary Powell, given your conversations today, what is your assessment of how near or far such cease-fire agreements may be? ABBAS (through translator): You know that we have started for some time, for a long time already, started a national dialogue -- internal national dialogue with Palestinians -- between us and the Palestinian organizations. Our brethren in Egypt took part in these efforts that we started since eight months [ago]. These efforts have been continuing all the time, whether in Cairo or in Gaza. And recently, in the last few days, there were also negotiations in Gaza. We can say that all Palestinian organizations feel that they have a high responsibility toward their national goals and the need toward reaching a solution that will give comfort to our people and that will achieve their aspirations in establishing their Palestinian state and solving their other problems that are related to the current situation, whether regarding the detainees or the welfare of the people and also stopping the settlement and stopping the erection of this fence that separates us from -- between us and the Israelis on the Palestinian territories. The people feel that all these things are of utmost concern for them, and they are interested in reaching solutions for them. I have felt the desire of these people, the willingness of these people to reach political solutions, so I am highly confident that we will reach an agreement with all these organizations. Thank you. POWELL: I wouldn't speculate on whether or not they will be successful and, if successful, how long it would take to achieve that success. Our focus is on the road map process, and the particular focus today is moving as rapidly as we can to deal with the situation in Gaza and Bethlehem, I might add. And I think that would be a very, very powerful and important first step if we can do that -- first step from where we are now. And I think if we can do that, and the people of Gaza can see life return to the strip and their own authority in charge, then I think it would give them confidence that organizations such as Hamas and other terrorist organizations perhaps do not have the right answer and that the right answer is the road map and moving forward toward peace. And we should not in any way hold that activity hostage to what might or might not have to be happening in cease-fire -- as they're called -- discussions. And even if those discussions prove fruitful, we really have to get to a point, as the prime minister has said in more than one occasion, where the only ones with guns and military force in any nation has to be the government under legal control, and not an illegal capability -- whether it's being used or not -- being allowed to exist. REPORTER (through translator): Mahmoud Abbas, did you receive any guarantees regarding stopping the assassinations against Palestinian activists? ABBAS (through translator): We know that appeasing the situation on the Palestinian side then it is necessary for the Israeli party also to stop all their assassination, incursions, house demolition and all other provocative acts. Because if they continue, it will only bring the violence out from there once again. So when we demand all our people to appease, and when we say that our people are ready to calm the situation, the Israeli party should also be ready to stop all these operations. And without their commitment, without their real willingness I don't think things will be stable in the future. REPORTER: Mr. Prime Minister, as you hold your discussions with Hamas, what are the outstanding issues regarding security in Gaza? And are you discussing some sort of transformation of Hamas into a political organization that might be one day part of a broader Palestinian government? ABBAS (through translator): Calming the situation down in Gaza should include all walks of life. There should be only peace and quiet prevail. We said this in the legislative council and other places. There should be one and sole Palestinian Authority and one law and plurality and political parties based on democracy, clear democracy. This is what we said to Hamas and to others, and we have said to all our citizens. And I believe that our citizens are willing to implement that. REPORTER: ... If you reach a cease-fire with Hamas, Mr. Prime Minister, we understand from Palestinian sources that you would then perhaps offer them some role, some part in your government and your administration. Is this correct? And if so, Mr. Secretary, how would you feel about that? ABBAS (through translator): I said that to all Palestinian organizations that they can practice their political life and their political convictions democratically. And when we have elections, Palestinian elections -- and this will be carried out soon after Israel would withdraw from all the territories occupied in September 28, 2000 -- then there would be an effective Palestinian participation by all factions, organizations and people. And at that time, people will be entitled and will have the right to take part in the government activities or not, and the opposition also, as long as the opposition will be a democratic one. POWELL: He didn't give me a hook to answer your question. Yes, the prime minister answered it in a way that did not leave a dangling hook. ... He wants settlement activity ended, and that includes the creation of new settlements. And there is an ongoing debate as to what the constraints are within existing settlements. And we are continuing to have discussions with the Israelis as to what that means and whether it's acceptable or whether it constitutes the right move down the road map toward peace or not. But I don't have specific details that I'm prepared to share at this time.
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