Powell Says Arafat Must Speak to His People, Stop Violence

(Condemns suicide bombing in Netanya, Israel) (1140)



Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the March 27 terrorist
attack in Netanya, Israel, and said Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser Arafat "must act to stop this kind of terror."


"This is the time for Chairman Arafat to get on television, to get on
radio, to speak to his people, to tell them that they are destroying
their own desire and vision for a Palestinian state living side by
side in peace with Israel, behind secure and recognizable borders,"
Powell said March 27 at the State Department, following a meeting with
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic.


The suicide bombing in Netanya killed at least 15 people on the
Passover holiday. The attack "took the lives of innocent civilians who
were gathered to celebrate their religion, to celebrate their faith,
and wounded so many more," Powell said. "Our hearts go out to the
victims and to their families."


Asked to comment on the status of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks,
the secretary answered, "Every one of these bombings sets us back, but
at the same time, it renews our determination." The United States, he
said, "remains committed to doing everything in its power to bring
this violence to an end and to move forward with a process that will
get us into the Tenet work plan, into the Mitchell plan, and finally,
into the kinds of negotiations that will bring a settlement."


Powell cited some positive developments, including progress made by
General Anthony Zinni on implementing the Tenet plan. The U.S. special
envoy has developed a working plan that is "gaining currency with both
sides," and he will remain in the Middle East through the holidays,
"ready to work at whatever pace the two sides are willing to work at,"
Powell said.


Powell also said he awaited the "positive elements that do come out of
the summit meeting" of Arab League members in Beirut. Saudi Crown
Prince Abdullah's March 27 statement appealing for support of the
Saudi proposal for Middle East peace was "quite helpful to our
efforts," he said.


Following is an excerpt from remarks made by Secretary Powell at the
State Department March 27:


(begin excerpt)



SECRETARY POWELL: Before turning it over to questions, let me take
this opportunity to join the President in condemning the terrorist
attack that took place in Israel this afternoon, which took the lives
of innocent civilians -- who had gathered to celebrate their religion,
to celebrate their faith -- and wounded so many more. Our hearts go
out to the victims and to their families.


The Palestinian leadership must act to stop this kind of terror. The
United States remains committed to doing everything in its power to
bring this violence to an end and to move forward with a process that
will get us into the Tenet work plan, into the Mitchell plan, and
finally into the kinds of negotiations that will bring a settlement.
But this kind of positive activity cannot take place in this
atmosphere of terrorism and violence.


General Zinni will remain in the region. He will remain engaged. He
has made progress in recent days in bringing the two sides closer
together towards the start of the Tenet plan. And I take note of Crown
Prince Abdullah's statement in Beirut today, which I think was quite
helpful to our efforts. The United States will remain engaged. We will
not let terrorists or terrorism take us away from our desire to see
peace in this region and for these two peoples eventually to live side
by side in peace. Terror cannot be allowed to prevail or to win.


Questions.



QUESTION: Secretary Powell, how much trouble is the peace process in,
given the fact that Arafat didn't go to the Arab Summit, and today's
bombing in Israel?


SECRETARY POWELL: Every one of these bombings sets us back, but at the
same time, it renews our determination. The fact the Chairman did not
-- Chairman Arafat did not go to the summit is a fact; he appeared by
television. We would have preferred for him to attend the summit
meeting. We thought it would have been a more positive step than not
going. But that's behind us now. I'm concentrating my efforts once
again on General Zinni's work, and on taking maximum advantage of the
positive elements that do come out of the summit meeting.


QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can you give us some details on the progress
that General Zinni has made?


SECRETARY POWELL: I really would rather not. Both sides had -- I will
tell you a little bit, but not the whole thing -- both sides had their
version of a Tenet work plan and how they would be able to move
forward into the work plan. General Zinni discussed with each side
their work plan, narrowed the differences, and then had a proposal
that would bridge the differences. That proposal is gaining currency
with both sides, and we will see what will happen in the days ahead.


I'm not sure that much will happen in light of the upcoming holiday
period, but General Zinni will remain through the holidays, ready to
engage and ready to work at whatever pace the two sides are willing to
work at. But this is the time for Chairman Arafat to get on
television, to get on radio, to speak to his people, to tell them that
they are destroying their own desire and vision for a Palestinian
state living side by side in peace with Israel, behind secure and
recognizable borders. This is the time to stop this kind of activity,
and to bring under control all those elements of the Palestinian
Authority that might be participating or allowing these kinds of
activities to go on. This sort of activity, and the tolerance of this
sort of activity, will destroy the very vision that the Palestinian
Authority stands for and Chairman Arafat says he is committed to.


QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, what do you have to say to Americans abroad
against whom new threats have just been made in Italy for the Easter
Sunday? There are threats to our own people on holidays as well.


SECRETARY POWELL: There is a higher threat level in Italy, and we have
made a public announcement to that effect. What I would say for those
who are traveling in Italy and in the specific places that were
mentioned, be prudent, be careful; enjoy yourselves, but display some
caution in your activities, where you are, travel together and just be
very careful and prudent in your activities.


Thank you.



QUESTION: Thank you.



QUESTION: Any phone calls?



SECRETARY POWELL: I have (inaudible) conversations (inaudible)
Ambassador and Consul General, and with General Zinni. But I have been
doing other -- I have not made any calls.


 (end excerpt)



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