The Hindu : Powell mission not a failure, says Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 19, 2002

International

International

Powell mission not a failure, says Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington ApRIL 18. The Secretary of State, Colin Powell, returned to Washington today with little to show for his West Asia trip. He failed to broker a ceasefire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Neither was he able to get the Israelis to agree to a full withdrawal from Palestinian areas.

Gen. Powell is expected to brief the President, George W Bush, on his mission today. The administration is expected to keep up the diplomatic momentum over the next few days as it tries to defuse tension in the West Bank and Gaza. Besides pushing for an international conference on West Asia, the President may also send to the region the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, George Tenet, to work on security issues with the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Mr. Bush knew much was at stake when he sent Gen. Powell to the region. On the one hand, there was criticism that the United States was doing little to stop the escalating violence. On the other hand, the administration would be criticised if Gen. Powell returned "empty handed". Mr. Bush has insisted that Mr. Powell's 10-day peace mission has not been a total failure. Mr. Bush said progress had been made during Mr. Powell's visit and that "the only long-term solution is for two States — Israel and Palestine — to live side by side in security and in peace".

In a speech at the Virginia Military Institute on Wednesday, Mr. Bush called on all parties to work toward peace and stressed that a "murderer is not a martyr". The President also said Arab States must stop funding terror. "The time is now for all to make the choice for peace," Mr. Bush remarked.

With the Assistant Secretary for Near East, William Burns, staying back in the region, it is expected that there will be a push for an international conference. At the same time, there is the realisation that a meeting may not bring relief on the ground. The United States has said that the conference could initially take place at a ministerial level. The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has said he will go along with the idea provided the conference has the backing of Mr. Bush and Israel pulls its forces out of Palestinian areas.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Former king returns home

Powell mission not a failure, says Bush

French election turns abusive

Dutch army chief steps down

Trumped up charges: Pak.

Israel withdraws partly from Jenin camp

U.K. Jews fear 'backlash'

LTTE-Govt. talks likely in June

Kashmiris call for three-way dialogue

Ties with CIS top priority, says Putin

Terrorism: U.S. not happy with China

Will court ruling affect Benazir's poll prospects?

PPP complains to U.N. official against referendum move

5 Pakistanis questioned in Paris

Israel keeps its word: U.S.