GNS US Sec of State in Jerusalem on Mideast visit
(11 May 2003) Pool Tel Aviv 1. US Secretary of State Colin Powell exits plane 2. Powell greeted 3. Powell gets into car APTN Jerusalem 4. Wide exterior of the David Citadel hotel 5. Israeli and American flags 6. Various photo op of Powell with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom 7. Wide of news conference room 8. US Secretary of State Colin Powell walking onto stage with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State: "This is one of the more difficult issues that has to be dealt with between the two sides. It has always been a difficult issue, not just in this particular process that we're entering into now, but all along and so I think the two sides have to deal with it in due course. But I think it's important because there are areas of agreement. There is a need to end violence now, there is a need to end terror, there is a need to take some steps that will life a little better for the Palestinian people, so I think we should get started now, recognising how difficult issues such as the right of return are and don't gloss over those difficulties, recognise it's going to very very hard to resolve between the two sides. But let's not let it be a roadblock now to getting started, let us get started now." 10. Powell and Shalom at podiums 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State: "And with respect to settlements as President Bush has said in his speech of 24 June and as he reiterated when he spoke last evening in South Carolina we expect settlement activity to end and I believe we have assurances from the Israeli government that that is their position as well." 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Silvan Shalom, Israeli Foreign Minister: "This government won't march through both rocks at the same time. I mean there will not be a track that we find on each other on a daily basis while on the second track we'll negotiate at night in nice hotels." 13. Powell leaving news conference 14. Photographers, tilt up to camera STORYLINE: US Secretary of State Colin Powell began a new push on Saturday for Middle East peace that has been bolstered by a change in Palestinian leadership. His message to Israel and the Palestinians: "Let's get on with it." Powell said that all sides should get started on the Washington-backed "road map" peace plan. Speaking in Jerusalem on Saturday evening after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Powell said that he recognised that it was going to be very difficult to resolve issues between Israelis and Palestinians. He said, "But let's not let it be a roadblock now to getting started" and that there were areas of agreement between the two sides." In contrast to the bitter confrontation he found on his last trip 13 months ago, Powell said Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas "is beginning to make the right statements with respect to terror and violence" and that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, too, had shown signs of cooperation. Powell's effort got under way with an evening meeting with Israeli Shalom who also appeared at the news conference. Powell said Israel should not "gloss over" Palestinian demands for the right to return Palestinians and their descendants who fled Israel at the state's founding in 1948 back to Israel. On Sunday, Powell and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have planned talks in Jerusalem. Powell then was to cross into the West Bank for his first meeting with Abbas, who was sworn in on April 30. Powell said "the two sides have to deal with it in due course." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
