DATE=04/05/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09805

TITLE=EDITORIAL: MORE FROM BUSH STATEMENT

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES.

Anncr: Next, President George W. Bush speaks out on the crisis in the Middle East.

Voice: In the Middle East, said President George W. Bush on April 4th, "The outlines of a just settlement are clear: two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side, in peace and security. . . . But it calls for leadership, not for terror."

Since September 11th, said Mr. Bush, the United States has delivered this message: "you're either with the civilized world, or you're with the terrorists. All in the Middle East also must choose and must move decisively in word and deed against terrorist acts."

President Bush said that Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, "has not consistently opposed or confronted terrorists. At {the] Oslo [peace talks] and elsewhere, Chairman Arafat renounced terror as an instrument of his cause, and he agreed to control it. He has not done so. . . . He has missed his opportunities, and thereby betrayed the hopes of the people he's supposed to lead. Given his failure, the Israeli government feels it must strike at terrorist networks that are killing its citizens."

President Bush said, "America recognizes Israel's right to defend itself from terror. Yet, to lay the foundations of future peace. . .Israel [should] halt incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and begin the withdrawal from those cities it has recently occupied."

Mr. Bush called "on the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority, and [America's] friends in the Arab world to join us in delivering a clear message to terrorists: blowing yourself up does not help the Palestinian cause."

President Bush said that, "Those governments, like Iraq, that reward parents for the sacrifice of their children are guilty of soliciting murder of the worst kind. All who care about the Palestinian people should join in condemning and acting against groups like Al-Aqsa, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and all groups which opposed the peace process and seek the destruction of Israel."

Mr. Bush warned "those who would try to use the current crisis as an opportunity to widen the conflict [to] stay out. Iran's arms shipments and support for terror fuel the fire of conflict in the Middle East. And it must stop. Syria has spoken out against al-Qaida. We expect it to act against Hamas and Hezbollah, as well. It's time," said Mr. Bush, "for Iran to focus on meeting its own people's aspirations for freedom and for Syria to decide which side of the war against terror it is on."

"Peace is possible when we break free of old patterns and habits of hatred," said President Bush. "America is committed to ending this conflict and beginning an era of peace."

Anncr: President George W. Bush spoke out on the Middle East crisis on April 4th. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.