DATE= 5/8/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=POWELL-MIDEAST (S)

NUMBER=2-289576

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE= STATE DEPARTMENT

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Secretary of State Colin Powell says the latest suicide bomb attacks in Israel should not be allowed to sidetrack U-S led efforts to restore a peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. He spoke to reporters as he held talks on the Middle East and other issues with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

TEXT: Mr. Powell, the administration's point-man in Mideast peace efforts, said Tuesday's terrorist incident puts at risk the possibility of moving forward. But he made clear the United States will continue pushing Arab leaders, the Palestinians and Israelis to work to end violence:

///POWELL ACTUALITY///

Every time one of these events happens, it takes us off a course that we were on for a while. But I think it's a course we ultimately have to get back to. Because, no matter how many military operation one conducts, or how many suicide bombs are delivered, at the end of the day we have to have a political solution.

///END ACT///

Mr. Powell said he expects C-I-A director George Tenet to return to the region next week to try to re-establish Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation. He said reform of the Palestinian authority is essential to the process, though in an indirect rebuff to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he said he did not see reform as a pre-condition for dealing with the Palestinians. (Signed)

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