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| For Immediate Release | April 16, 2002 |
REMARKS BY
SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL
BEFORE MEETING WITH PALESTINIAN CIVIL SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES Jerusalem
April 16, 2002
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, do you think you can persuade the Palestinian leadership that they should begin talks prior to an Israeli withdrawal?
SECRETARY: We are going to have good conversations, my staff and the Palestinian side today, and I look forward to seeing the Chairman tomorrow morning. I think we are making progress and I look forward to furthering that progress over the next twenty-four hours. But I don't want to get into specifics as to what I'll be able to achieve and not able to achieve.
QUESTION: Despite the fact that Israel is moving back into Tulkarm today?
SECRETARY: There are lots of ins and outs, and we'll see how it all shakes out.
QUESTION: Have you asked both sides for a cease-fire (inaudible).
SECRETARY: I'll be discussing all these issues with both sides in the next twenty-four hours. The specific term "cease-fire" has not quite the same significance as what actually happens, as opposed to a specific term. We're working on it.