Powell: Arafat's tough words not helpful

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke with CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel Monday about several issues the United States faces overseas. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

KOPPEL: I'd like to begin with what's happening right now in the Middle East. There were reports this morning of five Palestinian policemen who were shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

POWELL: I've seen those reports and it's very disturbing that the cycle of violence continues to go upward. It just reinforces my view and the view of every leader in the world right now that we have got to do everything we can to get the cycle moving in the other direction. We keep appealing to both sides to be restrained, to not use violence as a way of solving the problems that exist in the region, and we continue to give that message in a very, very strong and positive voice ... Israel is celebrating its anniversary. I think this should be a time for leaders on both sides to encourage restraint and to act as leaders and not encourage any forms of violence.

VIDEO Watch Powell's interview with CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel (May 14) Part 1 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Part 2 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Part 3 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     ALSO Powell appeals for restraint in Middle East

KOPPEL: I'd like to move on to a meeting that you have at the end of the week with Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister. I'm sure among the subjects you'll discuss is the upcoming summit between the two presidents. Do you think that perhaps you might push Mr. Ivanov to move up the summit date from later in the summer to when President Bush is in Europe in June?

POWELL: Well, Foreign Minister Ivanov and I have been in almost constant conversation for the last week, almost every day, although I missed him on the weekend -- he's traveling -- trying to find a convenient time for our two presidents to get together.

Both presidents, President Putin and President Bush, are anxious to get together. And Igor and I have it as our task to find a place and a convenient time for them to meet as soon as possible. It will certainly be no later than the G-7, G-8 meetings, and hopefully before then.

KOPPEL: There are a number of countries around the world -- not only countries like Russia and China, but also some of our closet allies in Europe -- who feel that the U.S. has been acting with arrogance, most recently exhibited with the vote at the U.N. Human Rights Commission [when the United States was voted off the commission], which you said you were very angry about. [Then] the House of Representatives last week voted to withhold next year's dues to the United Nations. Why not get tough with the U.N.?

POWELL: Well, I was very disturbed by the vote. I don't like losing a vote like that, especially the Human Rights Commission, when we are the leading proponent for human rights around the world. I think it was a bad vote, a shortsighted vote. And, yes, I was mad.

But I learned over the years you get mad and then you get over it and figure out what makes sense for the future. If we choose to, we can get back on that commission the next time there's a vote. We now know the kinds of things that are done. We don't trade votes, as other nations do. And frankly, we had a number of people who said they were going to vote for us, which at the end of day, it turned out they did not vote for us.

KOPPEL: The U.N. vote was only the most recent example of sort of a series of things that have happened in your less than four-month tenure, from [a U.S. surveillance plane's] midair collision with [a Chinese fighter], the national missile defense dispute with the Russians. Do you see this as just a rough patch, or is this a reflection, do you think, of the Bush administration's foreign policy?

POWELL: No, I don't think it should be seen in those terms. We've had a pretty good three-plus months. I mean, we've had a superb series of events here in our own hemisphere, with respect to President Bush's visit to Mexico with President Fox; the Summit of the Americas was a smashing success; we're moving forward on an aggressive trade agenda, promoting free trade; particularly the Summit of Americas with its commitment to democracy. This is all good.

We've had some problems. We've had some problems as a result of the incident with China over the airplane. We understand the nature of that difficulty. We'll get past this one.

KOPPEL: On China, with the spy plane, the Chinese have said that the U.S. is not going to be allowed to fly it out. But Chinese officials have told CNN, in fact, that if you were to disassemble it and ship it out, you could do that.

POWELL: We're in negotiations with the Chinese now. Our embassy has done a brilliant job in, frankly, carrying the negotiation with the Chinese since the beginning of this incident. And I'm quite sure that in the next few days, we will find a way to resolve this that will be satisfactory to both sides.

Annan condemns Mideast violence
May 11, 2001
Palestinians declare state of emergency in Gaza after missile strikes
May 10, 2001
Israeli troops enter Palestinian camp, face resistance
May 9, 2001
Pope urges end to Mideast violence
May 9, 2001
Sharon expresses regret for death of Palestinian baby
May 8, 2001

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Israeli Prime Minister's Office
Knesset, Israeli Parliament
Israel Defense Forces
Permanent Mission of Israel to the U.N.
Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian Red Crescent
Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the U.N.
U.S. State Department, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
U.N. Question of Palestine home page
The E.U.'s Middle East Policy

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.