Mitchell: No such thing 'as conflict that can't be ended'

Former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell

(CNN) -- A committee headed by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell released a report on Monday chronicling its findings in the troubled Middle East. The report made several recommendations for Israelis and Palestinians seeking an end to the violence and animosity between them.

CNN Correspondent Richard Roth spoke with the former senator about the prospects for peace in the region shortly after the report's release.

RICHARD ROTH: What do you hope your report accomplishes?

GEORGE MITCHELL: We hope very much that the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority will implement its recommendations: an immediate and unconditional end to violence, a series of steps to rebuild confidence during a cooling-off period, and then a resumption of meaningful and serious negotiation.

VIDEO In an exclusive interview with CNN, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell talks about the report (May 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

ROTH: Your colleague on the panel, former Sen. (Warren) Rudman, said that he foresees an incredibly large conflagration in the region, should the violence not stop. Do you share this warning?

MITCHELL: I think he said it's unpredictable, and no one knows for sure what's going to occur, but everyone, I believe, should be deeply concerned about the recent escalation and the prospect of further escalation. I think Sen. Rudman was sounding a warning signal that the parties and all interested -- the United States government, the United Nations, the European Union, and others -- would be wise to heed.

ROTH: Based upon your contacts with U.S. Secretary of State (Colin) Powell, how is the Bush administration going to use your report as a way, perhaps, of jump-starting talks?

MITCHELL: Secretary Powell will be making a statement shortly, and I think it's only appropriate and courteous for me to defer to him and permit him to make his statement as he sees fit. But I do know, from talking to him several times over the past few weeks, including this morning, that he's very fully engaged, and I hope will use the report, and other suggestions, as ways to accomplish the important objectives. It doesn't really matter whether it's our report or someone else's report; what matters is that the violence be ended and that the sides get back to negotiation.

ROTH: Did you lose hope, in preparation of this report and seeing the last few days of violence, regarding the future for the Mideast?

MITCHELL: I've never lost hope because I don't believe there's any such thing as conflict that can't be ended. As horrible as it has been, I believe that the majority of people on both sides want to live in peace.

ROTH: For people who may not be following the Mideast intensely and are looking to your report for some facts and fact-finding, who's at fault in what's happened there, Israel or the Palestinians?

MITCHELL: We did not attempt to assess blame. We were specifically asked not to do so in the mandate creating our committee. Rather, we tried to be constructive and forward looking: to make recommendations that the parties could use on a practical basis to get back to negotiation and to end the violence.

ROTH: Did Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount (to Muslims, the Noble Sanctuary) and other holy sites provoke the Palestinian attacks, or were they already planned, according to your fact-finding?

MITCHELL: We concluded that there were no such plans, and we concluded that Sharon's visit did not cause the Intifada.

ROTH: What do you propose regarding the settlements that Israel thinks it's their inherent right to continue or to grow?

MITCHELL: We have suggested, as one of several confidence-building measures, that the government of Israel should freeze all settlement activity.

ROTH: This is something in the report with which they do not agree, that they've commented on, correct?

MITCHELL: That's correct. The Palestinian Authority doesn't agree with other aspects of the report, but we think that this is a basis for going forward.

We pointed out in our report that the United States is a very strong and close supporter and ally of Israel, yet even in the best of relationships, there are differences of opinion, and every American administration -- and we cited specifically President Jimmy Carter, President Ronald Reagan, President George Bush, President Bill Clinton, and the present administration under George Bush -- all have opposed the policies and actions of the government of Israel with respect to settlements. We cited specifically President Ronald Reagan's statement, made 20 years ago, that the most effective step to rebuild confidence would be an immediate freeze on settlements.

ROTH: You spent two years brokering an accord regarding Northern Ireland. Would you or your commission agree to go to the Middle East, if asked?

MITCHELL: The members of the committee would do anything asked to be of assistance, but that, of course, is a decision for the parties, for the United States government, and for others involved.

ROTH: You said recently that the violence in the Middle East in the last few days, as your report was being printed, serves as, what, a reminder, a means to act -- what does this mean?

MITCHELL: It adds urgency to our appeal for an end to violence. This escalation has been truly dramatic: Dozens of people were killed and scores were injured over just the last few days. This escalation is extremely dangerous. Both leaders said to us, on our most recent visit, that life for their people had become unbearable, and that must end.

The violence must end. Death and destruction will not solve the problems of the Middle East; negotiation is the only path to peace, justice and security.

ROTH: How would you rebuild the confidence? You say it's shattered.

MITCHELL: It will take time. First and foremost must be an immediate and unconditional cessation of violence. Then we recommend a whole series -- more than a dozen -- of specific confidence-building measures that each side can take.

We say in our report these steps -- the timing and sequence of them -- are, obviously, crucial, and can be decided only by the parties, and we don't link one step to another. What we say is they've got to get about the process now of ending the violence: Establish a cooling-off period, take steps that will mutually rebuild confidence, and then resume negotiations.