Item ELUSIVE PEACE 4/4 - Transcript of interview with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Bill Burns, 2005

Typescript transcript of a filmed interview with William ‘Bill’ Burns, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs 2001-2005, describing US attitudes to Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian National Authority 1994-2004, following to the capture of a weapons shipment from the Palestinian freighter KARINE A, Jan 2002; the decision to send Gen Colin Powell, US Secretary of State 2001-2005, on a visit to the Middle East, Apr 2002; visiting the Jenin refugee camp during Operation DEFENSIVE SHIELD and negotiating with the Israelis to cease the Operation, 2002; the formulation of a speech given by George W Bush, US President 2001-2009, calling for new Palestinian leadership, 24 Jun 2002; meetings between King Abdullah II of Jordan, President George W Bush and Condoleezza Rice, US National Security Advisor 2001-2005, regarding the creation of the road map for peace plan Aug 2002; reaction to the second siege of President Arafat’s compound by the IDF, Sept 2002; problems with the publication of the road map for peace plan following the collapse of the Israeli government, Nov 2002; negotiations during the summit held in Aqaba, Jordan, to implement the road map plan, Jun 2003; the US response to the disengagement plan by Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel 2001-2006, Apr 2004. Please note that the transcript includes sections which were inaudible and were not transcribed, and that some spellings have been rendered phonetically.