(23 Sep 2002)
1. Richard Boucher walks into State Department briefing room
2. Cutaway press
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman:
"We have been working, I would say, fairly intensely on the situation in Ramallah. I think we've made clear in our conversations that recent Israeli actions in Ramallah and around the Mukata, including the destruction of Palestinian civilian and security infrastructure, have aggravated the situation and they do not contribute to progress on Palestinian civil and security reform. We've urged Israel to consider carefully the consequences of its recent actions and their effect on the goals of Palestinian security cooperation and reform of Palestinian institutions in preparation for Palestinian statehood. I find it difficult to understand how these actions can further the goals the president outlined in his June 24th speech."
4. Cutaway press
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman:
"The International Christian Academy is a school primarily serving the children of missionaries posted throughout West Africa. This school has approximately 160 US citizens on the campus located in Bouake. Despite reports of gunfire close to the school, the school has adequate supplies and students are reported safe. Our embassy remains in very close contact with the school."
6. Cutaway of press
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman:
"Well, the government is calling it a failed coup attempt. We think the situation is fluid and it's hard at this point to assess the motives or organizers of the events conclusively at this point."
8. Wide shot of Boucher speaking
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman:
"On the basic reaction to the election, obviously, we welcome the democratic election. The voters of Germany have spoken clearly through a democratic process and we look forward to working with the German government on issues of common interest."
10. Wide shot of Boucher at briefing
STORYLINE:
As Israel continued its siege of Yasser Arafat's compound on Monday, the Bush administration stepped up its criticism of the situation.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the Israeli action has "aggravated the situation" and did not contribute to progress on Palestinian civil and security reform.
Boucher said Secretary of State Colin Powell and other administration officials underscored this point to the highest levels of the Israeli government over the weekend, including to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Responding to suicide bombings last week, Israeli forces have now demolished all but one office building in Arafat's compound.
Inside, the Palestinian leader and some 200 others have taken refuge in a few rooms.
Boucher also reacted to the upsurge in violence in the Ivory Coast, where insurgents and government soldiers clashed briefly on Monday and where over a hundred American children are stranded in their school with virtually no security.
He said the State Department was in "very close contact" with the school, and all students are reported safe.
He also said it was still too early to assess the motives of the insurgents.
Boucher then referred to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's victorious re-election battle in which he campaigned on an anti-US led war in Iraq platform.
In a curt statement, he said the US welcomed the democratic process in Germany and looked forward to working with the German government on issues of common interest.
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