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CNN Live Event/Special

America's New War: Bush Meets With Japanese Prime Minister

Aired September 25, 2001 - 06:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A live picture now of a news conference about to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan. The European Union is meeting with Pakistani officials, including the president of that country General Pervez Musharraf. They are showing support for Pakistan's decision to back the United States in its showdown against terrorism and against the ruling Taliban.

We're waiting for this news conference to see what details the European Union will give about its meeting. They're talking about some financial incentives to reward Pakistan, restructuring some big debt to the Untied States as well as opening up European markets to Pakistani goods as a reward for cooperation.

Meantime, we're going to check in while we wait for that news conference, and as soon as we do get it, we're going to bring it to you live, but we want to check in with Major Garrett who's covering the White House today.

Major, President Bush obviously talking a lot about his campaign against terrorism, but he's talking about a few other domestic matters with Congress today at a little breakfast. What's going on?

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol, the president is having the big four congressional leaders -- the bipartisan leaders of the House and the Senate over to the White House this morning.

There is a war legislative agenda that includes airport security and airline security, an economic stimulus plan to rejuvenate the U.S. economy and also a counter terrorism legislation, but there's also a non-war legislative agenda that deals with education and the appropriations bills. The president will talk to leaders about that.

In addition, he'll have a separate meeting later on today at the White House with those lawmakers who are writing the education reform bill which long, long before all of this tragedy was the top domestic priority of the president. And the White House still believes that legislation could be passed this year -- Carol.

LIN: Focus on terrorism as well. He's meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi today. We all remember back in 1995 that saran (ph) gas attack in the Japanese subway. How likely are these two men to sit down and come to some sort of plan, some sort of agreement on how this coalition against terrorism should work? GARRETT: Well, Carol, Japan has made it abundantly clear it wants to be a new and very valuable participate in this global campaign against terrorism. One of the things the Japanese government is eager to prove is that it's not going to repeat the mistakes it believe it made in 1991 when it provided no military assistance to the Gulf War campaign, only financial assistance.

As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Koizumi has made it clear he's going to ask for a change in law in Japan to ask that the Japanese government provide logistical military support to the United States in this global campaign against terrorism.

That would mark a benchmark change for Japan because since World War II, has never, ever provided military assistance for any military campaign anywhere. Prime Minister Koizumi wants to change that and stand alongside the United States -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thanks so much, Major. Major Garrett reporting from the White House this morning.

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