Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

President Bush Has Been Talking to French President on a Number of Issues

Aired May 27, 2002 - 06:32   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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Just moments ago, President Bush arrived at the church in France, in Normandy. He has been talking to French President Jacques Chirac on a number of issues while on his European tour. Mr. Bush expressed concerns about escalating tensions in another part of the world.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has more from Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the magnificent Eglise (ph) Palace in Paris, President Bush said he has deep concerns about Pakistan's decision to conduct missile tests, issuing his strongest demand yet for Pakistan's leader.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That President Musharraf show results in terms of stopping people from crossing the line of control, stopped terrorism. That's what is more important than the missile testing, is that he perform.

WALLACE: There was another message to Pakistan and India to step back from the brink. Secretary of State Colin Powell told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the nuclear neighbors should remember U.S. troops are in the region.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: They could be in danger, and I don't want either side to believe that they are going to get pulled into this one way or the other. Either that they can be put at risk by one side, or because they could be put at risk by one side, the other side thinks that gives them greater freedom of movement.

WALLACE: Earlier, Mr. Bush wrapped up his three-day summit with Russian President Putin, a visit marked by the signing of a landmark arms reduction treaty and also a public disagreement over Russia's decision to help Iran build a nuclear reactor, which the U.S. president worries could help Iran develop weapons of mass destruction. But according to Mr. Bush, President Putin did make this concession:

BUSH: To allow for international inspection teams to determine whether that's true or not, and we're thinking about what he told us.

WALLACE: And while protesters took to the streets in Paris, just as they did in Berlin, demonstrating against Mr. Bush's policies, the president stressed people have the right to speak their minds.

BUSH: There's a heck of a lot more that unites than divides us. We share the same values.

WALLACE: But Mr. Bush knows there are some skeptics even among European lawmakers about his plans for the war, especially when it comes to Iraq.

(on camera): And that is why one constant theme for the president during his European tour is that Europe could also be the target of a terrorist attack. That is a message Mr. Bush is likely to repeat Monday, when he travels to Normandy honoring the Americans who stormed the beaches there nearly 60 years ago.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we believe the president is in Normandy. He is going to make some brief remarks actually at 8:00 this morning Eastern Time. Of course, CNN will bring that to you live.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.