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CNN Live At Daybreak
NATO Summit, New Members
Aired November 21, 2002 - 06:09 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: Let's talk about the NATO summit now. In an historic move today, NATO formally invited seven former communist countries into its fold.
CNN's Chris Burns is covering the NATO summit in Prague.
Good morning -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.
It's quite breathtaking if you think about it. Seven former communist countries are being invited to the fold here at this summit that is actually on former Warsaw Pact territory. Those seven include three former Soviet countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, add on Slovakia, Slovenia, and two countries few people would ever join for a long time, Romania and Bulgaria, who are seen now as very key in providing bases and forward-staging points in any war on terror based here and heading towards Central Asia.
So, these countries all seem very, very important, added on to this 19-nation NATO alliance. The historical significance, of course, seen by one former Soviet bloc nation, Poland, and of course looking ahead, the significance by President Bush -- here's what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. ALEKSANDER KWASNIEWSKI, POLAND: Here in Prague, a city of a 1,000-year-long history, the place of the Warsaw Pact invasion of '68 and its last meeting 11 years ago, we are making the decision that we will finally put an end to the era of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) divisions (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Pact, the Cold War and the past (ph) balance of fear.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America is very pleased by today's decision. We believe it strengthens our nation's most important alliance, NATO. By welcoming seven members, we will not only add to our military capabilities, we will refresh the spirit of this great democratic alliance. We believe today's decision reaffirms our commitment to freedom and out commitment to a Europe, which is whole and free and at peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, NATO having swallowed up its former adversary really some people says it has lost its sense of purpose. That is why the summit here is also very important in trying transform the purpose of the NATO alliance, looking beyond Europe out of area activity with a 21,000 member rapid-reaction force.
Also, Iraq, of course, very much on the agenda. President Bush meeting with various leaders, trying to round up more support. The U.S. sounding out some 50 countries around the world.
One question is: What will the NATO statement say?
Now, it will, obviously, offer support to the U.N. resolutions, but will it say something about perhaps participating in a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. So far, U.S. officials say, that's not going to be in the statement -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Chris Burns, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired November 21, 2002 - 06:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the NATO summit now. In an historic move today, NATO formally invited seven former communist countries into its fold.
CNN's Chris Burns is covering the NATO summit in Prague.
Good morning -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.
It's quite breathtaking if you think about it. Seven former communist countries are being invited to the fold here at this summit that is actually on former Warsaw Pact territory. Those seven include three former Soviet countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, add on Slovakia, Slovenia, and two countries few people would ever join for a long time, Romania and Bulgaria, who are seen now as very key in providing bases and forward-staging points in any war on terror based here and heading towards Central Asia.
So, these countries all seem very, very important, added on to this 19-nation NATO alliance. The historical significance, of course, seen by one former Soviet bloc nation, Poland, and of course looking ahead, the significance by President Bush -- here's what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. ALEKSANDER KWASNIEWSKI, POLAND: Here in Prague, a city of a 1,000-year-long history, the place of the Warsaw Pact invasion of '68 and its last meeting 11 years ago, we are making the decision that we will finally put an end to the era of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) divisions (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Pact, the Cold War and the past (ph) balance of fear.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America is very pleased by today's decision. We believe it strengthens our nation's most important alliance, NATO. By welcoming seven members, we will not only add to our military capabilities, we will refresh the spirit of this great democratic alliance. We believe today's decision reaffirms our commitment to freedom and out commitment to a Europe, which is whole and free and at peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, NATO having swallowed up its former adversary really some people says it has lost its sense of purpose. That is why the summit here is also very important in trying transform the purpose of the NATO alliance, looking beyond Europe out of area activity with a 21,000 member rapid-reaction force.
Also, Iraq, of course, very much on the agenda. President Bush meeting with various leaders, trying to round up more support. The U.S. sounding out some 50 countries around the world.
One question is: What will the NATO statement say?
Now, it will, obviously, offer support to the U.N. resolutions, but will it say something about perhaps participating in a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. So far, U.S. officials say, that's not going to be in the statement -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Chris Burns, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
