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CNN Live At Daybreak

Going Global: Reaction to Bush Speech

Aired January 29, 2003 - 06:38   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: To further the president's international agenda, he'll need support from U.S. allies in Europe and beyond. So, let's go global for some reaction.
We begin with Richard Quest in London.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

We'll get the official reaction to President Bush's State of the Union from Prime Minister Tony Blair, when he takes what's known as "prime minister's questions", PMQs, in the House of Commons. That's in about 20 minutes from now. And although we can pretty much guess that Mr. Blair is going to support the rhetoric of the policy against Iraq, it's going to be an implementation that will be at issue and in question. Specifically whether or not there is enough for the U.S. and Britain to go it alone, or do they have to go for a second resolution? And on that issue, of course, it's France, it's Germany, it's all the other ones.

But Mr. Bush has a friend in London. His name is Tony Blair. Tony Blair is visiting him later this week. So, yes, as far as the State of the Union is concerned, probably a thumbs-up from the British government.

Now, what do they say on the other side of the English Channel in Paris, where we find our correspondent, Jim Bittermann?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Richard and Carol, Dominique de Villepin, the foreign minister here, was on the radio this morning saying that France welcomes the idea the United States is going to share more of its intelligence data. They've been urging that for some weeks now. And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) says he'll be flying to New York himself for that Security Council meeting in a few days' time.

One of the main newspapers here, "Le Monde", one of their editorial writers was saying this morning that in fact in a way, President Bush has hijacked the agenda of the United Nations by scheduling this meeting next Wednesday. That's ahead of a meeting that was already scheduled for February 14 with the United Nations weapons inspectors. And he said we'll just have to wait and see what kind of evidence they'll provide. In fact, there's still a great deal of skepticism here that the Bush administration will be able to justify going to war.

President Jacques Chirac talked to Tony Blair, the British prime minister, last night. And he said in the telephone conversation that up until now, he sees nothing that justifies military action against Iraq.

Now over to Mike Chinoy in Seoul, South Korea.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN SENIOR ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim.

Well, here in South Korea, there was much more interest in what the president would say about the nuclear crisis with North Korea than the issue of Iraq. On Iraq, the incoming president, Roh Moo-hyun, told me the other day that he supports Mr. Bush's policies.

On the question of North Korea, the South Korean Foreign Ministry welcomed what it called the president's restrained tone. It's a reference to Mr. Bush's desire, stated in the State of the Union speech, to see this crisis resolve peacefully, and that's the sentiment that we've heard repeatedly on the streets here in Seoul today.

No official reaction yet from North Korea, but a senior South Korean envoy just back from Pyongyang said the North Koreans still insist the only way to resolve this crisis is through direct negotiations between the North Korea and the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy, thanks; also to Jim Bittermann and Richard Quest.

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 January 29, 2003 - 06:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To further the president's international agenda, he'll need support from U.S. allies in Europe and beyond. So, let's go global for some reaction.
We begin with Richard Quest in London.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

We'll get the official reaction to President Bush's State of the Union from Prime Minister Tony Blair, when he takes what's known as "prime minister's questions", PMQs, in the House of Commons. That's in about 20 minutes from now. And although we can pretty much guess that Mr. Blair is going to support the rhetoric of the policy against Iraq, it's going to be an implementation that will be at issue and in question. Specifically whether or not there is enough for the U.S. and Britain to go it alone, or do they have to go for a second resolution? And on that issue, of course, it's France, it's Germany, it's all the other ones.

But Mr. Bush has a friend in London. His name is Tony Blair. Tony Blair is visiting him later this week. So, yes, as far as the State of the Union is concerned, probably a thumbs-up from the British government.

Now, what do they say on the other side of the English Channel in Paris, where we find our correspondent, Jim Bittermann?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Richard and Carol, Dominique de Villepin, the foreign minister here, was on the radio this morning saying that France welcomes the idea the United States is going to share more of its intelligence data. They've been urging that for some weeks now. And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) says he'll be flying to New York himself for that Security Council meeting in a few days' time.

One of the main newspapers here, "Le Monde", one of their editorial writers was saying this morning that in fact in a way, President Bush has hijacked the agenda of the United Nations by scheduling this meeting next Wednesday. That's ahead of a meeting that was already scheduled for February 14 with the United Nations weapons inspectors. And he said we'll just have to wait and see what kind of evidence they'll provide. In fact, there's still a great deal of skepticism here that the Bush administration will be able to justify going to war.

President Jacques Chirac talked to Tony Blair, the British prime minister, last night. And he said in the telephone conversation that up until now, he sees nothing that justifies military action against Iraq.

Now over to Mike Chinoy in Seoul, South Korea.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN SENIOR ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim.

Well, here in South Korea, there was much more interest in what the president would say about the nuclear crisis with North Korea than the issue of Iraq. On Iraq, the incoming president, Roh Moo-hyun, told me the other day that he supports Mr. Bush's policies.

On the question of North Korea, the South Korean Foreign Ministry welcomed what it called the president's restrained tone. It's a reference to Mr. Bush's desire, stated in the State of the Union speech, to see this crisis resolve peacefully, and that's the sentiment that we've heard repeatedly on the streets here in Seoul today.

No official reaction yet from North Korea, but a senior South Korean envoy just back from Pyongyang said the North Koreans still insist the only way to resolve this crisis is through direct negotiations between the North Korea and the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy, thanks; also to Jim Bittermann and Richard Quest.

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