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Eight European Allies Issue Public Declaration of Solidarity with U.S.
Aired January 30, 2003 - 11:01 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Eight European allies issued a public declaration of solidarity with the U.S.
CNN's Dana Bash is covering the events from the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred.
Well, the president has certainly been making it abundantly clear that military action could be just around the corner, but the White House is also making it clear that they see that there is a small window here for diplomatic action.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer just a few minutes ago talking to reporters said that window is really a few weeks long, not a few months long, as some other world leaders certainly wanted to be.
But the White House is engaged in that diplomatic flurry, a flurry of meetings already. The president, as you mentioned, does have a couple of very important meetings at the White House today.
First of all, he is going to meet with the Saudi foreign minister. Now that's a meeting that was arranged recently. The Saudi foreign minister wants to talk to the president about the situation in Iraq, and it comes, as Ari Fleischer says, at a critical juncture in the region.
One of the things the Saudis have been working on is a plan to try to get Saddam Hussein out of Iraq, to try to find a place for him to go into exile. The White House hasn't been very hopeful that this is a prospect that's really got any kind of a life to it, but Ari Fleischer did say today -- quote -- "Suffice to say, if Saddam Hussein were to go into exile, that would be a very helpful event for the world."
But he also noted that they are making plans, other plans -- and we know what those plans are -- in the event he doesn't go into exile.
Other meetings today, as you mentioned, a key meeting with the prime minister of Italy, that's Silvio Berlusconi. He was one of the signators to the letter signed by eight European leaders, signaling that they are in solidarity with the United States in dealing with Saddam Hussein.
Tomorrow, he has another important meeting. He will meet with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been really the U.S.'s number one ally in dealing with Iraq -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dana Bash from the White House, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Solidarity with U.S.>
Aired January 30, 2003 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Eight European allies issued a public declaration of solidarity with the U.S.
CNN's Dana Bash is covering the events from the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred.
Well, the president has certainly been making it abundantly clear that military action could be just around the corner, but the White House is also making it clear that they see that there is a small window here for diplomatic action.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer just a few minutes ago talking to reporters said that window is really a few weeks long, not a few months long, as some other world leaders certainly wanted to be.
But the White House is engaged in that diplomatic flurry, a flurry of meetings already. The president, as you mentioned, does have a couple of very important meetings at the White House today.
First of all, he is going to meet with the Saudi foreign minister. Now that's a meeting that was arranged recently. The Saudi foreign minister wants to talk to the president about the situation in Iraq, and it comes, as Ari Fleischer says, at a critical juncture in the region.
One of the things the Saudis have been working on is a plan to try to get Saddam Hussein out of Iraq, to try to find a place for him to go into exile. The White House hasn't been very hopeful that this is a prospect that's really got any kind of a life to it, but Ari Fleischer did say today -- quote -- "Suffice to say, if Saddam Hussein were to go into exile, that would be a very helpful event for the world."
But he also noted that they are making plans, other plans -- and we know what those plans are -- in the event he doesn't go into exile.
Other meetings today, as you mentioned, a key meeting with the prime minister of Italy, that's Silvio Berlusconi. He was one of the signators to the letter signed by eight European leaders, signaling that they are in solidarity with the United States in dealing with Saddam Hussein.
Tomorrow, he has another important meeting. He will meet with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been really the U.S.'s number one ally in dealing with Iraq -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dana Bash from the White House, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Solidarity with U.S.>
