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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bush, Blair Summit at Camp David Today

Aired January 31, 2003 - 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: President Bush will be talking about Iraq with his closest ally in just a few hours. The president hosts British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Camp David.
With a "Wake-Up Call" on the summit, our senior White House correspondent John King. He's live on the line with us now.

Good morning -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Word is this morning that Tony Blair wants four to six more weeks for inspectors to do their jobs. Will he get it?

KING: Well the White House is open to a four-week period, anyway, and perhaps going as long as six weeks. But what the administration does not want is to have a process that then drags on and drags on and drags on. So the top subject in the consultations between the prime minister and the president is can you agree on language for a new U.N. resolution that set an absolute, final deadline for Iraqi compliance, no wiggle room at all for Baghdad.

COSTELLO: So, John, you think there will be a second U.N. resolution before the Security Council?

KING: The administration is open to it. It has not committed yet. But if the prime minister very much wants it and believes he needs it for political support back home and then if the United States comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to try to get the French and others on board, yes, the president is prepared. They have not made that commitment yet, but that will be one of the top discussions today.

COSTELLO: And if anyone can convince President Bush, it's Tony Blair. They have a very good relationship and Tony Blair can be quite charming.

KING: He can be quite persuasive and charming, and he also is the president's top ally and has been for some time. The White House is grateful for his support and they understand that he has been quite bold in the face of some political opposition back home. So, yes, the president wants to help Tony Blair, if he can, and he also, of course, needs Tony Blair's help just as well.

COSTELLO: Understand. John King, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK. For more on this potentially pivotal summit, our Christiane Amanpour joins us live by phone from Washington.

Good morning -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You traveled with Tony Blair on his way to the United States. What was that like?

AMANPOUR: Well, we also heard the notion that it was going to be several weeks, at least, while this phase of diplomacy is sorted out. Personally, the British are very aware there is a need for much more international support if a war with Iraq is on the cards and if it has any chance of any kind of lasting stability and acceptance around the world.

When we asked Tony Blair about the lack of public opinion, he was quick to point out that those polls change somewhat when a U.N. resolution is included in the question. In other words, many people around the world, by the way, including in the United States, are concerned about war if America goes it alone. If there was another U.N. Security Council resolution, opposition falls somewhat. And this is very, very true, not just for people, but for leaders around the world. And so...

COSTELLO: Understand. And including the leaders of France and Germany -- Christiane?

AMANPOUR: Well that's the big unanswered question. There was a letter written by eight members of Europe that was published in many newspapers yesterday calling on Europe to rally round the historic coalition between Europe and the United States. The letter stopped short of endorsing war right now, but significant by their absence from that letter were France and Germany.

So the question is now will Tony Blair, George Bush and the rest of those who support the military confrontation if peace cannot work, will they be able to do enough to provide enough cover for those countries who are uncomfortable at the notion of rushing to war, so to speak, and to be able to get them onboard? And clearly that's going to be part of the negotiations in what is being called a final and critical phase for diplomacy.

COSTELLO: Yes. Should be a fascinating day.

Christiane Amanpour, talking with us live from Washington, many thanks to you.

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 31, 2003 - 06:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush will be talking about Iraq with his closest ally in just a few hours. The president hosts British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Camp David.
With a "Wake-Up Call" on the summit, our senior White House correspondent John King. He's live on the line with us now.

Good morning -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Word is this morning that Tony Blair wants four to six more weeks for inspectors to do their jobs. Will he get it?

KING: Well the White House is open to a four-week period, anyway, and perhaps going as long as six weeks. But what the administration does not want is to have a process that then drags on and drags on and drags on. So the top subject in the consultations between the prime minister and the president is can you agree on language for a new U.N. resolution that set an absolute, final deadline for Iraqi compliance, no wiggle room at all for Baghdad.

COSTELLO: So, John, you think there will be a second U.N. resolution before the Security Council?

KING: The administration is open to it. It has not committed yet. But if the prime minister very much wants it and believes he needs it for political support back home and then if the United States comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to try to get the French and others on board, yes, the president is prepared. They have not made that commitment yet, but that will be one of the top discussions today.

COSTELLO: And if anyone can convince President Bush, it's Tony Blair. They have a very good relationship and Tony Blair can be quite charming.

KING: He can be quite persuasive and charming, and he also is the president's top ally and has been for some time. The White House is grateful for his support and they understand that he has been quite bold in the face of some political opposition back home. So, yes, the president wants to help Tony Blair, if he can, and he also, of course, needs Tony Blair's help just as well.

COSTELLO: Understand. John King, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK. For more on this potentially pivotal summit, our Christiane Amanpour joins us live by phone from Washington.

Good morning -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You traveled with Tony Blair on his way to the United States. What was that like?

AMANPOUR: Well, we also heard the notion that it was going to be several weeks, at least, while this phase of diplomacy is sorted out. Personally, the British are very aware there is a need for much more international support if a war with Iraq is on the cards and if it has any chance of any kind of lasting stability and acceptance around the world.

When we asked Tony Blair about the lack of public opinion, he was quick to point out that those polls change somewhat when a U.N. resolution is included in the question. In other words, many people around the world, by the way, including in the United States, are concerned about war if America goes it alone. If there was another U.N. Security Council resolution, opposition falls somewhat. And this is very, very true, not just for people, but for leaders around the world. And so...

COSTELLO: Understand. And including the leaders of France and Germany -- Christiane?

AMANPOUR: Well that's the big unanswered question. There was a letter written by eight members of Europe that was published in many newspapers yesterday calling on Europe to rally round the historic coalition between Europe and the United States. The letter stopped short of endorsing war right now, but significant by their absence from that letter were France and Germany.

So the question is now will Tony Blair, George Bush and the rest of those who support the military confrontation if peace cannot work, will they be able to do enough to provide enough cover for those countries who are uncomfortable at the notion of rushing to war, so to speak, and to be able to get them onboard? And clearly that's going to be part of the negotiations in what is being called a final and critical phase for diplomacy.

COSTELLO: Yes. Should be a fascinating day.

Christiane Amanpour, talking with us live from Washington, many thanks to you.

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