Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Analysis With David Clinch, CNN International Editor
Aired April 29, 2003 - 06:52 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: We've been talking a lot about the Palestinian Prime Minister Designate Abu Mazen this morning. It's 6:52 Eastern time, by the way.
But we want to bring in David Clinch, because this has great importance to people in this country, as well.
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Absolutely. I mean there are two stories that I think are extremely important. It's hard to see the connection, but two stories we're covering today that are very important for the dramatic audience here. Abu Mazen, Mahmoud Abbas, being voted in as the new Palestinian prime minister. That, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is used by terrorist groups all the time, including obviously Osama bin Laden and others, as the rationale, their reason for existing.
U.S. putting a lot of effort into getting Abu Mazen approved, the idea being that Arafat steps aside, that Colin Powell might be able to go to the region soon with the road map for peace, shake Abu Mazen's hand and that the peace process is back on track.
Arafat not exactly playing the game, of course. He was there today at the parliament, which wasn't a huge surprise, but he definitely has not stepped aside yet. So it remains to be seen now...
COSTELLO: Oh, and during the time Abu Mazen was talking, he was actually snacking, Yasser Arafat.
CLINCH: I did notice that, yes. I mean Abu Mazen is saying all the right things as far as the U.S. is concerned -- committing to fighting terrorism, disarming anybody except the official security forces in the Palestinian territories, working towards a peace process with the Israelis. That's what Colin Powell wants to hear, what President Bush wants to hear.
He'd just rather that Yasser Arafat wasn't sitting right next to him.
COSTELLO: Yes.
CLINCH: And the other story, of course, in Saudi Arabia. Barbara Starr, who's traveling with Donald Rumsfeld in Saudi Arabia today -- and we'll hear, hopefully, from Barbara later -- the U.S. has committed to moving almost all of its U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia out of the country into other areas of the Gulf, diversifying to Qatar and other countries. Again, Osama bin Laden and other terrorist groups all the time using the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia as a rationale for their existence.
COSTELLO: Well, everybody's wondering where that came from. Did Saudi Arabia ask the Americans to leave or did the Americans make the decision on its own?
CLINCH: Well, it's a bit of both, I would imagine. I don't think the Saudis are too upset to see them go. I think they still feel like they've got a relationship with the U.S. and security from the U.S. It remains to be seen whether it will have an affect on the root causes of terrorism. That's a long-term question.
COSTELLO: And it will keep you busy for days to come.
CLINCH: Oh, yes.
COSTELLO: David Clinch, many 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 April 29, 2003 - 06:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've been talking a lot about the Palestinian Prime Minister Designate Abu Mazen this morning. It's 6:52 Eastern time, by the way.
But we want to bring in David Clinch, because this has great importance to people in this country, as well.
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Absolutely. I mean there are two stories that I think are extremely important. It's hard to see the connection, but two stories we're covering today that are very important for the dramatic audience here. Abu Mazen, Mahmoud Abbas, being voted in as the new Palestinian prime minister. That, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is used by terrorist groups all the time, including obviously Osama bin Laden and others, as the rationale, their reason for existing.
U.S. putting a lot of effort into getting Abu Mazen approved, the idea being that Arafat steps aside, that Colin Powell might be able to go to the region soon with the road map for peace, shake Abu Mazen's hand and that the peace process is back on track.
Arafat not exactly playing the game, of course. He was there today at the parliament, which wasn't a huge surprise, but he definitely has not stepped aside yet. So it remains to be seen now...
COSTELLO: Oh, and during the time Abu Mazen was talking, he was actually snacking, Yasser Arafat.
CLINCH: I did notice that, yes. I mean Abu Mazen is saying all the right things as far as the U.S. is concerned -- committing to fighting terrorism, disarming anybody except the official security forces in the Palestinian territories, working towards a peace process with the Israelis. That's what Colin Powell wants to hear, what President Bush wants to hear.
He'd just rather that Yasser Arafat wasn't sitting right next to him.
COSTELLO: Yes.
CLINCH: And the other story, of course, in Saudi Arabia. Barbara Starr, who's traveling with Donald Rumsfeld in Saudi Arabia today -- and we'll hear, hopefully, from Barbara later -- the U.S. has committed to moving almost all of its U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia out of the country into other areas of the Gulf, diversifying to Qatar and other countries. Again, Osama bin Laden and other terrorist groups all the time using the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia as a rationale for their existence.
COSTELLO: Well, everybody's wondering where that came from. Did Saudi Arabia ask the Americans to leave or did the Americans make the decision on its own?
CLINCH: Well, it's a bit of both, I would imagine. I don't think the Saudis are too upset to see them go. I think they still feel like they've got a relationship with the U.S. and security from the U.S. It remains to be seen whether it will have an affect on the root causes of terrorism. That's a long-term question.
COSTELLO: And it will keep you busy for days to come.
CLINCH: Oh, yes.
COSTELLO: David Clinch, many 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
