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American Morning

Interview with Madeleine Albright

Aired May 09, 2003 - 07:17   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: At great risk to his own life, Oswaldo Paya has been leading a pro-democracy movement, believe it or not, in the country of Cuba. A documentary about his efforts, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, cannot be shown there. But today in New York City, the Tribeca Film Festival is showing that film. It's called "The Dissident."
Here to talk about that and other issues, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is our guest here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Madam Secretary, good morning to you.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: Great to be with you, Bill.

HEMMER: Nice to see you again as well.

I want to talk about the documentary in a moment. A few things we need to hit on.

It's back to the U.N. today for the U.S., and the future for the United Nations and its role in Iraq. What do you believe right now should be the role of that body?

ALBRIGHT: I think it's very important that the U.S. and Great Britain have gone back to the U.N., because they have to have a role in lifting the sanctions, in trying to figure out how the oil-for-food program ends. And also, I think, in delivering a lot of very important humanitarian services in Iraq.

HEMMER: Is the S. ROUTH: going to agree to what the U.S. and the Brits want right now?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think not right up front. Having done that, you never kind of walk in with a finished resolution. It will probably take a lot of work.

But what has happened is that the U.S. and the U.K. have agreed that they are occupying powers, which has opened up the possibility of having negotiations with the other powers on the S. ROUTH: .

HEMMER: To the war on terror. The president on board the aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, just about a week ago said half the al Qaeda leadership has been destroyed. Robert Mueller, the FBI director, said they are turning the corner right now on the war on terror. How would you assess the progress right now when it comes to this campaign? ALBRIGHT: Well, they clearly have made some progress, but I think it's too early to declare victory in that. And I think the president indicated that we were not finished with it.

I think the main issue here is that we have to be very vigilant and keep pursuing it. And that is why, Bill, I think we need to work with our allies and friends. We can't pursue a fight against terrorism without great cooperation from everybody.

HEMMER: No attacks on U.S. soil going back to 9/11. What does that say?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think that there have been great advances in trying to deal with how to protect our people, and Homeland Security is getting its feet organized and getting it together. But I think we need to be vigilant all of the time, because the president has told us that that's the most important issue.

HEMMER: There are rumblings again this past week that the nuclear program in Iran is much more advanced than many people thought in the past. You have talks right now, some engagement with North Korea. What is your biggest concern? Is it Tehran or is it Pyongyang?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think it's a combination, and what we have to do is to deal with both of them. In Pyongyang, I think it is right that talks have begun. I know that the North Koreans have been posturing, but it's important to continue the talks. And we can't even tacitly recognize the fact that North Korea might be a nuclear power and only talk about (UNINTELLIGIBLE) exports.

HEMMER: You favor engagement?

ALBRIGHT: Absolutely. And I was the last person to really talk to Kim Jung Il about this, and I think that there needs to be discussions. It's not blackmail. They have to have discussions with the North Koreans.

HEMMER: Are you conceding, though, possibly to the demands of the North in a sense that it could lead you eventually to the same spot you were 8, 10 years ago in which many people think it was blackmail?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I actually think we accomplished a lot eight years ago when we had the agreed framework. We froze their nuclear programs for eight years. There could have been 50 or more nuclear weapons by now. You have to talk to them, and I'm I think -- I'm very glad that that is happening.

And on Iran, I think they have to get the international IAEA to go in there and verify.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the reason you're here today: the Cuban documentary. Tell us about it. What's this story filmed in secret on the communist island? ALBRIGHT: Well, the story is a remarkable one, because Oswaldo Paya decided to work within a little known paragraph of the Cuban constitution, ADAG, which allows there to be new legislation brought if you get 10,000 signatures. And he got over. He got 11,000-plus signatures from ordinary people, a complete grassroots operation. And it has so upset, I think, Castro, which may be one of the reasons that he has really instituted a terrible crackdown at this point.

HEMMER: Can films like these, can efforts like these truly bring about significant change in that country, knowing the grip he has had on power for more than 40 years?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we do know that when the light is shined on dissidence that it brings them much more safety and notoriety. And this is a lot what happened in Central and Eastern Europe, and I think that getting international support Oswaldo Paya has been most important. This is not an American-Cuban issue; it's an international issue, because dissidents need to be supported throughout the world.

HEMMER: He is in an interesting group right now, nominated for a Nobel price for peace; so, too, is Tony Blair, President Bush. He's keeping pretty good company.

ALBRIGHT: Well, he's a remarkable man, and he's a very, very modest man and somebody I have met and talked with. And I think he's just somebody that shines kind of in the sense of faith and desire to see his people free. He's a very brave man, who is being harassed all of the time, as are the people that are part of this grassroots movement.

HEMMER: Thank you, Madam Secretary.

ALBRIGHT: Great.

HEMMER: Good to see you.

ALBRIGHT: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to you, all right?

ALBRIGHT: Very nice to see you. Glad to have you back home.

HEMMER: Thank you very much. It's good to be here, most days.

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 May 9, 2003 - 07:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: At great risk to his own life, Oswaldo Paya has been leading a pro-democracy movement, believe it or not, in the country of Cuba. A documentary about his efforts, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, cannot be shown there. But today in New York City, the Tribeca Film Festival is showing that film. It's called "The Dissident."
Here to talk about that and other issues, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is our guest here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Madam Secretary, good morning to you.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: Great to be with you, Bill.

HEMMER: Nice to see you again as well.

I want to talk about the documentary in a moment. A few things we need to hit on.

It's back to the U.N. today for the U.S., and the future for the United Nations and its role in Iraq. What do you believe right now should be the role of that body?

ALBRIGHT: I think it's very important that the U.S. and Great Britain have gone back to the U.N., because they have to have a role in lifting the sanctions, in trying to figure out how the oil-for-food program ends. And also, I think, in delivering a lot of very important humanitarian services in Iraq.

HEMMER: Is the S. ROUTH: going to agree to what the U.S. and the Brits want right now?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think not right up front. Having done that, you never kind of walk in with a finished resolution. It will probably take a lot of work.

But what has happened is that the U.S. and the U.K. have agreed that they are occupying powers, which has opened up the possibility of having negotiations with the other powers on the S. ROUTH: .

HEMMER: To the war on terror. The president on board the aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, just about a week ago said half the al Qaeda leadership has been destroyed. Robert Mueller, the FBI director, said they are turning the corner right now on the war on terror. How would you assess the progress right now when it comes to this campaign? ALBRIGHT: Well, they clearly have made some progress, but I think it's too early to declare victory in that. And I think the president indicated that we were not finished with it.

I think the main issue here is that we have to be very vigilant and keep pursuing it. And that is why, Bill, I think we need to work with our allies and friends. We can't pursue a fight against terrorism without great cooperation from everybody.

HEMMER: No attacks on U.S. soil going back to 9/11. What does that say?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think that there have been great advances in trying to deal with how to protect our people, and Homeland Security is getting its feet organized and getting it together. But I think we need to be vigilant all of the time, because the president has told us that that's the most important issue.

HEMMER: There are rumblings again this past week that the nuclear program in Iran is much more advanced than many people thought in the past. You have talks right now, some engagement with North Korea. What is your biggest concern? Is it Tehran or is it Pyongyang?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think it's a combination, and what we have to do is to deal with both of them. In Pyongyang, I think it is right that talks have begun. I know that the North Koreans have been posturing, but it's important to continue the talks. And we can't even tacitly recognize the fact that North Korea might be a nuclear power and only talk about (UNINTELLIGIBLE) exports.

HEMMER: You favor engagement?

ALBRIGHT: Absolutely. And I was the last person to really talk to Kim Jung Il about this, and I think that there needs to be discussions. It's not blackmail. They have to have discussions with the North Koreans.

HEMMER: Are you conceding, though, possibly to the demands of the North in a sense that it could lead you eventually to the same spot you were 8, 10 years ago in which many people think it was blackmail?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I actually think we accomplished a lot eight years ago when we had the agreed framework. We froze their nuclear programs for eight years. There could have been 50 or more nuclear weapons by now. You have to talk to them, and I'm I think -- I'm very glad that that is happening.

And on Iran, I think they have to get the international IAEA to go in there and verify.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the reason you're here today: the Cuban documentary. Tell us about it. What's this story filmed in secret on the communist island? ALBRIGHT: Well, the story is a remarkable one, because Oswaldo Paya decided to work within a little known paragraph of the Cuban constitution, ADAG, which allows there to be new legislation brought if you get 10,000 signatures. And he got over. He got 11,000-plus signatures from ordinary people, a complete grassroots operation. And it has so upset, I think, Castro, which may be one of the reasons that he has really instituted a terrible crackdown at this point.

HEMMER: Can films like these, can efforts like these truly bring about significant change in that country, knowing the grip he has had on power for more than 40 years?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we do know that when the light is shined on dissidence that it brings them much more safety and notoriety. And this is a lot what happened in Central and Eastern Europe, and I think that getting international support Oswaldo Paya has been most important. This is not an American-Cuban issue; it's an international issue, because dissidents need to be supported throughout the world.

HEMMER: He is in an interesting group right now, nominated for a Nobel price for peace; so, too, is Tony Blair, President Bush. He's keeping pretty good company.

ALBRIGHT: Well, he's a remarkable man, and he's a very, very modest man and somebody I have met and talked with. And I think he's just somebody that shines kind of in the sense of faith and desire to see his people free. He's a very brave man, who is being harassed all of the time, as are the people that are part of this grassroots movement.

HEMMER: Thank you, Madam Secretary.

ALBRIGHT: Great.

HEMMER: Good to see you.

ALBRIGHT: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to you, all right?

ALBRIGHT: Very nice to see you. Glad to have you back home.

HEMMER: Thank you very much. It's good to be here, most days.

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