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CNN Live At Daybreak
President Bush's Trip Covering Ground
Aired May 30, 2003 - 06:31 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: On to a presidential road trip, speaking of Washington. In just a few minutes, President Bush leaves the White House on a seven-day, six-nation tour that will include the much-anticipated Mideast summit.
His first visit is to Poland and Russia, then it's on to the G-8 summit in France, and finally Middle East peace will be his focus. The president meets with Arab leaders in Egypt and attends the Palestinian-Israeli summit in Jordan. The president's trip ends in Qatar with an update on Iraqi reconstruction.
For more on the president's travels, we take you live to the White House and Suzanne Malveaux.
Is the president about to leave now -- Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's getting pretty close to that, Carol. Really, this test -- this trip is a test of the president's credibility. As you may recall, the president really argued that with the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime that it would boost peace efforts, it would bring democracy, help spread democracy in that region.
Now, this is the president's first time in the Middle East since he has become president. There are a number of things that are working for him. First of all, you have a change in the Palestinian leadership, also Yasser Arafat has been sidelined, and of course Saddam Hussein nowhere to be found.
There are some things, however, working against the president in trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians together. That is, this increase in anti-American sentiment in the region. Also, incredibly high expectations from European as well as Arab allies, who supported the president in the war on terror, but want to see some results.
And, of course, Carol, also mending fences with European allies. French President Jacques Chirac, he is going to sit down, have a one- on-one meeting. He is the host of the G-8 summit. The two of them have not seen each other since November. They've had some conversations. The president in an interview with French television saying he is not mad at France, but disappointed, but he wants to move on, this whole issue when it comes to the war in Iraq.
As far as Russia is concerned, he is going to be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of the main concerns the administration has is the alleged support of Iran's nuclear program. U.S. officials believe that that is supporting a budding nuclear weapons program.
And finally, the president and German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, they are not going to be meeting this time around, still some frosty relations that need to be thawed -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, there was a lot of bad blood going before the Iraq war with those two.
Suzanne Malveaux, many thanks -- live from the White House this morning.
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 30, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On to a presidential road trip, speaking of Washington. In just a few minutes, President Bush leaves the White House on a seven-day, six-nation tour that will include the much-anticipated Mideast summit.
His first visit is to Poland and Russia, then it's on to the G-8 summit in France, and finally Middle East peace will be his focus. The president meets with Arab leaders in Egypt and attends the Palestinian-Israeli summit in Jordan. The president's trip ends in Qatar with an update on Iraqi reconstruction.
For more on the president's travels, we take you live to the White House and Suzanne Malveaux.
Is the president about to leave now -- Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's getting pretty close to that, Carol. Really, this test -- this trip is a test of the president's credibility. As you may recall, the president really argued that with the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime that it would boost peace efforts, it would bring democracy, help spread democracy in that region.
Now, this is the president's first time in the Middle East since he has become president. There are a number of things that are working for him. First of all, you have a change in the Palestinian leadership, also Yasser Arafat has been sidelined, and of course Saddam Hussein nowhere to be found.
There are some things, however, working against the president in trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians together. That is, this increase in anti-American sentiment in the region. Also, incredibly high expectations from European as well as Arab allies, who supported the president in the war on terror, but want to see some results.
And, of course, Carol, also mending fences with European allies. French President Jacques Chirac, he is going to sit down, have a one- on-one meeting. He is the host of the G-8 summit. The two of them have not seen each other since November. They've had some conversations. The president in an interview with French television saying he is not mad at France, but disappointed, but he wants to move on, this whole issue when it comes to the war in Iraq.
As far as Russia is concerned, he is going to be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of the main concerns the administration has is the alleged support of Iran's nuclear program. U.S. officials believe that that is supporting a budding nuclear weapons program.
And finally, the president and German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, they are not going to be meeting this time around, still some frosty relations that need to be thawed -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, there was a lot of bad blood going before the Iraq war with those two.
Suzanne Malveaux, many thanks -- live from the White House this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
