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CNN Live At Daybreak

International News Desk

Aired November 18, 2003 - 05:33   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 Afghanistan now. Continuing violence there is leading the United Nations to reconsider its refugee agency there, or work there, I should say.
Joining us to talk about that, CNN's international coverage -- boy, I'm messing myself up, aren't I?

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: That's all right.

COSTELLO: David Clinch is here to talk more about the situation in Afghanistan.

CLINCH: Good morning.

I am.

COSTELLO: And this doesn't sound good.

CLINCH: Well, it's a busy day for us all over the world today. We've got, obviously, President Bush in Britain, but behind the Iraq story and President Bush's visit, some other stories sort of bubbling along that we have coverage on today.

As you mentioned, in Afghanistan, some interesting developments there. A U.N. worker was killed over the weekend. We have now Reuters reporting that the Taliban, who are still out there, are claiming responsibility specifically for having targeted and killed that U.N. worker. The U.N. now, particularly is refugee agency, has withdrawn a large amount, practically all of its workers from the southern part of Afghanistan in response to that killing, seriously curtailing their ability to maintain their efforts for refugees who are still inside Afghanistan and along the border with Pakistan.

So Taliban and presumably al Qaeda, as well, still at work in Afghanistan. The U.N. having problems there, as much as they are having in Iraq.

COSTELLO: So are the attacks on U.N. workers there sort of mirroring what's happening in Iraq...

CLINCH: It would appear...

COSTELLO: ... or was that always going on in Afghanistan?

CLINCH: Well, it has been going on, but you're right, that is becoming an emerging pattern in Afghanistan, similar types of attacks against what you would call soft targets, U.N. and now the Taliban again, according to Reuters, threatening journalists, threatening anybody working with the United States in Afghanistan. So a pattern similar to Iraq.

And then also, obviously, as President Bush goes to Britain and in Europe, issues again in the background there, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. We saw some signs of progress there. Prime Minister Sharon, who is in Italy today, also in Europe, indicating that he was planning, he is planning to meet with the new prime minister, Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, within the next couple of days.

Well, today two Israeli soldiers -- we've just confirmed that they were soldiers -- were killed in the West Bank. Possibly, probably not at this point enough to prevent that meeting happening, but certainly, again, an obstacle to progress there.

And then in Korea, again, North Korea still is a really big issue, as they are threatening to, or perhaps already have built nuclear weapons. Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary, in South Korea today, right on the front line. He was meeting with South Korean officials earlier, but today he was right up on the front line with the U.S. military on the border with North Korea there. Still a very big issue, but one which, again, some signs of progress, the North Koreans apparently showing willingness to deal on their nuclear weapons issue.

COSTELLO: Well, many Americans are certainly hoping so.

David Clinch, many thanks.

We appreciate it.

CLINCH: Thank 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 November 18, 2003 - 05:33   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 Afghanistan now. Continuing violence there is leading the United Nations to reconsider its refugee agency there, or work there, I should say.
Joining us to talk about that, CNN's international coverage -- boy, I'm messing myself up, aren't I?

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: That's all right.

COSTELLO: David Clinch is here to talk more about the situation in Afghanistan.

CLINCH: Good morning.

I am.

COSTELLO: And this doesn't sound good.

CLINCH: Well, it's a busy day for us all over the world today. We've got, obviously, President Bush in Britain, but behind the Iraq story and President Bush's visit, some other stories sort of bubbling along that we have coverage on today.

As you mentioned, in Afghanistan, some interesting developments there. A U.N. worker was killed over the weekend. We have now Reuters reporting that the Taliban, who are still out there, are claiming responsibility specifically for having targeted and killed that U.N. worker. The U.N. now, particularly is refugee agency, has withdrawn a large amount, practically all of its workers from the southern part of Afghanistan in response to that killing, seriously curtailing their ability to maintain their efforts for refugees who are still inside Afghanistan and along the border with Pakistan.

So Taliban and presumably al Qaeda, as well, still at work in Afghanistan. The U.N. having problems there, as much as they are having in Iraq.

COSTELLO: So are the attacks on U.N. workers there sort of mirroring what's happening in Iraq...

CLINCH: It would appear...

COSTELLO: ... or was that always going on in Afghanistan?

CLINCH: Well, it has been going on, but you're right, that is becoming an emerging pattern in Afghanistan, similar types of attacks against what you would call soft targets, U.N. and now the Taliban again, according to Reuters, threatening journalists, threatening anybody working with the United States in Afghanistan. So a pattern similar to Iraq.

And then also, obviously, as President Bush goes to Britain and in Europe, issues again in the background there, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. We saw some signs of progress there. Prime Minister Sharon, who is in Italy today, also in Europe, indicating that he was planning, he is planning to meet with the new prime minister, Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, within the next couple of days.

Well, today two Israeli soldiers -- we've just confirmed that they were soldiers -- were killed in the West Bank. Possibly, probably not at this point enough to prevent that meeting happening, but certainly, again, an obstacle to progress there.

And then in Korea, again, North Korea still is a really big issue, as they are threatening to, or perhaps already have built nuclear weapons. Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary, in South Korea today, right on the front line. He was meeting with South Korean officials earlier, but today he was right up on the front line with the U.S. military on the border with North Korea there. Still a very big issue, but one which, again, some signs of progress, the North Koreans apparently showing willingness to deal on their nuclear weapons issue.

COSTELLO: Well, many Americans are certainly hoping so.

David Clinch, many thanks.

We appreciate it.

CLINCH: Thank 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