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CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Wants Proof Syria Isn't Harboring Terrorists
Aired December 13, 2003 - 16:22 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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the U.S. wants to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions against Syria. Syria wants a, quote, constructive and reasonable dialogue with the U.S. Let's find out what needs to be done to break the impasse. Let's try to re- establish our audio problems that we had earlier. For more on this topic, let's talk to Dr. Buthaina Shaaban, a Syrian cabinet minister. So, you can hear me okay, right, Dr. Shaban?
DR. BOUTHAINA SHAABAN, SYRIAN CABINET MINISTER: Yes, I can.
WHITFIELD: What needs to be said, if indeed there is some dialogue between Syrian and U.S. officials. What would put both sides at ease?
SHAABAN: I think the best we can do is focus on objectives both for Syria and the United States. If the United States truly wants peace and security in the Middle East, Syria is a positive and obvious partner to do so, and it has expressed many times that it is ready to resume peace negotiations, it's ready to try and achieve peace in the Middle East on all tracks.
And Syria has proven before that it is a very good partner for ending occupation as it did with the United States in 1990 and for starting and launching a peace process as it did in Madrid in 1990.
WHITFIELD: Well, the U.S. is saying it wants to in some way ban any kind of trade of items that could be used for weapons programs in any way. Does the U.S. have, in your belief, good reason to suspect that Syria is a little bit farther advanced in its weapons program than perhaps the other parts of the international community might believe?
SHAABAN: No. I don't think the U.S. has a good reason, just as it didn't have a good reason about the wmd in Iraq. I think the -- there are conflicting signals coming out from the U.S. On the one hand, some people want to impose sanctions on Syria. Other people want to send the ambassador to say it's a very welcome signal by deciding to send the ambassador.
I think there's a conflicting opinion. We would encourage people who like the dialogue with Syria to pursue that because it is not only in the Syrian interest, but it is truly in the American interest in the region to work with Syria.
WHITFIELD: But the bush administration is also saying it's of world interest that it wants proof that Syria is in no way supporting terrorism. SHAABAN: Well, Syrian-American officials, if I may remind you -- and yesterday the congressional delegation started his meeting with President Asad by thanking Syria for cooperating against terrorism and for saving American lives. I think this is a true story. Any other story is not the true one.
We have been a target for terrorism, you know, many years ago, and we were the first country to cooperate with the United States in combatting terrorism.
WHITFIELD: And so the feeling is the U.S. in no way has any justification for any recent suspicions?
SHAABAN: Not really. But I feel, you know, what makes -- if you want me to be really candid with you, there are people here who have a different agenda. That is really not in the interest of American people and of the United States, and they would really -- you know, the thing is to cooperate with Syria would be really, as I said, in both the region's interest, the United States interest, and the Syrian interest.
WHITFIELD: Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, Syrian cabinet minister, thanks very much for joining us.
SHAABAN: Thank you very much for asking me to join 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 December 13, 2003 - 16:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the U.S. wants to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions against Syria. Syria wants a, quote, constructive and reasonable dialogue with the U.S. Let's find out what needs to be done to break the impasse. Let's try to re- establish our audio problems that we had earlier. For more on this topic, let's talk to Dr. Buthaina Shaaban, a Syrian cabinet minister. So, you can hear me okay, right, Dr. Shaban?
DR. BOUTHAINA SHAABAN, SYRIAN CABINET MINISTER: Yes, I can.
WHITFIELD: What needs to be said, if indeed there is some dialogue between Syrian and U.S. officials. What would put both sides at ease?
SHAABAN: I think the best we can do is focus on objectives both for Syria and the United States. If the United States truly wants peace and security in the Middle East, Syria is a positive and obvious partner to do so, and it has expressed many times that it is ready to resume peace negotiations, it's ready to try and achieve peace in the Middle East on all tracks.
And Syria has proven before that it is a very good partner for ending occupation as it did with the United States in 1990 and for starting and launching a peace process as it did in Madrid in 1990.
WHITFIELD: Well, the U.S. is saying it wants to in some way ban any kind of trade of items that could be used for weapons programs in any way. Does the U.S. have, in your belief, good reason to suspect that Syria is a little bit farther advanced in its weapons program than perhaps the other parts of the international community might believe?
SHAABAN: No. I don't think the U.S. has a good reason, just as it didn't have a good reason about the wmd in Iraq. I think the -- there are conflicting signals coming out from the U.S. On the one hand, some people want to impose sanctions on Syria. Other people want to send the ambassador to say it's a very welcome signal by deciding to send the ambassador.
I think there's a conflicting opinion. We would encourage people who like the dialogue with Syria to pursue that because it is not only in the Syrian interest, but it is truly in the American interest in the region to work with Syria.
WHITFIELD: But the bush administration is also saying it's of world interest that it wants proof that Syria is in no way supporting terrorism. SHAABAN: Well, Syrian-American officials, if I may remind you -- and yesterday the congressional delegation started his meeting with President Asad by thanking Syria for cooperating against terrorism and for saving American lives. I think this is a true story. Any other story is not the true one.
We have been a target for terrorism, you know, many years ago, and we were the first country to cooperate with the United States in combatting terrorism.
WHITFIELD: And so the feeling is the U.S. in no way has any justification for any recent suspicions?
SHAABAN: Not really. But I feel, you know, what makes -- if you want me to be really candid with you, there are people here who have a different agenda. That is really not in the interest of American people and of the United States, and they would really -- you know, the thing is to cooperate with Syria would be really, as I said, in both the region's interest, the United States interest, and the Syrian interest.
WHITFIELD: Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, Syrian cabinet minister, thanks very much for joining us.
SHAABAN: Thank you very much for asking me to join 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
