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CNN Live Sunday
Libya Announces Decision to Scrap Its WMD Program
Aired December 21, 2003 - 11:00 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin this hour with a bold move that's getting some praise around the world, Libya's decision to scrap its weapons of mass destruction program. Today, world leaders are hailing the move as another step forward in making the world a safer place. And they are praising the U.S. and Britain for pressing the issue.
To the White House now, where we find CNN's Kathleen Koch. Good morning, Kathleen. What's the latest from there?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine. The belief here is that this action by Libya is just one example of how the Bush doctrine is working. That is the Bush administration policy of taking preemptive action against emerging threats to U.S. security. The discussions with Libya on abandoning its weapons of mass destruction program began, not coincidentally, in the month of March, just when the invasion of Iraq began. And White House officials believe that the war made Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi sit up and take notice. Still, one democratic presidential candidate downplayed the announcement, insisting that a deal with Libya could have been reached earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Gadhafi has been looking for a deal for four years. He began negotiations with Bill Clinton, unfortunately towards the very end of the administration. This administration, if it truly wanted to pursue proliferation and create a cooperative effort on proliferation issues, would have been engaged in bilateral negotiations with North Korea over two years ago, and we would be in a less dangerous world than we are today with North Korea. And the deal with Gadhafi, mostly, I might add, pursued and brokered by Tony Blair and the British, could have been achieved some time ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: By contrast, countries worldwide have been effusive in their praise of Libya's move. British Prime Minister Tony Blair saying that Libya is now entitled to, quote, "rejoin the international community." Russia and China saying that this confirms the effectiveness of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve very thorny international issues.
Now, President Bush attended church with First Lady Laura Bush this morning. And he has praised Libya's decision saying, quote, "its good faith will be returned." Possible rewards could be dropping the 17-year-old U.S. embargo against Libya, taking it off the list of nations that are condemned for supporting terrorism, but Mr. Bush says that Libya must first take very clear steps towards disarmament and demonstrate its seriousness. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: And Kathleen, what is the White House saying as what was the final straw that broke the camel's back, I guess you could say, in making Libya -- force Libya to make this decision?
KOCH: Well, again, they do believe it is a convergence of issues. Libya would like to rejoin the international community, see this embargo, which has had quite a damaging effect on its economy, dropped. But indeed do point to the coalition action in Iraq, the U.S. and the international community acting forcefully for persuading Gadhafi that perhaps Libya could be next if it didn't own up to what it was doing.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kathleen. Thank you, Kathleen Koch at the White House, 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 December 21, 2003 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin this hour with a bold move that's getting some praise around the world, Libya's decision to scrap its weapons of mass destruction program. Today, world leaders are hailing the move as another step forward in making the world a safer place. And they are praising the U.S. and Britain for pressing the issue.
To the White House now, where we find CNN's Kathleen Koch. Good morning, Kathleen. What's the latest from there?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine. The belief here is that this action by Libya is just one example of how the Bush doctrine is working. That is the Bush administration policy of taking preemptive action against emerging threats to U.S. security. The discussions with Libya on abandoning its weapons of mass destruction program began, not coincidentally, in the month of March, just when the invasion of Iraq began. And White House officials believe that the war made Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi sit up and take notice. Still, one democratic presidential candidate downplayed the announcement, insisting that a deal with Libya could have been reached earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Gadhafi has been looking for a deal for four years. He began negotiations with Bill Clinton, unfortunately towards the very end of the administration. This administration, if it truly wanted to pursue proliferation and create a cooperative effort on proliferation issues, would have been engaged in bilateral negotiations with North Korea over two years ago, and we would be in a less dangerous world than we are today with North Korea. And the deal with Gadhafi, mostly, I might add, pursued and brokered by Tony Blair and the British, could have been achieved some time ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: By contrast, countries worldwide have been effusive in their praise of Libya's move. British Prime Minister Tony Blair saying that Libya is now entitled to, quote, "rejoin the international community." Russia and China saying that this confirms the effectiveness of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve very thorny international issues.
Now, President Bush attended church with First Lady Laura Bush this morning. And he has praised Libya's decision saying, quote, "its good faith will be returned." Possible rewards could be dropping the 17-year-old U.S. embargo against Libya, taking it off the list of nations that are condemned for supporting terrorism, but Mr. Bush says that Libya must first take very clear steps towards disarmament and demonstrate its seriousness. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: And Kathleen, what is the White House saying as what was the final straw that broke the camel's back, I guess you could say, in making Libya -- force Libya to make this decision?
KOCH: Well, again, they do believe it is a convergence of issues. Libya would like to rejoin the international community, see this embargo, which has had quite a damaging effect on its economy, dropped. But indeed do point to the coalition action in Iraq, the U.S. and the international community acting forcefully for persuading Gadhafi that perhaps Libya could be next if it didn't own up to what it was doing.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kathleen. Thank you, Kathleen Koch at the White House, 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
