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Soon: Pope Addresses the United Nations. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired September 25, 2015 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:02] Pope Francis, Catholic Church Leader: And so embody you service this organization's ideal of a united human family, living in harmony, working not only for peace but in peace. Working not only for justice, but in a spirit of justice.

(APPLAUSE)

Dear friends, I bless each one of you from my heart. I will pray for you and your families. And I ask each one of you please to remember to pray for me. And if any of you are not believers, I ask you do wish me well.

(APPLAUSE)

God bless you all. Thank you.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. There you see Pope Francis with Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations secretary general. A nice little touch at the end there. A nice sense of humor.

I'm Wolf Blitzer. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. Christiane Amanpour is with us as well.

Christiane, it's nice to see Pope Francis smile.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's really amazing because he has always been known to like a wry joke. And he did what he always does, which is at the end of the remarks he says please pray for me. And then he says and any of you who are not believers just wish me well. And that got a huge applause. But it was beautiful. Ban Ki-Moon, the secretary-general, asked for the Pope's blessing on everyday ordinary workers who keep the U.N.

And the Pope did bless them. He called them the backbone of the United Nations. He called out the translators, the secretaries, the cooks, all of that. And he even made one policy gesture to sort of preview his speech. And by the way he's about to lay a wreath for all those workers deceased U.N. workers who have been killed or died in the field of battle during in the course of their duty.

BLITZER: Let's listen in for a moment and reflect on those who died working for the U.N.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes -- (APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: Christiane, this was just the first little speech that the Pope delivered. Sort of a nice little town hall event, thanking the staff of the United Nations. But the real speech is about to begin in a little while. It is going to be at least a half an hour. A lot of substance. He's going to go through all the major international issues that the Vatican sees right now.

AMANPOUR: Exactly. And just as he's walking away from this ceremony, just to remember that maybe people don't really consider the U.N. officials being killed in the field of battle. But we should recall so many conflicts that I've witnessed where U.N. officials have been there. Particularly in Iraq with Sergio Vieira de Mello, one of the most brilliant of all U.N. officials, was the secretary-general's representative to Iraq and was killed along with many others when terrorists, al Qaeda terrorists, blew up the mission.

But yes, he previewed also the climate. To these people he said, we worry about the future of our planet and what kind of world we're going to leave to future generations.

BLITZER: And that will be a huge part of his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.

Delia Gallagher, our Vatican correspondent, is with us. Jim Sciutto is with us as well.

Delia, he's -- this is only the fifth time a Pope has addressed the United Nations. One Pope did it twice. In 70 years. This is a big deal and that these words that the Pope will express before the U.N. General Assembly are very, very carefully thought through.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And I have to just say listening to that speech to the staff, I think it just keeps better and better. The Pope is really making an impact here in his usual, easy style. Just saying take care of one another. That's what his message to this U.N. staff, saying you are a microcosm of the world. And of course that will be --

BLITZER: He's moving around, Delia, in a golf cart at the United Nations.

GALLAGHER: He's in a golf cart.

[09:05:05] BLITZER: It's a huge complex. And so they want to make sure the Pope is comfortable. But go ahead.

GALLAGHER: And singing for him.

AMANPOUR: And, Delia, his English, we were told by the papal Vatican press people that four of his presses will be in English. This is the third one.

GALLAGHER: That's right. And his English is OK. We can understand it. I think it is actually kind of endearing. It makes people sit up and listen a little bit more. This speech of course very important coming into the U.N. to speak to these world leaders, emphasizing one of the Pope's main themes on the environment but drawing the connection of the environment to the question of economic injustice. He says immigration is not just caused by war and by famine. They are fleeing also from economic structures that are unjust to them.

And it is incumbent he says on wealthier countries. Countries of the global north to take responsibility for what they are doing to poorer countries. It is a severe critique from Pope Francis and one that I'm sure we will hear at the U.N. today.

BLITZER: It's a moment, Jim Sciutto, for the international community here in New York and indeed around the world to reflect on the priorities of the Vatican right now.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No question. And I also note that at every stop he makes a point of appealing to believers and nonbelievers. Right? Even there with that cute little remark as left. For believers, pray for me. For nonbelievers just wish me well. And that's been part of his message wherever he stops. It's not just to Catholics -- Catholics but to citizens of the world.

His message in this speech, I think we should listen for something that's not a scolding but is still a firm message particularly something reflecting yesterday as well. Going after our throwaway culture. And that speaks to both the environmental issue but also to the issue of poverty. Throwing away, wasting environmental resources but also wasting people in effect.

AMANPOUR: Jim, Wolf, we have Christiana Figueres standing by. She is the executive director, the executive secretary of the U.N. climate movement really.

Christiana, thank you for joining us today as we watch the Pope being moved around those grounds in his Popemobile. For your issue, for climate and the environment, what does his presence and his words and his address to the world do to advance the cause?

CHRISTIANA FIGUERES, U.N. FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Well, actually it's a very, very exciting day and a very exciting week actually for the United Nations but for the world because the message that the Pope is bringing is a very, very clear one. We do need to look into ourselves and find that space in ourselves in which we want to take care of each other. And that is the message that he is bringing loud and clear.

It is probably the most eloquent message of the moral imperative to act on climate change, which of course, if coupled with the economic imperative that we've been hearing for a long time, it actually makes this really a non-brainer.

BLITZER: Is it going to have an impact, though, I guess that's the key question. Is it really going to have an impact on the United States, indeed, people all over the world?

FIGUERES: I think it has already had an impact. His papal encyclical has truly made people rethink their decision, their actions, their behavior. And here in the United States I'm actually quite heartened that because of the visit of the Pope and because of his call to our moral fiber, as I understand it there are some Republicans that are already rethinking and wondering, should they also change their stand on climate change, which is a good thing. Because climate change should not be a partisan issue. It is a human challenge and we should all stand above partisan politics and be together on this challenge.

AMANPOUR: Christiana, you say it's a human challenge. The Pope has said the environment has its own intrinsic rights. We're all part of the environment. And you talk about hearing that even some opponents may be shifting their opinions. Right now the president of China, Xi Jinping, is coming to the White House. He's coming to Washington. He's in the U.S. and there are reports that he is going to announce some major advances in what China will do to cap emissions. And he's already stated that there is going to be progress by 2030.

How important is that? Because in the end it's about political will of the world leaders. Particularly China and India, the others, to get together on this issue.

AMANPOUR: Absolutely. And the announcement that will be made by China and the United States, it would not surprise me if what they bring forward are details about how they will individually, but also collectively, implement the very wonderful leadership position that they already took with their announcement last year of what they are -- how they're going to contribute to the solution. And I think this second chapter that is coming is not just about setting targets and setting a vision but actually already going into the nuts and bolts of how -- what they are going to implement.

[09:10:10] China is a fantastic story on what they are doing on climate change, to use one small example. They will be because of the choking air in so many cities in China, they are investing in really top of the line urban rail, which is going to produce more than 400,000 jobs this year already. So you know, China is really understanding that this is not just about saving the planet. This is about Chinese interest. And more and more countries. And that is why we have an upswell of political will because the true change that we've had over the past five years is every country is increasingly understanding that they can pursue their national interests.

They must pursue their national interests. And by the way, they can also help the global pursuit. Well, that is -- that is really playing to the strengths of every single country, when they are actually pursuing their own self-enlightened interest.

BLITZER: You know, it's amazing when you think about the coincidence, Christiane and Christiana, the notion that while Pope Francis is here at the United Nations at this very moment Xi Jinping, the leader of China, is at the White House getting ready for important meetings with the president of the United States, including on this very sensitive issue of climate change. A formal arrival ceremony, Christiana and Christiane -- I think that's some pictures coming in from the South Lawn of the White House right now. We're going to show our viewers what's going on. A formal state visit by the leader of China. He's going to get all

the pomp and circumstance on the South Lawn of the White House. There will be remarks by the president of the United States, the president -- China President Xi. And it's going to be an important issue. There's a lot of issues on the agenda, Christiana. But climate change clearly one of them. So I hear you're saying you're upbeat that the U.S. and China are now going to announce a major step forward in dealing with this problem, is that right?

FIGUERES: Yes. Yes. That is -- that is what we understand and, you know, it's very interesting how climate change has actually acted as a bridge between the United States and China. They have many difficulties. They have different positions. Different views on so many issues. But on climate change we have seen over the past few years how these two large economies are coming together to understand that they have a shared responsibility here. And that they have a shared interest.

And that they can act individually within their own boundaries but that actually by acting together and bilaterally and bringing the rest of the countries with them, they can even go beyond what they can do within their own boundaries. So it is a very, very interesting bridge where they truly are showing that this is not a partisan issue. This is not a national issue. This truly is the global interest.

BLITZER: It certainly is. Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thank you.

Christiane, important discussion. And look at these pictures, the president of the United States with the leader of China on the left and Pope Francis on the right here at the United Nations.

AMANPOUR: Precisely. And we're going to take a quick break. And when we come back much more on that to discuss. Also of course, the Pope's speech to the world ahead.

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(SINGING)

[09:17:58] BLITZER: Young kids serenading the pontiff as he just moments ago, Christiane, goes that little golf cart as he's listening and he's raising his hand and he's blessing these kids at the same time.

Once again welcome back our viewers in the United States and around the world.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. And this is the big speech everyone's been waiting to hear. There was a Congress yesterday, so that was a speech to America and elected officials.

This is a speech to the world about the big global issues that the pope has made it his business to -- from his moral authority and platform and power he wields to try to get movement from ending everything from poverty to dealing with the environment. And that is one of his main issues. He had the encyclical, his 192-page mission on the environment. He said the environment has a right intrinsically of its own. He will say that in his speech today. He will also say that it is time like never before to deplore the moral conscience of mankind to deal with all the world's woes and just before we get to that speech we do, as Wolf, see him going through this crowd.

And before that he addressed the U.N. workers and he asked everyone to pray for him and wish him well and also laid a wreath in memory of all those U.N. officials and staff members who have been killed in the course of duty.

BLITZER: It's a nice picture here at the United Nations. He's getting ready to deliver major address.

On the left a part of you screen the president of the United States and the visiting president from China, Xi Jinping. They are both getting ready to deliver brief remarks on the south lawn of the White House.

This is an official state visit, Jim Sciutto. And we see all the pomp and circumstance the United States is now according the leader of China. An important visit, indeed, although it's been controversial back in Washington.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No question an important visit at the difficult time. Think of the issues where there is genuine and sharp disagreement with China today. The issue of cyber attacks which the U.S. accuses, sometimes only in private, China of carrying out not only on private sector companies but government institutions.

[09:20:08] You have severe disagreements over territory in the South China Sea, where China is effect manufacturing land hundreds of miles from his it shores. These are real disagreements that the administration has struggled to find common ground. They struggle to find that common ground, one of which is the issue of climate change.

I will note while you are going to have a signature announcement at this meeting on agreement of China's cap and trade system, this is something that President Obama had pursued here with no success. So their shared success or deliverable as they call it in the diplomatic world will be an achievement in effect by China that the U.S. cannot join them in.

AMANPOUR: But so important that now China's now the world's biggest polluter, the United States was. It's number two. Those countries get together ahead of this mega-meeting. And we were talk to the head of the U.N.'s climate effort just before the break who said that the fact that the pope's visit, the fact that Xi Jinping and President Obama are all here talking about the same thing is really important for world leaders to get them to come up with realistic goals.

SCIUTTO: Absolutely. As you say, China, the world's biggest polluter, the U.S., the world's biggest polluter per capita. If you don't have those two at the table on climate change issues, you are not really doing anything. And there has been progress between these two countries leading up as you say to the summit.

BLITZER: Even though there are some significant differences a use o point out, Jim, right now. Real tension between the United States and China t president of the United States decided to give Xi Jinping all the formal welcome of an official state visit. This is not just a working visit, where they short of just have a meeting in the oval office. But there'll be a state dinner tonight, a formal arrival ceremony on the White House lawn.

This is not an easy decision for the U.S. to make.

SCIUTTO: No question, 21-gun salute, and some of the Republican candidates, as we know, criticize the president for doing it at this time. You know, the president's argument and other U.S. diplomats is there is no more important time in effect to sit down with the Chinese president to begin to find a path forward, including on issues such as cyber. And there is talk of setting some rules of the games, some limitations, almost a cyber arms treaty between the countries.

AMANPOUR: And obviously has a lot to say about the Vatican and the Chinese when it comes to religious freedom, but really interestingly as well, the pope will say that this U.N. must not be an empty talking shop. And it is countries like China and Russia that use their vetoes to stymie a lot of what the rest of the world wants to do, for instance, in Syria. But go ahead about the Vatican --

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: But two points on that. One is that the Vatican is obviously dealing with a question of the religious freedom in China right now. And there is afternoon official and unofficial Catholic Church the Chinese government would like to nominate and have control o over the bishops put into their country. So there is an also an issue between the Vatican and China.

But equally here at the U.N., of course, it is quite appropriate that the Chinese leader should be here, because he's one of the people to whom Pope Francis wants to speak. And the unusual thing about the encyclical and the whole movement on the environment that he's been open about the fact he wants to influence these world leaders. He wants to influence the discussions starting today here on the climate. He wants to influence discussions in Paris. He's made no bones about the fact he wants to be part of that discussion.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Hold on a second, take a look. Now we see the -- inside the United Nations. This is moments ago but we also began seeing live pictures from inside the U.N. General Assembly, where hundreds of delegates, guests will be invited, as the pope will be delivering this major speech. There you see the live picture pictures from the U.N. Generally Assembly.

Intriguing Christiane that Pope Francis will really be the leader to deliver this speech. In the coming days the U.N. will hear from President Obama, Putin of Russia, maybe 200 world leaders, all of whom are gathering here in New York City to address the U.N.

AMANPOUR: And perhaps it's never been more eagerly anticipated than this year -- Obama, Putin about Syria. I mean, the Russians are really challenging the United States right now by putting a huge amount of men and material and aircraft and heavy armor into the Syria.

What is Putin going to say about the route forward and what can the United States do about it? Rouhani, the Iranian president, will be speaking as well. What will he say about the Iran nuclear deal?

And yes the pope is here kicking this off and delivering this exhortation to world leaders and I think, as Delia said, he hasn't been shy. He's not scolding or lecturing. He's saying you people have so much power. Use your power wisely. Do good for the world.

GALLAGHER: And he's putting a lot of confidence in the U.N., which many people don't have. And saying it may not be perfect but it is the only thing we've got for international dialogue.

[09:25:00] BLITZER: And the pope doesn't endorse the international nuclear deal with Iran. He'll make that point we're told in his address before the United Nations in a few moments from now as well. The delegates are getting ready to hear Pope Francis.

Richard Roth, our U.N. correspondent is here with us as well.

Richard, walk us through what the pope is doing right now and what we expect to be happening in the next few minutes.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, momentarily, the pope will appear and walk down the ceremonial center aisle there of the generally assembly. I guess you could say similar to the president of the United States entering Congress for the State of the Union. This is not done very often -- maybe once or twice before in U.N. history and then he'll deliver his remarks.

And as you have been discussing at length the members of the U.N., these are the word leaders. They are not used to hearing what some are calling a moral flogging on issues the pope finds them responsible for. So, an interesting historic moment according to U.N. officials to have a pope appear before world leaders, the other times it's been the more lower ranking ambassadors.

BLITZER: It is an important moment indeed.

All right. We're going to wait. We're getting ready to hear the pope deliver this major address. There you see the United Nations General Assembly.

Our special coverage will continue in just a moment.

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