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President Barack Obama to Speak at the United Nations General Assembly; Pope Francis Back in Rome After Historic Trip. Aired 9-9:30a ET
Aired September 28, 2015 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00] ANDRSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to Wolf Blitzer and Christiane Amanpour for CNN's special coverage at the U.N. today.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to our special coverage from the United Nations. I'm Wolf Blitzer.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Christiane Amanpour. And we want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.
BLITZER: Right now, here at the United Nations, the drama is building. The anticipation building for speeches from the world's most powerful and very controversial leaders. President Obama due to speak right at the top of the next hour. And then a parade of allies and adversaries will follow.
AMANPOUR: Indeed. And perhaps one of the most anticipated addresses will be from President Vladimir Putin of Russia. The first time he's been here for 10 years. And Syria in the crosshairs.
As we wait to talk to all of our correspondents, it is about Vladimir Putin putting down his leverage, military and diplomatically, trying to outflank the United States.
BLITZER: The addresses will include major speeches. Our correspondents, analysts, and commentators, there you see some of them, they're all standing by to break it down. There's certainly a lot to cover over the next several hours.
Let's begin our coverage, Christiane, with Jim Sciutto, he's with us, our chief national security correspondent.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf and Christiane, really we're going to see today so many of the key foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. and the world confronted on this stage at the U.N. Issues in Ukraine, in Syria, climate change, U.S. rapprochement with Cuba, and the president speaking today to many of these issues. He's going to start with climate change and issues that he's had some progress on, a new agreement with China, coming from their state visit this past week.
Russia's intervention in Ukraine. Recent development, certainly upsetting, concerning many U.S. officials. Also Russia's intervention in Syria, military action and -- personnel going there, as well. And keep in mind then that the president is going to be meeting with the Russian president as well. These issues certainly on the table there. First time they've met since Russia invaded Ukraine. And then you're going to see them speaking to the world, really, from the stage at the UNGA.
The president leading off the lineup, then followed by the Russian president. You're going to have China's president as well. The Iranian president and the Cuban president. Keep in mind, as well, that President Obama says that his speech is going to be talking about the power of diplomacy in solving some of these problems. He says he's going to take a blunter tone with many of these issues.
And on the stage, you'll have two world leaders, where you've seen the power of that diplomacy come through. The Cuban president and the Iranian president. But you'll also have two leaders where the U.S. have many difficult issues to resolve. Certainly Russia, certainly China. Remains to be seen how they resolve those differences. We're going to be watching very closely.
AMANPOUR: And as Secretary of State John Kerry enters the building, headed towards the UNGA hall, we are going to be looking very closely at what President Obama says and then what Putin says particularly about Syria.
BLITZER: It's an incredibly tense time around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa right now. Certainly, with Ukraine, all of these issues, Jim Sciutto, they're coming to afore right now, and these discussions, these meetings, especially what some of these world leaders do in their bilateral meetings, as they say, on the sidelines, if they will, could be critically important.
SCIUTTO: No question. And these are issues, you look at Russia and Ukraine. This is an issue where the American president has not really figured out a solution. They haven't found their common ground -- to move forward and, certainly on Syria, as well. And Syria is an issue which is accelerating into danger very rapidly. Certainly on the issue of refugees coming into Europe, but also Russia's increased involvement.
This is a development that the U.S., frankly, is not comfortable with. But there's also an open question as to what the U.S. can do about it. Russian military personnel and equipment on the ground, but also, of course, we have the news now of a Russian intelligence sharing agreement with Iran, Syria and U.S. ally Iraq. Certainly an uncomfortable development from the U.S. perspective.
AMANPOUR: And Elise is here, our global affairs correspondent. I spoke to President Rouhani. We'll see some of that interview later today. In fact in this hour. But they are very clear that their client, Assad, Putin and Rouhani's client Assad, is going to stay for awhile and that the United States and the rest of the West have had to buy on to this. So this is an amazingly difficult moment for the West who of course several years ago said Assad has to go.
Putin is really using all his leverage and, frankly, throwing Ukraine out the door. Nobody wants to talk about Ukraine anymore. He's successfully diverted the attention to Syria.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: Well, that's right. As Jim said, it'll be on the agenda certainly in the speeches, but a lot of cynical U.S. officials would argue what Putin is trying to do in Syria is really trying to change the discussion away from Ukraine. And these bilateral meetings where we know the real business takes place, that is not on the agenda. It's all, diplomats tell me, Syria is the crisis now to solve. That the Iran deal has been set.
[09:05:03] And if you listen to what President Rouhani told you and what President Putin told Charlie Rose on CBS News the other night, it's pretty clear that even though there's lip service paid to phasing Assad out, he's not going anywhere soon. Take a listen to President Putin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Through Translator): We support the government of Syria and it's my deep belief that any actions to the contrary in order to destroy the legitimate government will create a situation which you can witness now in the other countries of the region or in other regions. For instance, in Libya, where all the state institutions are disintegrated.
We see a similar situation in Iraq. And there's no other solution to the Syrian crisis than strengthening the effective government structures and rendering them help in fighting terrorism. But at the same time, urging them to engage in positive dialogue with the rational opposition and conduct reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LABOTT: And so this is what President Putin is going to talk about today. He's going to propose a new coalition against terrorism, with Russia, with Iran, who the U.S. has shunned for years, now sees as an integral part of the solution. And the question for U.S. officials right now is, we understand that there is this Russian military buildup.
To be honest, I don't think they're that upset about it even though they want more clarification on the intentions because everybody knows if Assad were to fall right now, that would open up a vacuum for ISIS. But what they want to make sure is that this is all done in the context of an eventual political transition. So now you don't hear about Assad has to go immediately, you hear from leaders that Assad doesn't have a place in Syria's long-term future.
And what the discussions are going to be about this week -- Secretary Kerry just convened a meeting with some U.S. allies today -- is how long is long-term future? The Russians really wanted in the very long term, along with the Iranians, that's what they're trying to decide this week.
SCIUTTO: Well, the question is, how much leverage the U.S. has to push that agenda with Russia right now? And certainly with the Russian president behaving as if the U.S. does not. BLITZER: Christiane, you had a very important interview with the
president of Iran, dealing with all these issues, and it was revealing.
AMANPOUR: Indeed. And look, this is how far this non-diplomacy and non-intervention by the West has brought to the West. A complete switch of tactics on two levels. One, we are actually going to invite the Iranians around the table, having said no for the last several years. That's one of the benefits presumably of the Iran nuclear deal. But it also furthers the agenda of Iran and Russia in Syria. And they have successfully divorced the idea of what the people of Syria want which is Assad to go to just a narrow fighting of ISIS.
So as Elise said, it is likely that Assad will stay. And this is what the president of Iran told me when I sat down with him about whether or not they've formally been invited to these talks on Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. HASSAN ROUHANI, IRAN (Through Translator): Now, Iran with the United States does not have any direct talks vis-a-vis Syria, but Iran simultaneously with the European Union, and as well as other countries, does have talks regarding Syria. And those parties to the talks with Iran about Syria are in direct conversations with the United States as well. So perhaps not direct, but there are talks.
AMANPOUR: It seems to be that the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia obviously, Iran obviously, are now all talking about a potential transition that involves President Assad staying where he is for the moment.
ROUHANI (Through Translator): But I think today, everyone has accepted that President Assad must remain so that we can combat the terrorists. However, as soon as this movement reaches the various levels of success and starts driving out the terrorists on a step-by- step basis, then other plans must be put into action. So as to hear the voices of the opposition, as well.
AMANPOUR: Mr. President, this is the first time you've come to the United States since the nuclear agreement has been signed. You must have been watching from Iran, the Republican presidential campaign, and you must have been seeing some of the debates in which many of the Republican candidates have said that if they become president, they will rip up the deal.
ROUHANI (Through Translator): First of all, what is spoken of here in the United States of America, sometimes when I would have time, some of it was broadcast live and I would watch it. Some of it was quite laughable. It was very strange. And things that they spoke of. Some of them wouldn't even know where Tehran was in relation to Iran. Some of them didn't know where Iran was geographically. Not distinguishing that one is the capital of the other.
[09:10:06] So what they spoke of was quite far away from the truth. So the people of Iran were looking at it as a form of entertainment, if you will, and found it laughable. The other issue is that, yes, certainly, in the United States, some are opposed to it and some are for this agreement. However, the issue of the joint comprehensive plan of action is not just an issue of Iran and the United States. It's an international issue. It's an international agreement.
Can a government become a signatory to an international agreement and then the subsequent government tear it to shreds? This is something that only the likes of Saddam Hussein would do. So any government that replaces the current government must keep itself committed to the commitments given by the previous administration. Otherwise, that government, that entire country, will lose trust internationally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: So, Wolf, the president of Iran, very scathing about the notion that any future government could tear up an international agreement, which is cemented now in a U.N. Security Council Resolution, but also saying, quite clearly, that Assad will stay and this is the plan for the moment. I also, obviously, asked him about the four Americans, including our colleague, who Jason Rezaian, who is still stuck in Iranian jails. And he --
BLITZER: The "Washington Post" correspondent.
AMANPOUR: Indeed. Indeed. And he seemed to indicate that a prisoner swap would be the way to unlock this because there are several Iranians in jail here.
BLITZER: You know, it's interesting, we're awaiting the president of the United States at the top of the hour, he's going to be making a major address. We got the leader of Iran here. Remember, the last time, they had a little phone conversation. I wonder if they're going to actually get together for a handshake, a little conversation this time. What are you hearing?
AMANPOUR: I asked him and he said, you know, you asked me that last year. I don't know whether there's going to be a handshake. I don't put too much into that symbolism. He would say that, wouldn't he? But we do write letters to each other and we do -- you know, do business, official business together.
The truth of the matter is that he is not staying beyond today. He's getting on a plane and going back because of the Hajj tragedy at the pilgrimage to Mecca, where hundreds of Iranians were amongst Muslims who were killed in a stampede there last week.
SCIUTTO: In the U.N., you always have these opportunities for meetings. Of course, we had the phone call two years ago. We were sitting in these same chairs and that of course led to this nuclear agreement. The physical choreography sometimes to arrange those encounters and sometimes to avoid them. And here's one where, perhaps, they want to avoid it at this time. And you have questions as to whether the president, President Obama, really wanted to sit down with Putin but he felt that it was necessary. And that's going to happen.
BLITZER: Definitely meeting with Putin. SCIUTTO: Yes.
BLITZER: We'll see if there's a little opportunity with President Rouhani of Iran.
Remember, the president of the United States should be arriving here at the United Nations momentarily, getting ready for his major address before the entire world right at the top of the hour.
Also, still to come this hour, was Pope Francis' 10-day, six-city, two-country tour a success? Here's the short answer. Yes. We're joined next by CNN's Rosa Flores, she's back in Rome. She flew back with the pontiff.
Much more of our special coverage from here at the United Nations right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:17:23] AMANPOUR: Welcome back to U.N. headquarters here in New York, as we await the delegation of world leaders who will be addressing this podium today. We want to go back to Pope Francis, who has landed home in Rome after his historic 10-day, six-city trip through the United States and before that, Cuba.
BLITZER: The White House, Congress, the United Nations, Independence Hall, it was all quite extraordinary. The itinerary for Pope Francis on this, his first trip ever, to the United States.
AMANPOUR: Now the Pope's visit was about more than hugs and handshakes, obviously. Pope Francis challenged America to embrace millions of undocumented immigrants and join a global campaign against climate change and poverty. He also addressed the scandal that's hung over the Catholic Church for years, and that is how to hold accountable clergy charged with sexual abuse of minors.
BLITZER: Just hours after celebrating his final mass in Philadelphia, Pope Francis tweeted gratitude to the American people. Quote, "With my heartfelt thanks, may the love of Christ always guide the American people. God bless America."
Let's get some more on what's going on. CNN's Rosa Flores is back in Rome right now. She flew back with Pope Francis on the papal plane, Shepherd One as it's called.
Rosa, did the pontiff come back and speak with reporters on that flight?
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He answered about 11 questions. It took more than 45 minutes. And it was very impactful, Wolf and Christiane. You know, he is the Pope of mercy, but will he exercise mercy when it comes to priests who abuse children and bishops who knew about it?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FLORES (voice-over): Pope Francis back at the Vatican this morning. After holding a press conference on the plane following his historic U.S. visit. Speaking in Italian and Spanish about sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.
The Pope calling his visit to Philadelphia, quote, "very demonstrative," after a meeting with five victims of sexual abuse. He expanded those who could be held accountable, saying, quote, "We know the abuses are everywhere, in families, in the neighborhoods, in schools, in the gyms, but when a priest abuses, it is very serious. Those who covered this up are guilty, even some bishops who covered this up."
"God weeps for the victims," he said in a chapel full of bishops Sunday. On the plane, he said he forgives the priests that have committed sexual abuse because, quote, "We must forgive, because we were all forgiven. It is another thing to receive that forgiveness."
[09:20:09] The Pope also says about the sex abuse victims who can't forgive their abusers and have lost their faith, quote, "I don't judge someone who can't forgive." The Pope also saying conscientious objections like not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples citing religious liberty is a, quote, "human right."
Pope Francis says he does not know all of the cases on this issue, which may include Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis. But the pontiff saying, quote, "If a government official is a human person, he has that right."
About his whirlwind five-day U.S. tour, he says, quote, "What surprised me was the warmth, the warmth of the people so loveable." He said Washington was warm but more formal, and New York was a bit exuberant.
At Vice President Joe Biden's grand farewell Sunday night, Pope Francis said he's leaving the U.S. with, quote, "a heart full of gratitude and hope," tweeting when he landed, "With my heartfelt thanks. May the love of Christ always guide the American people."
POPE FRANCIS, CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADER: I ask you please to pray for me. God bless America.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FLORES: Now about his quote, saying, "I don't judge someone who can't forgive," he was talking about the victims who can't forgive their abusers. And he gave a testimonial, a very touching testimonial. He said a woman told him that when she told her mother that she had been abused, that her mother lost her faith. She left the church and died an atheist. And Pope Francis said, I understand that. God is better than me. I am sure that God accepted her -- Wolf, Christiane.
BLITZER: Very impressive indeed, Rosa Flores, traveling with the Pope. Thank you, Rosa, very, very much. AMANPOUR: And very interestingly, let's just take a moment. The Pope
seems to have given a mixed message there. On the one hand, talking about the crimes of sexual abuse, when he was at church in Washington amongst all the bishops. On the other hand, talking about forgiving the priests. We spoke to sexual abuse victims who said, look, they have to be held accountable. They can't be just forgiveness and moved around. They must be imprisoned. They must be held accountable, otherwise, there is no resolution to this. And that is what everybody is going to be looking to see whether this Pope does it. Goes beyond the rhetoric of zero tolerance and actually sets up a tribunal to try those who have been guilty and charge.
Right now let's go to Delia Gallagher who's our Vatican correspondent. She's in Philadelphia where we all were watching the Pope this weekend. So his first trip to the United States, a success.
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think Wolf answered that question. Absolutely, yes. I mean, it's been a week, Christiane. When we've heard terms like the common good, like mercy, repeated over and over again in the media, in the halls of Congress, at the United Nations. So I think it's been a week for Americans, both personally and as a society, to pause and to reflect. The people I've heard from have all said, he's given me something to think about in my own life.
And, let's say, on the national scale. And the conversation between Republicans and Democrats. You know, obviously, he's a Pope so he's coming in, not really to talk so much about specific policies but to remind us of the broader concepts of trying to work together. And I think he's certainly been successful in getting his message across -- Christiane.
AMANPOUR: Well, I'm here with Wolf, and we both have lots of questions. Obviously, it was his first introduction to America. So he must have had a big surprise because he's never been here. Maybe he was a little bit suspicious of what he would find here.
BLITZER: I thought it was amazing, Delia, the itinerary, the schedule. This is a 78-year-old pontiff, not necessarily in the best of health. But they kept his busy every day, hour by hour. And then you just heard Rosa Flores, Christiane. Rosa Flores said he spent, what, 45 minutes with the press on that flight back to Rome. A lot of energy.
You watch him every day over there when you're covering the Vatican. How does he do it, Delia?
GALLAGHER: Well, I'll tell you, Wolf, the schedule that he kept up here was very intense, but it's equally intense at the Vatican. I mean, all morning, first of all, he gets up at 4:30, he has a mass at 7:00, and then he goes into meetings all morning. And those meetings can sometimes be with 20 people, they can be with one person, they can be with 100 people. Then he has afternoon engagements. So he keeps up a very, very grueling schedule. I don't know how he does it. I think it must be some kind of interior force that he has. The idea that now he's Pope, he feels an urgency about some of the
issues politically and socially and religiously. And he's just going to give it all he's got. And I think that's what we've seen here. You know, certainly it's something that's kind of amazed everybody.
[09:25:15] But I'll tell you, it's a schedule that's not going to stop because he gets back now to the Vatican and he goes right in next week on Sunday to the CENC, to this International Meeting of Bishops to discuss some of the issues that we've been talking about this week. So no rest for the Pope -- Wolf.
AMANPOUR: Yes, indeed. That's a very, very important thing. The CENC.
Delia, thank you so much.
And let us not forget that we are at the United Nations. The Pope addressed this podium, was on this podium, on Friday, exhorted world leaders to do what they had to do to resolve the pressing issues of this time. I might just say that as we wait for the world leaders to see what they're going to say.
BLITZER: One of those -- one of those world leaders, the president of the United States, President Barack Obama, they'll be arriving here momentarily right at the top of the hour, he'll be delivering his major address before the United Nations General Assembly. We're all anxious to hear what President Obama has to say.
When we come back, we'll also take a closer look at politics here in the United States, the race for the White House. Donald Trump says his new tax plan is going to be, in his word, "spectacular." We've got the details.
We also have the new polls showing Dr. Ben Carson right now neck-and- neck with Donald Trump. Time for the GOP front runner to start worrying a bit? Much more of our special coverage from here at the United Nations, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
