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Donald Trump's Policy Reversals; Satellite Imagery Shows North Korean Nuclear Site Ready for Test; Discover Mauritius Rum; Vote in Turkey Razor Thin on Constitutional Changes. 8:00a-9:00p ET

Aired April 13, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:16] IVAN WATSON, HOST: I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream.

New satellite images suggest that North Korea could soon conduct another nuclear test as the country prepares to celebrate its most important

national holiday on Saturday.

Another remarkable U-turn from Donald Trump, the candidate who called NATO obsolete is now the president praising it as a bulwark of peace and

security.

And Turkey braces for a critical referendum that could change the way its government works, handing even more power to President Erdogan.

Welcome to the program. We're following major developments this hour on the threat from North Korea. A monitoring group says these new satellite

images show a North Korean nuclear site that is primed and ready. There are suspicions Pyongyang could choose this Saturday, the country's biggest

national holiday, to conduct its sixth nuclear test. And just days after dozens of civilians were killed in a chemical attack in Syria, Japan is

raising the frightening prospect that North Korea may be capable of using missiles to carry out a Sarin gas attack.

Now, our CNN correspondents are tracking the latest from all around the region. Matt Rivers is in Beijing. Alexandra Shield is in Seoul.

But first we're going to go to Will Ripley who is inside North Korea joining us from the capital

Pyongyang.

Now, will, I know you have quite limited viewpoint there due to the restrictions in North Korea. So from your vantage point, tell us about the

very strange wake-up you had today and what your North Korean guides showed you this day.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We got a call, Ivan, shortly after 4:00 a.m. telling us that we needed to put on our suits, leave our

cell phones behind, and we were going to a big event, is all we were told.

So, after several hours, multiple layers of security, we ended up in the middle of Pyongyang

surrounded by tens of thousands of North Koreans. And soon, another prominent figure, the most prominent figure in this country, made an

appearance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: We got the call before 5:00 a.m. We were told to dress up and leave our phones behind. We went through a couple hours of security and

now we're here on this street. It's completely closed off. Tens of thousands of people are moving in here, soldiers, people dressed up with

balloons, all signs that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will probably be here.

The number of people is really astounding. In this city, people can mobilize very quickly for these mass celebratory events, tens of thousands

just coming and coming.

This is a tightly controlled propaganda event for the North Koreans. And they have every detail taken care of, including flower pots in everyone's

windows. Those buildings appear to be empty. Perhaps everyone is out here on the streets ready to celebrate.

The North Koreans are showing the opening of a brand new street full of apartment buildings, the tallest 70 stories, that they raced to complete in

time for this important national holiday. They want to show despite international sanctions, despite diplomatic isolation, they can still

complete projects like this. And they credit one person, their supreme leader.

The soldiers you see marching here are the ones who built this entire project.

This is the closest we're allowed to get to the sometimes very young faces of the North Korean military. This country has a very large standing

army, and even though this is not an overt show of force, projects like this are just as important to the North Koreans, they say, as their nuclear

weapons program. In fact, the prime minister said completing this major construction project is just as important as if they dropped 100 nuclear

bombs.

The message from the North Koreans seems to be that they want to move forward with their

military programs, but they also want to grow their economy peacefully. But they say if they are provoked, they are not afraid to go to war.

The crowd is silent. There is heavy security. You can see top Workers Party leadership lined up there. And when the military van plays one

particular tune, that signals the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is arriving.

During this ceremony, there was no mention of the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula between the United States and North Korea, no mention

of the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group that has moved close to the waters offshore.

Instead it was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un not saying a sword, standing relaxed confident, appearing firmly in control.

Five years into his rule, it is clear that he holds absolute power over this country. They talked about their Socialist system, as they have

droves of cameras capturing this moment, not just for the international press, but also for North Koreans all around the country. They want people

these to believe that this is a socialist oasis that they are living in.

And with that, Kim Jong-un cut the red ribbon, walked back to his black Mercedes limousine and drove away.

The sense we're getting from North Korean government officials is that they believe this is a touch-and-go situation, even though their country was

making a point to show its economic power today, they also are well aware that the peninsula at this moment really is on the brink of war, that's in

their words.

Keep in mind, Ivan, North Korea - conscription for North Korean men is ten years. So, the majority of civilians that you saw in that crowd have a

military background. And everybody who we have asked in the streets of Pyongyang has said that if this were to come to it, they would gladly put

on the uniform again and fight to defend their country and their government.

So, it's a very tense situation. People are celebrating, but they are also aware that things could turn very quickly depending on how things go

between North Korea and the United States.

WATSON: But will, those tensions aside, I think your story underscores a very surreal part of working as a foreign correspondent in North Korea. On

any given day, you don't know what the government and the minders are going to take you to, and often these days are shrouded in secrecy, even if

you're going to go to something as perhaps banal as a music concert.

RIPLEY: And the minders didn't know where we were going either. When they called us and said we needed to get going early this morning. I asked

several times, do you know where we're headed. And their honest answer was they didn't.

These events are kept secret up until the very last moment. And the movements of North Korea's leader are also kept secret. There's only a

handful of people inside Pyongyang at any given time who actually know where North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un is going to be. And events where

there's a possibility he may show up, you see the security service, multiple layers of - you know, hours of security checks, and there are many

times where the leader will not arrive at a particular event.

They do keep his movements fairly secret. And it was interesting, because at the same time that we were watching Kim Jong-un at this ribbon cutting,

North Korea state media was putting out images of him at a special operations combat exercise with commandos jumping out of airplanes. It's -

we never know when these things occur, because North Korean state media doesn't often date the footage that it puts out. We know that sometimes

things are edited and put together and released maybe a day or two later.

But it seems as if it would have had to happen very early in the morning for Kim Jong-un to be at a military exercise and then make it to this

ribbon cutting in Pyongyang.

But, you're right, it's so compartmentalized in this society that we truly don't really know what's going to happen, where we're going to go and

frankly, the North Koreans often don't know either.

WATSON: Will Ripley live in Pyongyang with his team, looking through this very strange keyhole at this very closed-off society. Thank you.

Now, let's go south of the demilitarized zone now to Alexandra Field who is standing by in Seoul right now. And can you help explain, Alex, why there

is so much speculation that North Korea could be preparing a sixth nuclear test?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There has been persistent speculation. We're seeing even more of it right now for a variety of reasons, but the

most pressing reason is based on satellite images, data that was collected and released by a U.S.-

based monitoring group. They seem to suggest the same kind of evidence that we have been seeing for months now, which are

activities at North Korea's main nuclear site, which have led the experts to believe that they are

preparing for another nuclear test, that would be the sixth nuclear test.

The headline today being that it appears based on these images that they are prepped, they are prime and they are ready, they could go with this

test at any moment.

There will be no notice, no warning coming for the test. The first indication that it

has happened will be seismic sensors, which will show that there has been some activity.

The activity that you're looking at in those data images, according to the analysts, the experts, apparently are activity inside a command center

there, also within an administrative center there.

These images were recorded just a day ago, so it is the latest sign of activity. But they come after other images were released several weeks

ago, which showed more activity around the tunnels at this nuclear site.

And frankly it's been months now while this U.S.-based monitoring group has been saying that they've been observing activity after this site had been

quiet for some time. The last nuclear test happening back in September of 2016. Now people on the peninsula waiting, wondering if they could see it

happen really any day now, Ivan. And that's not just because of what the satellites seem to have

gathered, but it's also because of the timing here.

South Korean officials, of course, very sensitive to what's going on inside of North Korea. That would be the major holiday on Saturday, the

celebration of the birth of the founder. We know from past examples that North Korea has timed their most provocative actions to coincide with

either major national events or even international political happenings - Ivan.

[08:10:58] WATSON: Alex, it's a pretty politically sensitive time there in South Korea where you are. What could be some of the possible impact

there, the consequences if North Korea were to go ahead with a sixth nuclear test?

FIELD: It is an exceptionally sensitive time for a lot of reasons. You've got heightened tensions here right now. And you point out again as we keep

saying that this would be the sixth nuclear test. So, to some extent people in South Korea are of course used to observing these kinds of tests,

these kinds of acts from afar.

But this is a particularly important time given the political situation right here in South Korea. First of all, you've got the U.S. which has

brought in this aircraft carrier strike group toward the waters off of Korean Peninsula. That's been perceived by Pyongyang as a provocative

measure.

So, South Koreans are wondering how exactly the U.S. government would want to respond to a sixth nuclear test. You had leaders here in South Korea

assuring the public that they are working closely together with the U.S. on what any next move would be, but the fear for South Koreans is a preemptive

strike.

They know that any preemptive strike on North Korea would lead toward retaliation almost certainly on South Korea putting some 20 million people

in the Seoul metro area at incredible risk.

At the same time you have a presidential election which is going on right now. So, all sides are watching closely to see who could be elected

president. They are listening closely to hear how their presidential candidates would try and deal with provocations like nuclear tests, like

missile launches and how these candidates would try to work with with the U.S. in order to chart a course forward, Ivan.

WATSON: All right, Alexandra Field with the view from South Korea.

Let's now go up to China where Matt Rivers is now broadcasting live.

And Matt, we heard President Trump celebrating China's moves to restrict coal imports from North Korea.

How much of a difference is this likely to make?

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to make a big difference in the sense that China is one of the biggest purchasers of

North Korean coal. China can easily flex its economic leverage and that, Ivan, is why I think you heard Donald Trump be very praised - shower China

with a lot of praise in that news conference, because of how important this issue is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president of the United States.

RIVERS: When President Trump talked China on Wednesday, it wasn't the sharp, negative

rhetoric we're used to hearing, it was a tone more reserved for ally than adversary.

TRUMP: President Xi wants we had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North

Korea.

Constant missile and nuclear tests have both countries on edge. Trump has long said he thinks China should using its economic leverage to force North

Korea to stop developing weapons. And now, the president says China has been making progress in one specific area.

TRUMP: A lot of the coal boats have already been turned back. You saw that today. And today they've been turned back the vast amount of coal

that comes out of North Korea going to China. They've turned back the boats.

RIVERS: Coal is one of North Korea's most lucrative exports. And China was its biggest buyer. But that changed on February 18 when china

announced that it would stop North Korean coal imports for the rest of the year. New UN sanctions limit the amount of coal countries can buy, and

China said it was nearing that number.

HUANG SONGPING, CHINESE CUSTOMS SPOKESMAN (through translator): We implemented sanctions against North Korea by strictly abiding by relevant

UN Security Council resolutions.

RIVERS: A source with knowledge of North Korea's government operations here in the border city of Dan Dong (ph), also told CNN that nearly all

shipments of coal were returned by the end of March. And yet despite halting coal imports, China's trade volume with North Korea has actually

gone up nearly 40 percent in the first three months of 2017. The figures call into question China's willingness to actually put the economic

pressure on Pyongyang the Trump administration wants it to.

But many experts think that no matter how much food and fuel China sends across that bridge right there to North Korea, Kim Jong-un is not going to

give up his nuclear weapons program, because in reality, it's his only real card to play on the world stage.

President Trump. though, is still confident that his administration can solve a crisis where other

administrations have failed with or without China's help.

TRUMP: It may be effective, may not be effective. If it's not effective, we will be effective, I can promise you that.

RIVERS: Details on how the president plans to be effective on North Korea have not yet been released.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:15:49] RIVERS: And so Ivan, really a bit of whiplash there. You went from hearing President Trump really praise China for this coal import ban

because essentially they're doing what the Trump administration wants, at least when it comes to coal, using that economic leverage, but then just

this morning we get that data about trade that shows that China is still finding ways to spend a lot of money with North Korea both shipping stuff

over to North Korea and also buying things from North Korea.

So, it will be really interesting after all that praise that Donald Trump heaped on China, once the

administration sees these trade numbers, are they going to maybe reverse their tone a little bit and kind of go back to that sort of negative

rhetoric we got so used to hearing from Donald Trump on the campaign trail and as president-elect.

WATSON: And who knows what this unpredictable administration, how they may respond to it.

All right, I want to thanks our excellent correspondents there. That's Matt Rivers live from in Beijing, Alexandra Field in Seoul, and of course

Will Ripley in Pyongyang. Excellent coverage of this complicated, multifaceted and potentially explosive story.

Now some unexpected U-turns by President Donald Trump. We'll take a look at a number of

times he's changed his mind on policy.

And counting down to a crucial referendum that could radically change how Turkey is run. What does it mean for the region? We'll be live in Ankara

with the details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATSON: Welcome back to News Stream broadcasting live from Hong Kong with a view overlooking Victoria Harbor.

Now, President Trump has made several U-turns from statements he made during the election. As a candidate, he repeatedly criticized NATO, but

after meeting the NATO secretary-general, he says he changed his view because NATO has changed.

On Russia, he talked of improving relations with Moscow but now says they may be at an all-time low.

And he's changed his tune on China.

Now, for more on all of this, let's go to our senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns. He's at the White House right now.

Joe, we're feeling whiplash sometimes at this end of the world. I'm sure you must be feeling

that there in Washington. What more do you have on these dramatic policy reversals?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, whiplash is a good word for it, quite frankly, Ivan. Look, we're approaching the first 100 days in for Donald

Trump and those reversals on things like economic policy, especially foreign policy very, very noticeable, increasingly so just now.

And it really is just the best evidence yet that this young administration is starting to see the difference between what you say on the campaign

trail and what you do in the Oval Office.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete.

JOHNS (voice-over): In a stunning reversal, President Trump abandoning his often repeated hardline position on NATO.

TRUMP: NATO is obsolete. In my opinion, NATO is obsolete.

So here's the problem with NATO. It's obsolete.

JOHNS (voice-over): Asserting also that it was his criticism that prompted the alliance to start fighting terrorism.

TRUMP: I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change. And now, they do fight terrorism.

JOHNS (voice-over): Despite the fact that it has been a central focus of the military alliance for years. This about-face coming as Trump seeks

support from U.S. allies amid worsening relations with Russia.

TRUMP: Right now, we're not getting along with Russia at all.

JOHNS (voice-over): A geopolitical foe he has resisted criticizing in the past.

TRUMP: I think I get along very well with Vladimir Putin. I just think so.

Putin says very nice things about me. I think that's very nice.

JOHNS (voice-over): The President now hardening his tone but again, stopping short of going directly after the Russian President.

TRUMP: I'll also see about Putin over a period of time. Be a fantastic thing if we got along with Putin.

JOHNS (voice-over): However, Mr. Trump did make his feelings clear about Syria's brutal dictator.

TRUMP: That's a butcher. That's a butcher.

JOHNS (voice-over): A stark contrast to comments from administration officials last week who said, then, their priority is not toppling Assad.

President Trump still gushing over his summit last week with China's President.

TRUMP: President Xi wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding. We had a very good chemistry together.

JOHNS (voice-over): Telling "The Wall Street Journal" the Chinese are not currency manipulators after repeatedly saying so on the campaign trail.

TRUMP: They are a grand master at currency manipulation. Nobody has ever manipulated currency like China. Label China a currency manipulator.

JOHNS (voice-over): The President even offering an olive branch to Federal Reserve Chief Janet Yellen, telling the "Journal" he respects her after

saying this last September.

TRUMP (via phone): I think she's very political and to a certain extent, I think she should be ashamed of herself.

JOHNS (voice-over): Trump also telling reporters he prefers that Yellen keep interest rates low.

TRUMP (via phone): I think our dollar is getting too strong.

JOHNS (voice-over): The President's comments causing a sell-off of the dollar. Another reversal coming on health care.

TRUMP: I have to do health care first. I want to do it first to really do it right.

JOHNS (voice-over): It was just last month that the President said he was abandoning the issue after a bruising defeat in Congress. Now, he's

threatening to cut off federal payments to insurance markets in hopes he will be able to force Democrats to the negotiating table, a move that could

trigger turmoil in the insurance markets. Despite the flurry of flip-flops, the President insists one by one, we are keeping our promises.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: And you can add to this list of reversals, the president's apparent support for the export-import bank. He used to bash it on the campaign

trail as well.

The White House press secretary telling CNN just yesterday that all of this is an example of changed circumstances, Ivan.

WATSON: We're all going to need to invest in neck braces. That's Joe Johns live from the

White House. Thanks very much, Joe.

All right, now President Trump's decision last week to launch military strikes on Syria has resulted in anger from a bloc of key supporters.

CNN's Randi Kaye has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN IVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: President Donald Trump ordering a military strike in Syria was like a punch to the gut for the Alt-Right. A

group of Trump's most loyal supporters who in part voted for him because of his anti-war stance.

The Alt-Right's anger on display in a storm of online tweets, "Trump's base of support is gone if he goes to war with Syria," wrote blogger and author

Mike Cernovich. Just as the strike on Syria was beginning.

Alex Jones founder of the conspiracy driven Info Wars website said after the strike he give Trump the benefit of the doubt, but still tweeted, "We

are closer to the start of World War III than we have been in decades," along with the #nowarinsyria. In a separate tweet he asked if Trump's

strike on Syria was a sign of betrayal. And then this question, "Trump train headed to destination disappointment?" #syriastrikes.

[08:25:12] ALEX JONES, FOUNDER, INFOWARS.COM: I asked the question, why would Trump hit a chemical weapons depot with thousands of tons of

chemicals.

KAYE: Infowars editor Paul Joseph Watson also railed against Trump tweeting, "I guess Trump wasn't Putin's puppet after all, I'm officially

off the Trump train."

Right wing commentator Ann Coulter who campaigned for Trump tweeted her dismay, "Those who wanted us meddling in the Middle East voted for other

candidates, and this reminder Trump campaigned are not getting involved in Mideast. Said it always helps our enemies and creates more refugees. Then

he saw a picture on TV."

Even as far back as 2013, Trump said he was against U.S. involvement in the Middle East. He tweeted then that, Obama should save his powder, pleading

with him, "Do not attack Syria." This tweet from a veteran to Donald Trump was a clear sign his supporters had lost patience with his predecessor and

perhaps him to. It reads, "No more regime changes. No more American dead. No more no nation building. It's what you ran on."

Even before the U.S. strikes, some of Trump's Alt-Right base were even selling the idea that the chemical attack on the Syrian people was a hoax.

Blogger Mike Cernovich started the #Syriahoax and Infowars began referring to the attack as a false flag, suggesting it was only meant to draw the

United States into a war. The hash tag Syriahoax was reportedly an attempt to convince Trump to stay out of Syria.

When he didn't, to make his point, blogger Mike Cernovich stays live online for 11 hours, slamming Trump's decision.

MIKE CERNOVICH, DANGERANDPLAY.COM: -- Syria I'm moving to Argentina, if Trump is going to bring us to war, then that means there's no hope for

America.

KAYE: No hope for America or no hope for Alt-Right Trump supporters who may suddenly be wondering if their president is a dove or a hawk.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: All right, still ahead, the impending vote that could give more power to this man. Our Becky Anderson is live from Turkey's capital to

tell us what's at stake.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:31:00] WATSON: I want to take you to Turkey now. And that's a country on the brink of

making a major decision about its government. On Sunday, voters will have their say on how much power the president should have and the result of

this historic referendum could have huge implications for the region.

CNN's Becky Anderson is covering the referendum from Ankara. And she joins us live now.

Good to see you, Becky.

Let me say that Recep Tayyip Erdogan is arguably the most powerful leader Turkey has seen since the days of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk, the founder of the

modern Turkish Republic. He's been in power for 15 years since his party won elections in 2002. Why does he need more power now?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a very good question. Make no mistake, Ivan, this is a vote about the leadership of

one man, Recep Tayyip Erodgan, as you rightly pointed out, a right-wing populist strong man, says critics. And already authoritarian leader now

looking to consolidate his power in his hands and his hands only.

A yes, his critics say, would mean the demise of any vestiges of democracy in Turkey.

To his supporters, they say his reforms would end a dysfunctional Turkish- style parliamentary system which they say cripples the economy. It weakens confidence in civilian politics and they say paves the way for the sort of

military intervention we saw back in year.

Now, sources in both camps have conceded to us that this is a vote still very much on a knife edge. And as we found out, Ankara, this city is at

least a very much divided place.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON (voice-over): One night last summer, Turkey changed forever. A small army faction trying to snatch control of the country. For hours, it

seemed like the plotters would pull off their coup. But as word spread, Turks poured out of their home demanding they stop. They were met with

violence. More than 200 lost their lives, including Sevin's (ph) 35-year- old son, Batal (ph).

SABAHTTIN ILGIN (through translation): It was Friday and we worked together. We prayed. Then we heard the fighter jets. After a while we heard

the calls to prayer and my son left.

ANDERSON (on camera): Tell me, what happened on the night of the coup.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): Two people were shot right in front of us, then we stood up to pray. It all happened very fast. While we

were about to begin the prayer, they opened fire on us.

ANDERSON (voice-over): Thanks to people like Batal (ph), the coup was crushed. From it emerged an almighty purge. Under a state of emergency,

tens of thousands of military officials, civil servants, academics were fired or worse, arrested. Most of them charged with links to this man,

Fethullah Gulen, who President Erdogan blames for orchestrating the coup, an accusation Gulen denies.

The crackdown caught countless victims in its net. Like Nesla and Seti (ph), they used to work at Ankara University until last February, that is,

when they were fired for a petition for peace calling for an end to the crackdown on the Kurdish population.

(on camera): Neither of you had any involvement in the coup, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ANDERSON: Are either of you supporters of Gulen? Are you Gulanists?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no. The Gulen organization.

Seti (ph)?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are just academics of this country.

[08:35:05] ANDERSON: Personally, how has this whole episode affected you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Personally, actually, I felt that my academic life finished in Turkey.

ANDERSON: So, will you move away?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, we want to move away, but now all passports are canceled. They don't give us. As I know...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- visas right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Suspect of curses.

ANDERSON (voice-over): Now Turkey is on the brink of yet more political upheaval.

(on camera): In less than a week, people here will go to the polls to vote in an important referendum. A "yes" vote would mean more power concentrated

in the hands of President Erdogan. A "no" vote would be a rare political rebuke for his ambitions.

(voice-over): But regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear, Turkey is polarized, and it will be awhile before the rift brought about by the coup

and the purge that followed are healed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: This, then, is an historic vote, as you pointed out, Ivan, on Sunday. And with just three days of campaigning to go, both camps, as I

said, conceding that this vote is very, very tight.

And lest we forget to coin a hackneyed phrase,what happens in Turkey doesn't of course stay in Turkey. The future style of decision making and

the way this country's policies are shaped going forward have the potential at least to have far reaching ramifications around the world, not least in

this country's relations with its NATO allies

And in what are very unstable times here in the Middle East, and with Europe whose leaders have recently felt the wide reach of Erdogan's wrath.

So that's as things stand.

You asked a very good question at the front end of this, why increase in powers. He started, his critics will say, so he wants to finish - Ivan.

WATSON: All right, well, Becky will have much more on the changes facing Turkey in a

very special edition of her program Connect the World which will be live from Ankara. And that will start in about two-and-a-half hours. Thank you

very, very much Becky Anderson from Turkey.

You're watching News Stream. When we come back, an island in the Indian ocean cultivates a growing industry rivaling the Caribbean: the rums of

Mauritius, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATSON: Welcome back to the show.

Many of the world's best known rum producers are found in the Caribbean. But now the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is developing its own rum

industry joining with established exporters like Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, and Puerto Rico.

In less than a decade, Mauritian rum has won several prestigious awards. And its distilleries are becoming tourist attractions.

Neil Curry reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WENDA ROSE BHEEKA, RUM: My name is Wenda. I welcome to our rum factory, (inaudible) Rum Factory.

And I will be your guide for the tour. I will explain about the production of (inaudible) rum.

Our rum factory exists since 2008, nearly nine years and we reproduce agricultural rum.

It's a rum, which is made from the juice of the sugar cane. You have industrial rum also with made from molasses, which is the rest of sugar.

so, the sugar cane is a plant similar to the bamboo. But the bamboo is empty, the sugar cane is full of juice and fibers.

So, here we need the juice to make the rum.

All the harvest is done manually. The sugar canes are planted on slopey lands and the climate is

very good also to have a good variety of sugar cane.

Let's go down. I will show you the factory.

We started with like 20, 50 percent per day, now we are welcoming, 400, 500 guests per day.

Everything is done here, from the growth of the sugar cane, the harvest, the preparation of

the juice, up to distillation and aging of rums in the barrels.

We will place the sugar cane in horizontal way. They will be passing in a first machine, which is called a cane cutter where the (inaudible) will be

cut into into little pieces. And then afterwards they will pass in the (inaudible) machine with 24 (inaudible) to break the sugar cane, because

the stem is very hard. We need to break them and then crush them in the mills of the woods.

These are all the different types of rum that we produce here.

Over there, they are really enjoying, tasting of all these different types of rum, starting from a rum punch, going to white rum, (inaudible) rum,

ending by the liquors.

So they have all these rums to taste over there. I guess that they are very happy.

Most people around the world use, they used to discover rum from Martinique, Guadalupe and other places.

So discovering Mauritius white sand, sea, beach and rum, it's something very new, which is very interesting.

There's a lot of demand for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: I would also recommend rum from Barbancourt 5 Etoile Rhum from Haiti.

With that, that is News Stream. I'm Ivan Watson. But don't go anywhere, World Sport with Rhiannon Jones is coming up next.

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