Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
North Korea Threatens To Strike Guam; Opposition Leader Claims Election System, Hacked; Groups Face Govt. Pressure Over Migrant Operations Aired 8-9a ET
Aired August 09, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Welcome to "News Stream."
President Donald Trump says U.S. will react with fire and fury if North Korea continues to make threats. North Korea has a fury of it's own to
attack this, the American territory of Guam, with Washington and Pyongyang locked in a stand up. We'll look at the global impact and reaction from
around the world.
Fire and fury, words spoken not by the leader of North Korea, but by the president of the United States. On Tuesday, Donald Trump warned Pyongyang
to stop making threats, or said that it could face, in his words, power, the likes of which the world has never seen before. And in just the last
hour while in Guam, the top U.S. diplomat explained the meaning of these remarks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REX TILLERSON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think the president -- what the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language
that Kim Jong-un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language.
I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the U.S. has unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend
itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: We are used to that kind of heated bellicose rhetoric from North Korea. On Wednesday, there was more of it. A statement was issued by
statement there which is to turn the U.S. mainland into a theater of nuclear war, if there was any sign of an impending US attack.
North Korea also says it is fitting a plan to launch military strikes around the U.S. territory of Guam. Any military conflict between the U.S.
and North Korea would have major global implications. Two countries that could be the firing line, South Korea and Japan. Seoul is hoping peace.
Stability will prevail. And Tokyo with a statement of support for U.S. policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOSHIHIDE SUGA, JAPANESE CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY (through translator): The United States have said all options are on the table. The Japanese
government supports this attitude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: China is seen as a key player when it comes to dealing with North Korea. Beijing voted to impose tough new U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang. But
if Kim Jong-un's regime collapses, refugees would come flooding across the border.
Beijing has pushed for calm on all sides and is calling for dialogue. Other regional powers are speaking as well. Prime minister of Australia had harsh
words for North Korea, warned conflict would be catastrophic. The leader of New Zealand was critical of President Trump's latest threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL ENGLISH, PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: I'm worried that those comments are not helpful when the situation is so tense. I think you have
seen the reaction from North Korea that indicates that kind of comment is more likely to escalate than to to settle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: What about the target of North Korea's threat? Guam might be a remote island in the pacific, but its governor stresses it is still U.S.
territory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. EDDIE CALVO (R), GUAM: An attack or threat on Guam is a threat or attack on the United States. They have said that America will be defended.
And I also want to remind the national media that Guam is American soil. And we have 200,000 Americans in Guam and the Marianas. We are not just a
military installation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: I'll go straight to Guam now. Journalist Robert Sanchez joins us now live. Robert, thank you for joining us. Give us a sense of the concern,
the level of concern there in Guam about this threat from North Korea.
ROBERT SANTOS, JOURNALIST: It certainly got a lot of people to think twice and to be on high alert. But it is not something that they are concerned
losing sleep over or definitely not stocking up on (INAUDIBLE). What I see, you know, we have typhoons all the time here and people are stock up more
for that than they are for this at this point. So, I visited the stores. I don't see anyone stocking up.
But it's certainly something that they are concerned especially because Guam (INAUDIBLE). We did have another threat a couple of years ago and
that's the reason why (INAUDIBLE) to get the missile defense system here in the island. So, it is about 50-50. There are some people who believe with
that missile system here with U.S. on our side, with us being U.S. territory, we are protected. And on the other hand, there are some people
who ask, are we really, you know,
[08:05:00] Guam has sort of been in the middle of countries for so many years. The Guam Museum is right behind us here. You see decades if not
centuries of history. In 1898, it was Guam in the middle of Spain and U.S. In World War II, it was Guam in the middle of U.S. and Japan.
During the gulf war, it was the Middle East, it was Iraq against the U.S., and Guam was -- wasn't name specifically as being (INAUDIBLE) at that
point. But we as local, I was living around this time on Guam, I was high school student, we always thought that they are looking right at us. That
Guam is very strategic for the U.S. and all eyes are on us. We always lived under that threat, but it never really stopped us from living our lives.
LU STOUT: Interesting. So many existential threats before. As you said, this latest threat from North Korea has not led to any sort of panic buying
there in Guam. But this is a different threat. North Korea name checking Guam, making this direct threat, targeting Guam. That must be unsettling
for a lot of people there.
SANTOS: It sure is, especially, you know. we have woken up to the news. In fact, we heard the news from a lot of our friends and family in states
because they were already -- it's day time for them and they were listening to it. So we woke up getting all the messages on social media from them.
Definitely one of shocking concern, but we know that there is not much we can do. We are counting on our local leaders to be in touch and they have
been with the top U.S. dignitaries. We are taking their word. Everything is fine. They say the threat level has not been raised in any way. But this is
definitely something that is pretty serious.
You know, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson coming from Manila here to Guam, likely landing at Anderson Air Force Base. We had not heard anything
more than that in part because it is already 10 o'clock in the evening and there is much going on at this point.
Perhaps, I'm almost certain he has been in touch with the governor and our homeland security advisor. So, all those assurances, that's all we got to
go by. That's all we have to go by and so the people out there are people who are assured and confident that we are all safe.
LU STOUT: Robert Santos live for us from Guam. Thank you so much. Take care.
China just released a statement calling the situation complex and sensitive. It is calling for all sides to tone down their remarks to avoid
escalating tension even further. Will Ripley has more from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like
the world has never seen.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An extraordinary warning from the U.S. president, then North Korea's threat to attack Guam,
the U.S. overseas territory with two military bases, all pointing to a potential nightmare for China, North Korea's only global ally.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Avoiding a military conflict, avoiding regime clashing in North Korea is the top priority of the Beijing government.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Analysts say China still use North Korea as a strategic buffer between itself and South Korea. The U.S. maintains a large
troop presence. Beijing also fears an influx of refugees if the Pyongyang regime collapses with a long border between the two nations.
Over the weekend, China voted along with the rest of the U.N. Security Council to impose punitive sanctions on North Korea for its recent tests of
long-range missiles despite a U.N. ban.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think even a U.N. resolution is going to have a much difference impact on North Korea's nuclear policy. As a result after
well the U.S. will again be disappointed about the results and it will again put more pressure on China.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Trump has certainly done that several times, most recently on Twitter, accusing China of doing nothing and saying it could
easily solve the problem. Chinese officials have always brushed aside such criticism, insisting China is not the root cause of the current crisis and
has fatefully implemented all U.N. sanctions.
As North Korea's largest trading partner, China says it is going to bear the brunt of economic sacrifices to enforce the latest U.N. resolution.
Beijing also stresses the issue is not an economic one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ((through translator): The international community has told North Korea to abandon its development of nuclear warheads. This is a
security issue. While the North Korean side believes it has been threatened and pressured militarily, which is also a security issue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For China, the only objective for now is to have a near- term agreements to (INAUDIBLE) freeze North Korea's nuclear missile program.
RIPLEY (voice-over): With fiery rhetoric flying from both
[08:10:00] Washington and Pyongyang, analysts say Beijing simply doesn't see what more it could as the risk rises for an accidental war on its
doorstep. Will Ripley, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: President Donald Trump made his fiery comment from his golf resort in New Jersey. Joe Johns is with us now live from Bridgewater, New
Jersey. Joe, we heard that soundbite earlier. Donald Trump threatening to unleash fire and fury against North Korea. Any more clarity on what he
means by that?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: There is a bit more clarity this morning and that comes from the secretary of state who headed back to
United States from Kuala Lumpur, stopped to refuel in Guam, he had an interview on the plane, and the secretary of state's view is that the
president of the United States was simply attempting to speak to the North Korean leader in terms that he understands.
We also have tweets this morning from the president. Among them, talking about his -- the nuclear arsenal. He says, my first order as president was
to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenals now for stronger, more powerful than ever before. Hopefully, we will never have to use this power,
the president's rights, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world.
So, those words from the president's Twitter account are very much in contrast with what the secretary of state seems to be saying. He also
pointed out in that interview that in his view, nothing has changed dramatically over the last 24 hours. He said Americans should sleep well at
night. Kristie.
LU STOUT: As you pointed out, major muscle flexing by President Trump this morning on Twitter and Tillerson in Guam. He may say those comments by
Trump, strong message to Pyongyang, but President Trump used very strong words as the White House use such he did rhetoric before?
JOHNS: It's very hard to find anything going back decades. That is as incendiary as these words by the president of United States uttered about
North Korea, so highly unusual. A lot of questions this morning as to whether the president consulted advisers in fashioning that language.
Also not quite clear what he meant when he was referring to threats that would trigger an American response, whether he was referring to rhetorical
threats, which come quite frequently from North Korea or whether he was referring more tangible physical military threats that could certainly
cause global concern. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, certainly. Joe Johns reporting live for us. Thank you, Joe. Take care.
The U.S. defense secretary has warned of severe consequences if there was a war in the Korean peninsula. Now back in June, he told congress that the
human toll would be devastating.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: It will be a war more serious in terms of human suffering than anything we have seen since 1953. It will
involve the massive showing of ally's capital, which is one of the most densely packed cities on earth. It would be a war that fundamentally we
don't want, and we would have our allies and us. We would win a great cost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: James Mattis was referring to the potential impact on Seoul, a city with population of some 10 million. Alexandra Field is in the South
Korea capital. She joins us live. Alex, we have this escalating war of words between North Korea and U.S. president. How is that resonating in
South Korea today?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, as you well know, people in South Korea have lived under a threat from North Korea for
decades now. And they are more used to it than perhaps anyone with the kind of bellicose rhetoric that you routinely get from North Korea. They are
constantly threatening nuclear war. It was a few days ago that they were threatening to turn U.S. mainland into a sea of indescribable fire.
So, not every line from North Korea grabs the attention of government officials here or the person who is a living in Seoul despite their
proximity to North Korea. But the reality here is that North Korea does not need intercontinental ballistic missiles and they do not nuclear weapons in
order to conduct an attack right here in the region.
No one is suggesting that North Korea would do that, that the most concerning aspect of the situation is that when you get into a war of
words, there can be a mistake that leads to conflict. That is really the concern right now. And that's part of the reason that you got leaders
stepping up throughout the region
[08:15:00] like right here in South Korea. You got President Moon Jae-in again saying that there is need to overhaul, to fully improve, to bring it
up to the highest grade possible the defense capabilities in this country.
You got lawmakers in Japan saying similar things about deterrent capabilities. They want to know that they are ready to be able to protect
their people should there be a misstep. And frankly, when you talk about rhetoric that gets this heated, the officials in the region just want to
lower the temperature. Kristie.
LU STOUT: So is there security game changer here in the region because of Donald Trump, because of the dangerous rhetoric, because of the tensions
trashing out? Do we have governments in South Korea and Japan now looking for ways to protect themselves independent of the U.S.?
FIELD: I think independent is probably a a stretcher, is almost certainly a stretcher. What you have is them trying to see what they can do with the
terms of the relationship that they have with United States. At 100 percent, Japan and South Korea are counting on the firm commitment of their
decades-old ally, the U.S., to provide the security and defense the U.S. has agreed to provide.
You got 30,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. You got another 50,000 troops stationed in Japan. But, Kristie, very much to your point here. We
have seen the government in South Korea taking steps to see how they can expand their own capabilities within the structures and the tenant of the
tenets of the defense agreement that they have with U.S. Notably different actions, like the president has abdicated to increase the payload of
missile here in South Korea, that's one step that they're looking at.
So they are really trying to see what they can do to leverage their capacities here to the maximum extent. They do not want to lose the ally
here. They are depending on the ally, that's for sure. And that is part of the reason I would speculate that you have not seen officials in the region
remark directly about the comments that were made by President Trump.
It is shocking to hear U.S. commander-in-chief speak this way, but there is a defense relationship that needs to be protected here. And those comments,
of course, come on the heels of the visit from the secretary of state who is very much working in concert with his diplomatic counterparts right here
in the region, to try and work together with (INAUDIBLE) course forward to enforce sanctions against North Korea.
All of them very much on the same page that they would like to achieve dialogue with North Korea. So, you're going to see allies like Japan and
South Korea really continuing to show it. It seems that they are in lockstep with the U.S. if the priority continues to be de-nuclearization of
the peninsula and peaceful resolution of the mounting conflicts here. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Peace for being the operative word here. Alexandra Field reporting live for us from Seoul. Thank you.
The Japanese government has backed U.S. condemnation of North Korea. But many Japanese say that they fear a military conflict so close to home.
Kaori Enjoji has more now from Tokyo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAORI ENJOJI, TOKYO BUREAU CHIEF, CNBC: Disdain and discomfort on the streets of Tokyo today over a war rhetoric between North Korea and the U.S.
president, especially as the exchange came on the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki.
ENJOJI (voice-over): As the only country to come under nuclear attack, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe commemorated the day with hope for peace. But
that hope is more challenging now as tensions grow in the Korean peninsula.
Because of its wartime experience, (INAUDIBLE) runs deep in Japanese society, even after two North Korean missiles landed in Japanese waters in
the month of July.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We don't want to stay at war. There must be another way to solve this.
ENJOJI (voice-over): For some though, a North Korean threat to attack Guam seems too close for comfort, particularly since Guam has long been a
popular vacation spot for Japanese tourists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I think it is encouraging to hear the American president say there is work. I am grateful.
ENJOJI (voice-over): For now, the Japanese government is sticking close to its usual line in condemning North Korea.
SUGA (through translator): The United States have said all options are on the table. The Japanese government supports this attitude.
ENJOJI: But some average Japanese are starting to ask what if, not what if there is war, but what if North Korea prompts Japan to veer off its pass of
the pledge. And that thought, more than the thought of actual confrontation, seems to be the most discomforting of all. Kaori Enjoji,
CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: North Korea has released a Canadian pastor who was held for two and a half years. North Korea media reports that the was released for
humanitarian reasons. A family spokesman says the 62-year-old's health had deteriorated in North Korean custody. He was serving a life sentence of
hard labor after being convicted of crimes against the state in December of 2015.
We are learning new and alarming details about North Korea's weapons program, what U.S. intelligence assessments are now saying of the country's
nuclear capabilities.
[08:20:00] Also ahead, French police are now scouring the capital looking for the driver of a car that slammed into soldiers in the Paris suburb.
We'll have latest on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: We are live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching "News Stream."
Now, let's go back to our top news story this hour. The war of words between the U.S. and North Korea. Pyongyang says it is studying a plan to
launch military strikes around the U.S. territory of Guam (INAUDIBLE) U.S. bombers from the island flew over the Korean peninsula in a show of force.
Meanwhile, President Trump is warning North Korea it could face fire and fury if it continues to threaten the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
says those remarks are meant to send the strong message to Pyongyang.
There is growing concern about the capability of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Pentagon reporter Ryan Browne joins us now. Ryan, these
reports are suggesting that North Korea is making missile-ready nuclear weapons. What are your sources telling you?
RYAN BROWNE, CNN PENTAGON REPORTER: That's right, Kristie. We are beginning to understand that one in military assessment from the Defense Intelligence
Agency is kind of come to the conclusion that North Korea has likely been able to produce a miniaturized nuclear warhead that cold potentially be
fixed into a ballistic missile.
Again, they haven't tested this. There are still other capabilities that North Korea will need to be acquired in order to actually have a
functioning nuclear missile, reentry of the delivery vehicle, targeting things of that nature. But it would be a concerning development if this
assessment bears out to be the case.
This comes a month after North Korea successfully tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles almost back to back, and, you know,
something that hadn't been seen before. So, two kind of major advancements in the North Korean missile and nuclear weapons program of concerns to the
Pentagon.
LU STOUT: A a very disturbing picture, what the DPRK could be capable of. Let's talk about that threat on Guam. Your thoughts on that. Can North
Korea carry out its threat and launch a strike on Guam?
BROWNE: Well, they haven't any ability yet to kind of launch a ballistic missile capable of doing that. Again, there are some elements of kind of
reentry into the atmosphere. Some of these technical things they have to work out. The United States military were told has maintained the missiles
pretty robust, the missile defense system on Guam.
That missile system actually is already in place there in Guam. That is capable of shooting down intermediate range missiles. So, Rex Tillerson
actually is in Guam today, was part of the State Department trip to Asia, speaking, you know, saying that the
[08:25:00] U.S. has confidence in its ability to defend Guam. We've heard this kind of rhetoric out of Pyongyang before, threatening U.S. military
installations around in the region. Of course, Anderson Air Force Base is there in Guam with substantial number of U.S. personnel. Again, I think
this is particularly out of the ordinary. But the U.S. military is quite confident it could defend Guam if the need arose.
LU STOUT: All right. Ryan Browne reporting live for us. Thank you.
Police have arrested a suspect after a car mowed down a group of soldiers in the suburbs of Paris. It is an act that the local mayor says was
deliberate. Now, he told CNN affiliate BFMTV that the car was waiting in a small alleyway for some troops to come out of the barracks. Six soldiers
were injured and three seriously.
Melissa Bell joins us from the Paris suburbs where this attack took place, with more of the story, and most the hunt is on. What's the latest on the
search for this driver?
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: You are just been hearing, Kristie, from front his interior ministry that an arrest has indeed now been made in
the context of that hunt that began as you say with event here in this alleyway about 8 a.m. this morning, six hours ago that BMW driving towards
the six military personnel that were heading off for their patrol this morning.
Now, that hunt then went on for a long time. The interior ministry would not give us anymore information than that, the fact that an arrest had been
made. (INAUDIBLE) is now reporting that the arrest was made on (INAUDIBLE) the north of Paris, so good six hours after this incident this morning. We
don't know anymore yet about the persons involved, their identity, or indeed the motivation.
But clearly, this has been labeled as a terror attack by the mayor of Levallois-Perret that he mentioned a while ago, he said, we have to call it
spade to spade. But it is of course an anti-terror investigation that has now been launched and that will determine precisely what this person was
hoping to achieve when he rammed into the group of military personnel this morning.
LU STOUT: An arrest has been made in just the latest of string of attacks, targeting French forces. This has happened many times before. What kind of
security is available for police and soldiers in France when they are being targeted this way?
BELL: What's so interesting is that they have become the targets of those recent attacks. This is the sixth terror attack this year, if this is what
it turns out to be, Kristie. And it is the sixth terror attack against security personnel. So either policemen and women or military personnel,
but always those who are out patrolling Francis Street (ph) as part of the heightened security operation that has been put in place.
Now, part of that is the Operation Sentinelle, that is the military operation, as part of which these military men and women were taking part
of patrol this morning that it has been (INAUDIBLE) since January of 2015, when you will remember the Charlie Hebdo attack took place, launching the
wave of attacks that we've been following over the course of the last couple of years.
This state of emergency will come to an end and already the government is looking at pushing into law, some of the measures that would allow the
French state to try and keep its people as safe as possible. Six times now this year. Policemen and women, military personnel, specifically,
deliberately attacks.
Of course, this is another reminder of the fact that although this is suburb of Paris with many cameras all around, that these were well armed
men and women, and as well those other personal attacks over the course of the last few months, it is simply impossible to have a sort of zero threat
level.
That was another of the messages coming from the mayor of Levallois-Perret this morning. Clearly, anti-terror investigation wants to work out every
time over the course of the last weeks, whether this man was working with anyone else, whether he pledged to legions, to any organizations, and
precisely what his motivations were.
LU STOUT: Melissa Bell reporting live for us. Thank you. Escalating rhetoric in the North Korea standoff is fueling new concerns. After the
break, we will talk to a CNN correspondent who has reported from inside the country many times.
Also ahead, an explosive claim of voter fraud from the leader of Kenya's opposition party, but the election commission says, it will be days until
we know the final result. We'll have more on that next.
[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream and these are your world headlines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: North Korea is threatening to strike areas around the U.S. territory of Guam. U.S. bomber based on the island, flew over the Korean
Peninsula in a show of force earlier this week.
Meanwhile, President Trump is warning North Korea, it could face fire and fury if it continues to threaten the U.S.
Now police have arrested a suspect in the attack necessarily a group of soldiers in the suburb of Paris. A local mayor says a car slammed into
side left their barracks. Police say six of them were injured, three seriously. The mayor says there was no doubt it was a deliberate act.
Rescuers are working to save people buried under piles of debris after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern China. Media says least 19 people
died and 247 were injured. U.S. geological survey says the quake had an attitude of 6.5. Another quake struck Northwestern China early on
Wednesday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Let's return to our tops news story this hour. North Korea is threatening to strike the U.S. territory of Guam. Will Ripley has reported
extensively from North Korea. He joins us now live from Beijing.
And Will, I mean, try to explain to us like why is North Korea doing this? I mean report suggested North Korea is making missile already nuclear
weapons, what do they want to do?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, remember last year, Kristie, North Korea was testing at a really frenzied pace, their intermediate range
missiles.
The kind of missiles that could theoretically strike Guam, which is a small target and missiles will have to be quite accurate to actually succeed.
It's 210 square miles but it's home to major U.S. military assets. You have Naval Base Guam. You have a Coast Guard station, 33 percent of the
island is U.S. military.
There are thousands of troops there and the U.S. just of flew a bombing mission, a bomber flyover of the Korean Peninsula on Monday. There were
two B-1Bs and a show of force.
They flew 2100 miles from Guam to the Korean Peninsula and last month, the U.S. also flew two supersonic jets from Guam. And so, this is why North
Korea's response, the statement that they put out is specifically mentioning this particular island.
Talking about looking at attack plans but Guam does have, just like South Korea, the THAAD missile defense system which the U.S. does feel fairly
confident and could protect the island, and all of the people who lived there, more than 160,000 of them from any incoming attack.
LU STOUT: And that is why North Korea is threatening to target this island. Now, we have reached this dangerous new level in the standoff with
North Korea. What is the way out here? Is there a way for both sides to climb down and lower the temperature?
RIPLEY: Well, I know you played earlier that -- that sound from Secretary of State in the United States Rex Tillerson, who was speaking on his plane
and route to Guam.
He made a surprise visit, just a quick refueling stop but in his words, were words of calm, to try to reassure, one, Americans that they do not
face an imminent threat in his view from North Korea, and also defending the -- the rhetoric of the president, saying that the president is just
speaking a language that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un can understand.
[08:35:00] Also though making it very clear from the State Department's perspective that they are very interested in finding a diplomatic route
with North Korea. Now how they get there? China and the United States, two major stakeholders here obviously have very different views.
China would like to see the U.S. suspending its military exercises in exchange for North Korea suspending its missile program where as the United
States would like to put so much economic pressure that it will force the regime to its knees and forced them to the negotiating table from a
position not necessarily a strength but more desperation.
North Korea would say that nothing will put them in that position, which may be why you continue to see this defined rhetoric from North Korea and
also these -- these missile tests.
But at the end of the day, the sense I get from speaking with North Korean officials is that, they would like a dialogue with the United States.
They would just like it on their own terms, so coming to terms from two countries with very different views at the moment is going to be the big
challenge diplomatically.
LU STOUT: Got it. Will Ripley reporting live for us. Thank you, Will. The leader of Kenya's opposition party is lagging behind the preliminary
election results and now, his claims country's voting system has been hacked.
Raila Odinga spoke at the press conference to accuse his rivals of vote fraud. He says the preliminary results of the presidential election posted
on the electoral commission's website that showed Uhuru Kenyatta in the lead are fake.
CNN's Farai Sevenzo is following the election and he joins us now from Nairobi. Farai, we are still waiting at the final results of the vote and
already we have the opposition leader Raila Odinga crying foul, how so?
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, you're right. WE are on the second day.
Yesterday, great scenes of people voting but today, it's about the results and all through the night, as Mister Odinga said, these results from the
IEBC's website were coming through and he called foul.
And that if the way he said it was fake. He even have this elaborate -- well don't know how truth is we haven't been able to verify it.
But they record a murdered official from the IEBC, his password was used to manipulate the results. There is -- there is no evidence of that we're
find.
But interestingly -- then the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission came out and said, hang on a second, we haven't given you that
full results.
What you're seeing in our websites is not the final tally. We have another five days in which to do this and of course the biggest concern of all, is
that there is a forum called Form 34A which all the candidates are supposed to see and sign, and verify the results.
That is what the IEBC have confirmed is missing. So you know, wait, it kind of making a nudge to the opposition leaders who claims that no, this
is not all clear.
And interestingly enough again, Kristie, the Human Rights Commission of Kenya has come out and said, the result we see so far are opaque.
And also, the figures that they are saying, cannot be independently verified.
So in this flux mode and we're speaking to outside the tallying send a information just outside of Nairobi, packs of press all over the place. We
are also waiting for result, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Controversy even before the final official result is announced. Farai Sevenzo reporting live for us from Nairobi, thank you.
The Mediterranean Sea is already a dangerous place for migrants but the region is getting more paralyzed, thanks to tensions between some
governments and aid groups. We have that story just ahead.
[08:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, we have reported extensively on the dangers migrants face while crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Over 100,000 migrants
reach Europe by this -- this year, but more than 2,300 died on the way.
That seems some governments are blaming the influx of migrants on aid groups with the Libyan Coast Guard firing warning shots at an NGO ship.
Nic Robertson has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: That's the Libyan Coast Guard firing warning shots at a Spanish NGO ship open arms as it
tries to come to the aid of migrants 13 miles of Libya's coast. Next, sending this blunt message.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have been monitoring you for the last two days. You are conducting suspicious activities. There is information that you are
dealing with smugglers. Do not come back close to our waters. Next time you will be targeted.
ROBERTSON: The message and the shooting confirmed by the Libyan Coast Guard signals a dangerous rising tensions of the Mediterranean migrants.
Last week Italy, over burden by migrants arriving from Libya authorized its navy to deploy near the Libyan coast to deter smugglers, the request of
Libya's Government of National Accord.
But Libya has no central authority and days later, one leading Libyan Commander, general Haftar ordered his forces to confront ships sailing into
Libyan waters, and the situation is only getting more chaotic.
A growing concern that NGOs who rescue migrants are encouraging people smugglers, right-wing European vigilante groups are in the med and
threatening NGOs. Here defend Europe C-Star, challenges NGO vessel Aquarius.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have warned to leave the FBI area cause the (Inaudible) of all factor that human trafficker make it a billion.
ROBERTSON: Both Italy and NATO are trying to impose order rescuing migrants, rounding up smugglers and setting standards for NGOs, including
forcing NGOs to take on Italian police on future missions.
A move NGOs feel compromises the independence with smugglers, NATO, the Italian Navy, the Libyan Coast Guard, NGO's, vigilante groups and normal
commercial traffic crowding the Western land. The chances of a more serious incident are growing. Nic Robertson, CNN London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout and World Sport with Alex Thomas is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
