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Tears and Joy Seen as U.K. Bids Goodbye to E.U.; Coronavirus Now a Global Crisis as per WHO; President Trump Now Sees a Silhouette of Victory. Aired 3-3:30a ET

Aired January 31, 2020 - 03:00   ET

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

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi. I'm Max Foster in London where the countdown to final Brexit exit has already begun.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Natalie Allen in Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom.

FOSTER: Well, we are just hours away from the U.K. actually leaving the European Union. It's going to happen at 11 o'clock tonight and Brussels, the very heart of the E.U. of course there have been markings of the event as well. Hundreds gathered to mark the historic day.

The U.K. officially leaves at midnight in Brussels, that's 11 pm here. Both protests and celebrations are expected across the country.

This is a day, years in the making really, the day Britain leaves the European Union after the relationship that lasted actually 47 years.

Here's a look at Friday's key events. At 10 p.m. London time Boris Johnson will address the country calling this the dawn of a new era and pledging to unite the country.

Around 10.50 p.m. the countdown clock will be projected here onto 10 Downing Street. Eleven p.m. Brexit will be official, it will happen. Around that time the U.K. flag will be removed from the display of E.U. member flags outside the European Parliament in Brussels.

Well, for more on what's to come, CNN's Nina Dos Santos is in Brussels. We're going to get first though to Nic Robertson who is standing by in Sunderland in England where the cabinets are expected to meet in the coming hours.

Nic, what's the message broadly from Boris Johnson and why are they meeting where you are?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Extraordinary. I mean, it's not often, if ever, in recent times that the cabinet will pick itself from London and move somewhere else.

So, Sunderland. Sunderland was the first place to vote for Brexit, of course everyone voted the same day, 23rd of June 2016, rather, but Sunderland got the vote counted first. Sixty-one percent of the population here voted for Brexit, across the country 52 percent voted to leave and 40 percent remain.

So, the prime minister is coming here in part, to say thank you, in part, to mark that this is entering a different era, but also in part to mark what was a big part of his election campaign and gave him this, the big boost the majority has in parliament.

The majority, in fact, that's enabled him to move ahead with Brexit and that is to level up the north of England. It's about three and a half hours on the train, 240 miles close to 400 kilometers up here from London right up in the northeast of the country.

And the north typically has been the sort of more impoverished less economically well-off part of the country that's seeing the traditional industries like here in Sunderland. The coal mining that had gone on for centuries that's withered the ship building here all but gone.

These were the main state industries across not just Sunderland but up the coast in Newcastle and across the other side of the country as well. And the north of Britain has suffered economically in the past decades.

And the prime minister's message is to level all of that up and give the north a better economic shot. to put it on the better economic footing similar to the south. London is the big economic hub in the U.K. of course but the north often gets overlooked.

So, the prime minister's message today is we are not overlooking you, I'm here to thank you for voting for Brexit and we will talk about that new era, of course.

Interestingly, I would add on to that, in the last elections the all three M.P.s return here in Sunderland all from the opposition Labour Party. So, Brexit backing but not per se support for this prime minister.

FOSTER: OK. Interesting. We'll be following that meeting very closely. Boris Johnson still currently here in London about to set off his car just to my right.

Nina is in Brussels. Interesting here -- hearing that message from Downing Street, isn't it, Nina? This positivity a new era coming forward instead of the era that we're leaving behind. That that era coming up is going to be really, really tough with the negotiations on a trade deal.

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It will, but we before we go into hearing that message let me just make sure that you hear the bagpipes here that are accompanying the Brexit party MEPs who since 1999 in the previous guys of the U.K. Independence Party led by Nigel Farage are making their way out of the European Parliament armed with, of course, that famous Union Flag, the so-called Union Jack when it sails on ships. [03:05:05]

That saw them take it out to European Parliament earlier on this week unceremoniously turf up by the Speaker Mairead McGuinness. They are parading through the place here towards the Place du Savoir (Ph) in Brussels.

And if any viewers here are taking their 10.56 train back from Brussels Mideast station to London, you are probably going to be sitting next to one of these fellows. They are triumphantly marching out of the European Parliament.

Now that is the Brexit view, but of course remember that there is, of course 450 million citizens who are now together without the U.K.'s member as of midnight Brussels time. And that's something the presidents of the European Parliament, the commission and also the council, those three key bodies of the E.U. machinery have been talking to today.

They are expected to make a statement in around about an hour from now. Here in the parliament and ahead of that they have put out an open letter to the remaining citizens of the E.U. whether or not to the department citizens of the U.K.

One of the key quotes that they say in this is, quote, "our thoughts are with those who have helped to make the European Union what it is today. We will think about the U.K. and its people, their creativity, their ingenuity, their culture and traditions that have been a vital part of the European Union's tapestry."

Obviously, the cultural tradition there you could hear in the background with the bagpipes.

What's also interesting about that letter that the European Union's key three figures put out earlier today is that it really nods to the kind of difficulties that the U.K. and the E.U. will now have as they start to hammer out a trading relationship in the next couple of months to come.

The E.U. leaders say here that you, you know, you can't have access, unfettered access to the single market if you don't adhere to the rules and regulations, so called level playing field that we would like to see you adhere to. And they've already started to stipulate conditions even just gently in this letter.

But really, this is a day of ceremony, a circumstance, also sadness to someone who don't want to leave and a lot of people in Brussels would be marking this moment at midnight when the clock strikes 12 in Central Brussels.

Yesterday we saw the Grand Place or Markt Grote also lit up in the colors of the Union Flag. Max?

FOSTER: Nina, a big moment. Interesting hearing the bagpipes as well. Many people in Scotland of course firmly against Brexit. A lot to break down here. For more perspective I'm talking about the

British conservative commentator Nile Gardiner, he joins me from our London bureau. He is also a former aide to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. What do think she would have made of all of this then?

(Technical problem)

FOSTER: OK. We got some audio issues there. We will be coming back to him though. Margaret Thatcher, of course one of the most famous prime ministers, Natalie. You had a (Inaudible) views of the European Union. We'll be hearing them from Nile a bit later on.

A momentous day here in the U.K., whatever the future holds, this is a big moment in European history.

ALLEN: It absolutely is. Max Foster for us. All right. Max, I think we are back to you. We have our guest again.

FOSTER: We do? Do we? OK. Nile, can you hear me OK? We don't. We're just teasing you, Natalie. We'll be bringing it later on.

ALLEN: Yes. We tried. We gave it. We try. All right. That's not a sign that things will go wrong with Brexit. OK? All right.

FOSTER: No. It is going to be very smooth.

ALLEN: Yes. All right, Max. We'll see you in a moment.

Let's look at some other news. Of course, we are following the coronavirus. The World Health Organization now declaring it a global health emergency. The immediate impact was a warning from the U.S. State Department telling Americans not to travel to China.

The number of confirmed cases is up sharply to nearly 10,000. Two hundred thirteen have died since the disease surfaced seven weeks ago. Global health experts are concerned the virus is now spreading from person to person including the first such case in the United States.

CNN's Steven Jiang is covering the story for us in Beijing. Steven, hello to you. Has there been reaction from Beijing to the World Health Organization's declaration?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN PRODUCER: Natalie, the reaction -- their reaction has come very quickly. Now one effect of this WHO -- WHO declaration is of course China will be expected to work much more closely with the international community when it comes to its containment efforts of the virus.

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Now to that effect, the government is saying we have been doing this all along. A foreign ministry spokeswoman said that the Chinese government has always been transparent and responsible when it comes to sharing information and data about the virus with the international community. And she said such actions actually have been reaffirmed and praised by

the WHO's leadership. But she also said the Chinese government has been implementing the most comprehensive and the most astringent measures when it comes to dealing with this virus since the outbreak began.

And that is far exceeding the Chinese government's international obligations. Now, of course, when the Chinese state media report -- reported this news out of Geneva, they have been emphasizing that at this juncture the WHO is now recommending any travel or trade restrictions against China.

But still we are seeing a growing number of international airlines cancelling, reducing or outright suspending services to China. So that of course, has an impact here as well because many Chinese travelers are now stranded overseas especially those from Hubei province, the epicenter of this outbreak.

To address this problem the Chinese government has now announced they will be sending special charter flights to overseas destinations to pick up these passengers and fly them back.

And we have just learned they are planning to send two such flights today, one to Thailand, one to Malaysia to pick up stranded passengers and fly them back to Wuhan. Natalie.

ALLEN: It has been a complicated situation. We hope they get the handle on this disease very soon. Thank you. Steven Jiang for us in Beijing.

Celine Ground -- Gounder, excuse me, is an expert in infectious diseases and an epidemiologist and has some key insights said to the WHO's emergency declaration and why it was made. I spoke with her a short time ago.

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CELINE GOUNDER, INFECTIOUS DISEASES SPECIALIST & EPIDEMIOLOGIST: I think the reason that the WHO and the experts who were weighing this decision declare this global (Ph) emergency of international concern is because they are concerned not about how China is responding to the outbreak but rather about how other countries might be able to respond.

And we are now seeing some potential cases in Africa and these are countries that have very weak health care systems, you know, which is why, for example, the Ebola outbreak in 2014, 2015 propagated as it did. And so, this is newly about saying it's not just about China, it's about coming to the support of other countries that may not be so well equipped to deal with the situation.

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ALLEN: The World Health Organization says the emergency declaration will allow it to better coordinate a global response and hold countries accountable for their handling of this crisis. Well, we have a big development in the impeachment trial of U.S.

President Trump. A key senator says he's heard all he needs to hear. What that means for Democrats hopes for new witnesses.

Plus, after 47-year marriage the U.K. is officially divorcing the European Union. So, what comes next? Coming up, we look at challenges that U.K. faces on the long road ahead.

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ALLEN: And welcome back.

It looks a lot less likely House Democrats will get the chance to call witnesses in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, meaning the whole thing could wrap up in the day ahead.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander announced late Friday he would not support new testimony.

CNN's Manu Raju has this update.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We've got the statement from Lamar Alexander, and he is a no. That means that he's going to vote against moving forward on witnesses and documents, and that could mean the swift end to the president's impeachment trial.

He says this, "I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and more witnesses but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and does not meet the United States Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense.

The Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate.

The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States or the American people should decide what to do about what he did.

I believe that the Constitution provides, that the people should make the decision in a presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday.

Our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with the consent of the governed not at the pleasure of the United States Congress. Let the people decide."

That means that the votes are simply not there at the moment to move forward on impeachment documents.

Because looking at the math here, there are 53 Republicans, 47 Democrats. Two Republicans are expected to vote for moving ahead. They need -- Lamar Alexander is a no. So, the only person who -- there is still a question about is Lisa Murkowski. And if it's 50/50, she votes to decide to vote with the Democrats, does the chief justice vote to break a tie.

Expectation here is that's not going to happen which means that if he doesn't break a tie and she's a no, even if she votes for it, that means that the president's impeachment trial could be over as soon as tomorrow night.

ALLEN: So again, here is a look at what could happen in the Senate Friday. Republican leaders expected to have four hours of debate, then they will vote on calling witnesses. If that vote fails, as we just heard, there will likely be a motion to proceed to final arguments, and the vote to convict or acquit Donald Trump could come late Friday or Saturday.

Now let's go back for more Brexit news, and Max Foster in London. Max?

FOSTER: Natalie, we are just hours away from the U.K. becoming the first country to ever leave the European Union.

A lot to break down. For more perspective British conservative commentator, Nile Gardner joins me from our London bureau. He's also the former aide of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. We can hear each other now, hopefully. I was wondering, Nile, what do you think she would make of this day?

NILE GARDINER, DIRECTOR, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Well, Margaret Thatcher would've celebrated this day. She believed that Britain's future should lie outside of the European Union, and she was the first British leader back in 2002, in her final book, "Statecraft," took off of the British people to think about exiting the E.U.

So, Margaret Thatcher was the first British politician to talk about the idea of a British exit from the E.U. And she would have greatly, I think celebrated today as a tremendous day, not only for the British people but also for the free world as well.

It was her view that Britain's future should lie outside of the European Union as a truly free sovereign nation.

FOSTER: We'll talk about what comes next in the moment. But first, just the symbolism of this moment today. What it means, for the continent of Europe, and where it will sit in history.

GARDINER: Well, I think, I mean, today is the biggest day in British history since the end of World War II. This is a huge game changer, of course not only for Great Britain but I think for the whole of Europe as well. And I think Brexit is going to have a tremendous impact upon the future of Europe.

I mean, no doubt that Brexit Britain will be a tremendous success actually. I think across Europe, I think governments and people across Europe will be looking closely at what is happening in the United Kingdom. And no doubt, I think Brexit will spur a tremendous degree of change actually across the European Union.

We could see other European countries following Britain's lead in the course of the next decade or two. [03:19:58]

And I think certainly, with regard to Britain in the Brexit area, my view is that Britain will be a tremendous success actually outside of the European Union and other nations could well follow Britain's lead here.

At the very least I think that Brexit will force a tremendous amount of change within the E.U. I think the E.U. is in a state of serious decline. It is a monument to big government bureaucracy. And I think that Brexit certainly will force a lot of European leaders to rethink the European project in its entirety, actually.

And so, I do think that Brexit is a very big game changer, not only for the U.K. but also for the whole of Europe.

FOSTER: You are pessimistic about the future of the European Union. This could be the beginning of the end, arguably. I think from your perspective (Inaudible) correctly, but with the dynamic now of only two main powers really in that central block, France and Germany, and the U.K. not counter balancing the other two, where do you think that will take the direction, the culture, within the block?

GARDINER: Well, I think there will be a battle for the heart and soul of the European Union. Certainly, I think the French and the Germans are going to fight over different visions of the future. But also, you have to recognize that there are rising powers I think in eastern and central Europe who are going to increase in the challenge the franc domination of Europe.

And especially Poland, I think is a real rising force within Europe, and the Pols have a great emphasis upon the principles of self- determination. And I think that increasingly, Poland will seek to challenge German and French dominance of the E.U.

But without a doubt, I think the main battle within the European Union is going to be between those who seek the extension of a federal Europe, and those who seek to return the power back to nation states. I think that is just the real conflict that will take place within the E.U. over the course of the next decade.

And also, without a doubt, I think that the Germans and the French will be fighting tooth and nail for domination of the European Union. But I think that, you know, for Britain, Britain has a new future outside of the E.U. based upon a vision of being a great sovereign, free trading nation.

And Britain can look forward to a very bright future. I think the future for the European Union at the moment actually looks very, very bleak, and I think the European project is in very deep trouble on so many fronts.

And I think within the European Union that you are going to see a lot of turmoil, a lot of division over the coming -- over the coming years. And also, a great deal of economic uncertainty and economic trouble as well. ALLEN: OK. Nile Gardiner, I appreciate your time. The optimistic view

of this momentous day. We'll also hear some pessimistic ones of course throughout the day, as well. The Brexit nearly upon us.

Just ahead, Britain facing an uncertain future as it negotiates a new relationship with the E.U. We'll take a look at the potential struggles ahead.

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FOSTER: I'm Max Foster in London where Brexit will officially happen. Just over 14 hours. It comes as many questions remain about what the future holds for the U.K. though, Natalie.

ALLEN: Yes. And as CNN's Phil Black reports, even though Britain will shortly be leaving the European Union, Brexit is far from over.

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PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brexit is happening. So, the British people can move on. We can all stop talking about it, right? Not even close. Because, even once British clocks strike Friday's Brexit hour, Boris Johnson punching election winning pledge.

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BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We're going to get Brexit done.

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BLACK: It will only be partly fulfilled.

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BLACK: And after more than three years that Brexit has inspired angst, bitterness, and paralysis. January 31 marks the end of what many consider the easy part. Now, there is a new deadline. And a whole new mountain of uncertainty.

The end of 2020 marks the close of what's known as the transition period. Until, then the U.K. is out of the E.U. but still following its rules. It's an 11-month window for both sides to thrash out a new functioning relationship, especially on the hugely important issue of trade.

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MATTHEW OXENFORD, ANALYST, THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT: Most trade agreements take between three and five years to negotiate. Moving to 11 months is a very condensed schedule, most trade experts don't believe that it will be possible. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: And yet, Boris Johnson has already vowed, he won't extend that window. So, the cliff edge is back. It's once again possible, Britain could topple out of the E.U. without a trade deal in place, without easy access to its most important market, causing enormous economic harm. But don't worry, it won't happen, says the prime minister.

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JOHNSON: Will Brexit help farmers in lots of way.

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BLACK: His cheery optimism extends to the quality of the new free trade agreement he wants to negotiate with the E.U.

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JOHNSON: I think that it's massively in our interests, in the interest of both sides of the channel to have a wonderful, zero tariff, zero quota, all seeing old dancing FTA. And I'm absolutely confident that we can do that.

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BLACK: But scratch the surface of Johnson's hopeful assessment and you see a big, ominous contradiction. He says he wants to close trading relationship but he doesn't want to closely follow E.U. regulations. That's not possible says Brussels.

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URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: The precondition is that European and British businesses continue to compete on a level playing field --

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VON DER LEYEN: -- we will certainly not expose our companies to unfair competition.

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BLACK: So not everyone thinks the coming negotiations or the consequences will be quite as rosy as Boris Johnson suggests especially if the Brexit logs (Ph) so far is any measure. Even now as Britain finally leaves the European Union no one knows what Brexit will look like in a years' time, or ultimately what it will mean for the country's future prosperity.

Phil Black, CNN, London.

FOSTER: Even though Brexit becomes official in just a matter of hours there's a long road ahead then for Britain.

I'm Max Foster in London.

ALLEN: Thank you, Max. At least the long anxiety of will have happen or it won't happen is over that far. Thanks so much, Max.

I'm Natalie Allen in Atlanta. Thank you for watching CNN Newsroom. I'll have your headlines after this.

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