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Biden Addresses U.N. for Final Time as President; U.K. Foreign Secretary Call for Israel, Hezbollah Ceasefire. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 24, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: -- to the digital transformation to the new economic foundations for a prosperous future. It's called the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. We've already started to see the fruits of this emerge in Southern Africa and Southeast Asia and in the Americas. We have to keep it going. I want to get things done together. In order to do that, we must build a stronger, more effective, and more inclusive United Nations.

The U.N. needs to adapt and bring new voices and new perspectives. That's why we support reforming and expanding the membership of the U.N. Security Council.

My U.N. ambassador just laid out our detailed vision to reflect today's world, not yesterday's. It's time to move forward. The Security Council, like the U.N. itself, needs to go back to the job of making peace, of brokering deals to end wars and suffering, and to stop the spread of the most dangerous weapons, of stabilizing trouble reasons in East Africa from East Africa to Haiti to Kenya-led mission that's working alongside the Haitian people to turn the tide.

We're also have a responsibility to prepare our citizens for the future. We'll see more technological change. I argue in the next two to 10 years than we have in the last 50 years. Artificial intelligence is going to change our ways of life, our ways of work, and our ways of war. It could usher in scientific progress at a pace never seen before, and much of it could make our lives better.

But A.I. also brings profound risks from deep fakes to disinformation to novel pathogens to bioweapons. We've worked at home and abroad to define the new norms and standards. This year, we achieved the first ever General Assembly resolution on A.I. to start developing global rules, global rules of the road.

We also announced a declaration of this on a responsible use of A.I. joined by 60 countries in this chamber. But let's be honest, it's just the tip of the iceberg what we need to do to manage this new technology. Nothing is certain about how A.I. will evolve or how it will be deployed. No one knows all the answers.

My fellow leaders, it's with humility I offer two questions. First, how do we as an International Community govern A.I.? As countries and companies race to uncertain frontiers, we need an equally urgent effort to ensure A.I.'s safety, security, and trustworthiness. As A.I. grows more powerful, it must grow, also must grow more responsive to our collective needs and values. Benefits of all must be shared equitably. It should be harnessed to a narrow, not deepened digital divides.

Second, we ensure that A.I. supports rather than undermines the core principles that human life has value, and all humans deserve dignity. We must make certain that the awesome capabilities of A.I. will be used to uplift and empower everyday people, not to give dictators more powerful shackles on human -- on the human spirit. In the years ahead, there way -- they may be -- may well be no greater test of our leadership and how we deal with A.I.

Let me close with this. Even as we navigate so much change, one thing must not change, we must never forget who we're here to represent. We, the people. These are the first words of our constitution, the very idea of America. And they inspired the opening words of the U.N. charter.

I made the preservation of democracy a central cause of my presidency. This summer, I faced a decision whether to seek a second term as president was a difficult decision. Being president has been the honor of my life. There's so much more I want to get done. As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided after 50 years of public service, it's time for new generation of leadership to take my nation forward.

My fellow leaders, let us never forget some things are more important than staying in power. It's your people.

[10:35:00]

It's your people that matter the most. Never forget, we are here to serve the people, not the other way around. Because the future will be won by those who unleash the full potential of their people, to breathe free, to think freely, to innovate, to educate, to live and love openly without fear. That's the soul of democracy. It does not belong to any one country.

I've seen it all around the world in the brave men and women who ended apartheid, brought down the Berlin Wall fight today for freedom and justice and dignity. We saw that universal yearning for rights and freedom in Venezuela where millions cast their vote for change that hadn't been recognized, but it can't be denied, the world knows the truth. We saw in Uganda, LBGT activists demanding safety and recognition of their common humanity. We've seen citizens across the world peacefully choosing their future, from Ghana to India to South Korea, nations representing one quarter of humanity who will hold elections this year alone.

It's remarkable, the power of we the people that makes me more optimistic about the future than I've ever been. Since I was first elected to the United States Senate in 1972, every age faces challenges. I saw it as a young man. I see it today. But we are stronger than we think. We're stronger together than alone. And what the people call impossible is just an illusion. Nelson Mandela taught us, and I quote, "It always seems impossible until it's done. It always seems impossible until it's done." My fellow leaders, there is nothing that's beyond our capacity. If we work together, let's work together. God bless you all and may God protect all those who seek peace. Thank you.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: And that was President Biden delivering his final address to the United Nations General Assembly. I'm joined now by Alex Marquardt, Ben Wedeman, our correspondent in the Middle East. He's in Beirut, and General Wesley Clark former supreme allied commander at NATO.

Alex, let me go to you first. I mean, I thought there were some pretty notable moments in that speech. Obviously, he touched on the Middle East, saying at one point that full-scale war is not in anybody's interest. He didn't spend a whole lot of time on Ukraine. But I thought perhaps the most striking element of the speech was his warning to the world about artificial intelligence, but what stood out to you?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, he sort of -- as he started to tick through the different subjects, he started with Ukraine, which will probably go down in terms of his legacy as one of the more positive moments, the finer points of the support for Ukraine, the American -- how the U.S. sort of rallied NATO allies to Ukraine side to get them the weapons, the aid that they need. He said, we must not grow weary.

Of course, there are big questions right now about what the path forward is going to look like. We know the President Zelenskyy later this week is going to present President Biden with his plan for victory, although details remain relatively elusive.

Jim, in terms of the Middle East section, which is the one that we were sort of listening out for most closely, you know, this is a speech that sort of has broad themes, big ideas. But frankly, we didn't hear too much that was new or how he was going to get not one, but two peace plans forward, both for Gaza and for Southern Lebanon. He talked about his efforts to get that ceasefire deal done with allies, Egypt and Qatari, said that now is the time for the parties, Israel and Hamas, to finalize that ceasefire. It's time to end this war.

And then he moved on to the escalating situation in Lebanon, in which he said that it is not inevitable that this war will expand to further consume the region. He said they continue to work feverishly to try to get to a deal, but it is not clear how he is going to accomplish that. Clearly, outside of these big grand speeches at the U.N. General Assembly, there are going to be meetings to try to push that forward. But for now, how that's going to happen remains unclear. Jim.

ACOSTA: Alex, thank you. And, General Wesley Clark, I mean, there was one moment towards the end of this speech when the president had a message for autocrats around the world when he said some things are more important than staying in power. We're here to serve the people, not the other way around. I'm -- I've been trying to think which autocrat maybe he had in mind when he delivered that line. Go ahead, General.

[10:40:00]

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER AND FOUNDER, RENEW AMERICA TOGETHER: Certainly, China and Xi Jinping, certainly Vladimir Putin. But there are others around the world who have cheated in their elections, manipulated the system, and just it -- they consider themselves irreplaceable, essentially. And what President Biden was saying is that no one's irreplaceable. I thought that was one of the strongest parts of the speech.

But overall, the speech, even though it was a general overview, I thought it was a magnificent summary of the policies of the Biden administration and a very optimistic call for humanity, for leaders to work together.

ACOSTA: Yes. And Ben Wedeman, my sense of it is the same from Alex Marquardt, and that is there's a lot of work diplomatically to be done to get anywhere resembling some kind of a ceasefire in the Middle East. What was your takeaway?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jim, to me, it sounded like the same old broken record we've heard from American diplomats going back to October. Lots of aspirations, but nothing in terms of concrete action, let alone accomplishments. I mean, he's talking about bringing peace and stability to the Middle East. Nothing could be further from reality in the Middle East at the moment.

He talked about a diplomatic solution is still possible. But we've seen Secretary of State Antony Blinken coming to the Middle East 10 times, traveling tens of thousands of miles. And what we've seen going back to October is a war in Gaza that has spread to Lebanon, that has involved Iran, that is involving Yemen, Iraq, militias in Syria.

It -- the U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East has been adrift now for 11 months. Now, we have more than 41,000 dead in Gaza, in Lebanon, in the space of 24 hours. You had the highest death toll since the Sabra and Shatila massacres.

The United States is spinning its wheels in the Middle East. There's lots of talk, but the war is getting worse. It's spreading. And at what point, you have to ask yourself, does the United States put its interests first and say, this has got to stop because this war in Lebanon, in Gaza is posing a long-term danger to the interests of the United States.

Think about the impact of the war in Iraq, it led to ISIS, it led to massive instability. And the problem is that this war, within the space of 11 months, is planting the seeds for future conflicts for generations to come. You know, all the young people who have seen their brothers and sisters and families killed, their homes destroyed here in Lebanon, the same thing. This will have a long-term legacy that impacts the strategic interests of the United States. Jim.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. All right. Alex, Ben, General Clark, thank you very much for your time. We appreciate it. Coming up the U.S. is not the only country concerned about the new wave of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah. Coming up next, I'll speak with the British foreign secretary, David Lammy. Stay tuned.

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[10:45:00]

ACOSTA: Back to one of our top stories this morning. Israel and Hezbollah again trading attacks across Lebanon's border. We're looking at live pictures right now of Southern Lebanon. Today's exchange comes one day after Israel targeted the militant group. This fighting is a key focus, of course, of the United Nations General Assembly. You just heard President Biden speak on this a few moments ago this week as world leaders and diplomats gather.

And joining me now is the British foreign secretary, David Lammy. Mr. Secretary, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it. Let's jump right into it. What can world leaders do to keep this conflict between Israel and Hezbollah from escalating into an all-out regional war? It seems to be heading in that direction.

DAVID LAMMY, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Well, look, when we look at the loss of life over the last 24, 48 hours, and particularly the civilians, 50 children have lost their lives. I think that the International Community is coming together.

And I was talking to Secretary Blinken just yesterday evening, we're coming together to urge both the Israelis and Lebanese, Hezbollah to come to the table. This is a political settlement that we need. Amos Hochstein has done a tremendous job talking to both sides to get to a plan, to see Hezbollah move back beyond the Litani River, implement Resolution 1701. And what I'm certainly calling for is an immediate ceasefire so that Israelis can move back to their homes and those in Lebanon could also move back to their homes in Southern Lebanon. That is the only way. None of us want to see a wider escalation that leads to regional war,

ACOSTA: But, Mr. Secretary, an Israeli official told CNN that the aerial assaults are only beginning. The Israeli military has not ruled out the possibility of a ground invasion. That does not sound like things are heading in the right direction.

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LAMMY: Look, we've got hours now to act as an International Community. I would caution my Israeli friends from any kind of ground invasion. We also, of course, have been calling for that hostage deal in relation to Gaza, a ceasefire and activity in Gaza. This is not the time for a regional escalation.

And of course, we all recognize that rockets have been flying from Hezbollah into Israel since October the 7th, there is tremendous capability in Lebanon. And so, for all of those reasons, the way forward must be a political settlement. ACOSTA: Well, and that leads me to this, on the northern side of Israel is Hezbollah, on the Southern side is Hamas. There are also the Houthis in Yemen, all backed by Iran. What is being done diplomatically to rein the Iranians?

LAMMY: Well, of course, we're very clear on sanctions. We are very clear on Iran's relationship with its proxies in both Hamas, the Houthis and Lebanese Hezbollah. We came together, the U.K. and the U.S. to ensure that we did not see a tremendous loss of life across Israel and Jordan when there were missiles fired from Iran. We will act, of course, to protect loss of life in Tel Aviv or indeed in Jordan.

But at this time, we are sending all messages using all diplomatic channels across the U.K., Germany, France, particularly with Iran, to urge them to step back and urge them to press their proxies not to act in a way that would lead to a wider regional escalation.

ACOSTA: And Mr. Secretary, let's talk about the West Bank. This week, you have voiced your concerns about tensions being inflamed, said you'd consider new sanctions against Israeli settlers. What's the latest on that? Will it come to that?

LAMMY: Well, look I can't comment on the U.K. reflections on further sanctions in any part of the world, but what I can say in this, we stand against the settler violence that we've been seeing on the West Bank, and those politicians that would inflame that settler violence, and we are tremendously concerned, and so should the Global Community be concerned about settler expansion. We've seen more expansion this year than in the last 20 years combined. And what this does is it undermines the two-state solution, which is the only way out.

And so, I will continue to talk to close allies here in the United States, across the G7 nations particularly about what more we can do to ensure that we are protecting lives on both sides in the West Bank. Understanding, of course, that Iran is flooding the West Bank with guns and ammunition. And of course, that is also leading to a rise intentions.

ACOSTA: I do want to ask you about Ukraine. A couple of weeks ago, you visited Kyiv. You met with Secretary of State Tony Blinken. You met with senior government officials. Reaffirmed western support for Ukraine. I do want to ask you, though, there's also this conversation about whether or not the Ukrainians are going to be allowed to use long-range missiles, to use those missiles to target Russian targets.

What is your sense of that? Should the Ukrainians be allowed to use that? And what about the Biden administration's resistance to Ukraine using those types of weapons?

LAMMY: Look, the U.S. and the U.K. stand united in our support for Ukraine against Vladimir Putin's fascist imperialism and his desire to effectively control that country, and he wouldn't stop there, he'd move on to further states like Moldova. So, we stand united on that.

And why it was so important for me to visit Ukraine with Tony Blinken, why it was so important for Prime Minister Stammer and President Biden to meet in Washington just a few days ago is absolutely to ensure that we do everything we can together and across the G7 and across Europe and of course here in UNGA with the General Assembly and the Global South to ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest position they can be heading into the summer.

That means money and funds, and we're freezing Russian assets. We've got to get the money out the door into Ukraine's coffers. It, of course, means ammunition. And we in the U.K. have sent more rifles. We've sent more missiles into Ukraine to help them get through the winter, to hold the territory they've got and put them in a stronger position into 2025.

[10:55:00]

Now, of course there's a wider discussion about what more kit they might need, and we look forward to seeing Zelenskyy's victory plan and discussing these things in detail with him. What I'm not going to do is comment on the detailed operational needs of Ukraine at this time, because I'm not going to give any advantage to Vladimir Putin.

ACOSTA: Is there some openness though to the Ukrainians having that additional capability? Is it possible for you to say that?

LAMMY: Look, what I am saying is that allies are meeting and discussing, as you would expect us to do, to put the Ukrainian in the strongest position. But some of the detail can only help Vladimir Putin. We're not going to do that, and neither, by the way, are we going to be thrown off by the dust that Putin is throwing up into the air when he threatens nuclear weapons, when he threatens, you know, strategic attacks, we are not going to be thrown off by this fascist bully, effectively.

ACOSTA: All right. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, thank you very much for your time. We appreciate it.

LAMMY: Thank you so much.

ACOSTA: And thanks to you for joining us this morning. I'm Jim Acosta. Our next hour of Newsroom with Pamela Brown starts after a short break. Have a good day.

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