Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Bush Administration Monitors International Developments
Aired April 19, 2003 - 14:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now, let's see how the Bush administration views the latest global turns, and for that we turn to CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who is with the president in Crawford, Texas. Suzanne, is that North Korean meeting as far as we know it, the one in which James Kelly is supposed to travel to Beijing to meet with Chinese officials and with North Korean officials, is that still a go?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It has not been called off. We have been told that it is still a go at this time. That they are still evaluating the situation, but they certainly don't see it as tense as they did yesterday, and Sohn Jie-Ae had mentioned that misinterpretation, that mistranslation is being part of the reason that things have somewhat de-escalated at this time.
President Bush is spending the holiday weekend, the long holiday weekend here in windy Crawford, Texas, and it's a 1,600-acre ranch, for a little bit of rest and relaxation, but of course looking for the Bush administration, looking to the economy here and also to the economic situation inside of Iraq. The priority's really not only to find those weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein, but also to clear the way for reconstruction with Iraq, for Iraq, in terms of clearing those economic sanctions from the United Nations, perhaps lifting them, sooner as opposed to later.
We have seen over the last couple of days, however, a real sense of urgency, a call for immediacy from those in the Middle East and particularly Iraqis. We have seen thousands of them in protests, taking to the streets, saying that they want the U.S. soldiers, the coalition to be gone. They are frustrated. There is a sense of uncertainty about their future. They want resources in terms of electricity and other things.
Also we have seen out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the foreign ministers of neighboring countries of Iraq released a statement saying, yes, they would like to see the U.S. secure the area, but they want to see the United States go as quickly as possible. And the European Union as well issuing a statement just within the last couple of days saying they want a central role for the United Nations to play in a post-Saddam regime.
Well, there are big hurdles for the administration to jump over, and all of this really is going to take some time. The Bush administration insists it does not want to stay one day longer than necessary. But here's what's in front of them. The U.N. has to pass a resolution recognizing a new Iraqi government. Also, it has to certify that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction. Still questions about the role of the U.N. inspectors. Only then can the U.N. lift economic sanctions against Iraq, and they are also dealing with unfreezing Iraqi assets as well.
So, Andrea, a lot on the table for the Bush administration. We are also told the president, of course, is going to be dealing with domestic issues in the weeks to come. He is going to be taking a day trip outside of Washington, focusing on that economic stimulus package, trying to push forward $550 billion in tax cuts -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: That's right. I think the administration preferring to call the tax cut package the jobs and growth package. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 19, 2003 - 14:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now, let's see how the Bush administration views the latest global turns, and for that we turn to CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who is with the president in Crawford, Texas. Suzanne, is that North Korean meeting as far as we know it, the one in which James Kelly is supposed to travel to Beijing to meet with Chinese officials and with North Korean officials, is that still a go?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It has not been called off. We have been told that it is still a go at this time. That they are still evaluating the situation, but they certainly don't see it as tense as they did yesterday, and Sohn Jie-Ae had mentioned that misinterpretation, that mistranslation is being part of the reason that things have somewhat de-escalated at this time.
President Bush is spending the holiday weekend, the long holiday weekend here in windy Crawford, Texas, and it's a 1,600-acre ranch, for a little bit of rest and relaxation, but of course looking for the Bush administration, looking to the economy here and also to the economic situation inside of Iraq. The priority's really not only to find those weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein, but also to clear the way for reconstruction with Iraq, for Iraq, in terms of clearing those economic sanctions from the United Nations, perhaps lifting them, sooner as opposed to later.
We have seen over the last couple of days, however, a real sense of urgency, a call for immediacy from those in the Middle East and particularly Iraqis. We have seen thousands of them in protests, taking to the streets, saying that they want the U.S. soldiers, the coalition to be gone. They are frustrated. There is a sense of uncertainty about their future. They want resources in terms of electricity and other things.
Also we have seen out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the foreign ministers of neighboring countries of Iraq released a statement saying, yes, they would like to see the U.S. secure the area, but they want to see the United States go as quickly as possible. And the European Union as well issuing a statement just within the last couple of days saying they want a central role for the United Nations to play in a post-Saddam regime.
Well, there are big hurdles for the administration to jump over, and all of this really is going to take some time. The Bush administration insists it does not want to stay one day longer than necessary. But here's what's in front of them. The U.N. has to pass a resolution recognizing a new Iraqi government. Also, it has to certify that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction. Still questions about the role of the U.N. inspectors. Only then can the U.N. lift economic sanctions against Iraq, and they are also dealing with unfreezing Iraqi assets as well.
So, Andrea, a lot on the table for the Bush administration. We are also told the president, of course, is going to be dealing with domestic issues in the weeks to come. He is going to be taking a day trip outside of Washington, focusing on that economic stimulus package, trying to push forward $550 billion in tax cuts -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: That's right. I think the administration preferring to call the tax cut package the jobs and growth package. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
