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CNN Live Saturday
Bush Visits St. Petersburg, Russia
Aired May 31, 2003 - 14:29 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.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: We've got much more on the capture of Eric Rudolph just ahead, but first another story making headlines this hour. President Bush is now in Russia. The second leg of his six- nation leg to Europe and the Middle East. CNN's Jill Dougherty is with us from St. Petersburg, and Jill, I am wondering if the president made any comments on the capture of Eric Rudolph?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: He actually -- I do not know that at this point. He has been concentrating, of course, on the visit here to St. Petersburg for the 300th anniversary. A very elaborate setting. In fact, they have just finished a dinner out at a palace that is called Peterhof, outside of the city. And now the guests, elaborately dressed, are going to be proceeding out for fireworks and music.
There are 40 heads of state here in St. Petersburg for this 300th anniversary, and also a series of summits taking place. The host, of course, President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Ludmila.
The remarkable thing about this is that these leaders are here along with President Bush who arrived this afternoon, leaders that just a few weeks ago, in fact, were feuding over Iraq. And now they're intent on putting that behind them.
President Bush saying that he welcomes and in fact needs the advice of his European partners and friends, and President Putin praising Mr. Bush for being open and willing to bring the issue back into the purview of the United Nations.
So the big event politically will be President Bush and President Putin meeting tomorrow briefly in the morning for their own mini summit, one-on-one, and then Mr. Bush will take off for Europe, where he will take part in the G-8 summit, along with President Bush and other leaders of the G-8 -- Sophia.
CHOI: So, it looks like a little mending of the forces there between Putin and President Bush?
DOUGHERTY: Definitely. Actually, Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin get along very well personally, and you'd have to say that during Iraq, that relationship was able to go over the rocks of Iraq pretty well. But the other leaders, the European leaders, are the ones who really had a hardening of the relationship, and that will be interesting, because in Evian, France, you are going to really see them come together, and some of the body language there will be very interesting to see. CHOI: All right, Jill Dougherty, thank you so much, joining us live from St. Petersburg. Thanks.
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 May 31, 2003 - 14:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: We've got much more on the capture of Eric Rudolph just ahead, but first another story making headlines this hour. President Bush is now in Russia. The second leg of his six- nation leg to Europe and the Middle East. CNN's Jill Dougherty is with us from St. Petersburg, and Jill, I am wondering if the president made any comments on the capture of Eric Rudolph?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: He actually -- I do not know that at this point. He has been concentrating, of course, on the visit here to St. Petersburg for the 300th anniversary. A very elaborate setting. In fact, they have just finished a dinner out at a palace that is called Peterhof, outside of the city. And now the guests, elaborately dressed, are going to be proceeding out for fireworks and music.
There are 40 heads of state here in St. Petersburg for this 300th anniversary, and also a series of summits taking place. The host, of course, President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Ludmila.
The remarkable thing about this is that these leaders are here along with President Bush who arrived this afternoon, leaders that just a few weeks ago, in fact, were feuding over Iraq. And now they're intent on putting that behind them.
President Bush saying that he welcomes and in fact needs the advice of his European partners and friends, and President Putin praising Mr. Bush for being open and willing to bring the issue back into the purview of the United Nations.
So the big event politically will be President Bush and President Putin meeting tomorrow briefly in the morning for their own mini summit, one-on-one, and then Mr. Bush will take off for Europe, where he will take part in the G-8 summit, along with President Bush and other leaders of the G-8 -- Sophia.
CHOI: So, it looks like a little mending of the forces there between Putin and President Bush?
DOUGHERTY: Definitely. Actually, Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin get along very well personally, and you'd have to say that during Iraq, that relationship was able to go over the rocks of Iraq pretty well. But the other leaders, the European leaders, are the ones who really had a hardening of the relationship, and that will be interesting, because in Evian, France, you are going to really see them come together, and some of the body language there will be very interesting to see. CHOI: All right, Jill Dougherty, thank you so much, joining us live from St. Petersburg. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
