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Myanmar's Military Junta Locks Ambassador out of London Embassy; Germany to Contact Russia about Buying Sputnik Vaccine; Biden Reverses Trump, Resumes Aid to Palestinians; Regulators Say AstraZeneca Vaccine Benefits Outweigh Risks; Jordan's King Says Sedition "Nipped in the Bud". Aired 8-9a ET
Aired April 08, 2021 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was here that the famous Notre Dame spire once stood.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): All eyes were on the centuries' old cathedral when a fire engulfed it two years ago today. CNN takes you inside
the restoration of Notre Dame.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: Well, it's 1:00 pm in London, 2:00 pm in Paris, it is 4:00 in the afternoon here in Abu Dhabi, home to our Middle East programming hub in
the UAE. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to the program.
Speaking out and locked out. The crisis over Myanmar's deadly coup now reverberating in London after the country's ambassador to Britain couldn't
get past the front door of his own embassy.
The ambassador tried knocking on the embassy door on Wednesday but got no response. That's after members of the Myanmar military took control of the
premises in central London.
He called the move a coup and has made no secret about how he feels about Myanmar's generals, who seized power in February and have been going after
pro-democracy protesters in a bloody crackdown ever since.
Britain's foreign secretary speaking out, condemning the Myanmar junta for bullying actions over the London embassy. We're connecting to London now
and to Cyril Vanier, outside the embassy.
What's the latest there?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, first of all, I want to acknowledge what's happening behind me. We're just in front of the Myanmar
embassy.
And what you see here are a few dozen members of the Burmese community here in the U.K., who are protesting against the military, against the takeover
of the embassy by representatives of the military establishment, and for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected officials in Myanmar, who
have been detained and arrested since the military coup in February.
Now what happened here over the last 24 hours, Becky, as you started describing, has been a remarkable development and an extension of what --
the situation in Myanmar right here in the heart of London.
There had been simmering tensions between the ambassador of Myanmar to the U.K., who had been working here until right now, until last night, and
other top ranking officials of the embassy.
We understand from sources, to whom we have granted anonymity, given the sensitivity of the situation, we understand from those sources there had
been simmering tensions. The ambassador being on one side of the story against the dictatorship, in favor of the release of Aung San Suu Kyi,
something he called for publicly, and other members, number two of the embassy, the military and others within this building, who were in favor,
who were supporters of the military junta.
The ambassador knew that something like this was coming. In fact, they had put padlocks on the doors, hoping that would prevent them from being locked
out of the embassy.
And that's exactly what happened yesterday, Becky. The ambassador, around 5:00 pm local time, coming here to find the door locked. He spent the night
here, in protest. And the question of whether he is still the ambassador of Myanmar, as we speak, is an open one, Becky.
He is meeting with the British foreign office. They have made it clear that, for there to be a change of ambassador, the rules of international
diplomacy are such they would have to receive formal notification of the termination of his employment.
Have they received that here?
Have they received that formal notification yet?
It is not clear. We saw the ambassador a short while ago. He said he is still the ambassador and is calling on British authorities to remove the
military attache and other members of the embassy, now running the place from the building, Becky.
ANDERSON: A reminder, Britain's foreign secretary earlier condemning the Myanmar junta for bullying actions, as Dominic Raab described them, over
what is going on there behind you. Cyril, thank you.
Yesterday I spoke with Dr. Sasa, a special envoy representing Myanmar's deposed civilian government at the U.N. He was working on the election
campaign of Aung San Suu Kyi's party before the military coup in February. He has been charged with treason and has a warrant out for his arrest.
The doctor accuses Myanmar's military of crimes against humanity and is worried what will happen next in his country if no one steps in to help.
Have a listen to part of what he told me yesterday.
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DR. SASA, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR MYANMAR'S DEPOSED CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Military generals who are now killing, committing
massacres across the country of Myanmar, is known for killing, they are committing crime against humanity, war crimes, ethnic cleansings.
[08:05:00]
SASA: They have been doing that for the last 72 years against ethnic nationalities of the country.
If the world refuses to stop these military generals, then my country is going to face the greatest civil war that we have never seen before. That
means the bloodbaths are real. It's coming. More people will die. I am afraid.
It is the time for the world to prevent another genocide, another ethnic cleansing, another massacre, so the world has the power to stop it before
it's too late. Otherwise, more people are going to lose more lives on the account of these military generals.
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ANDERSON: A lot more on what is going on, on the ground in Myanmar, at cnn.com.
The latest now on coronavirus because, despite the vaccines, cases are going up and, in some parts of the world, countries still struggling to
keep the outbreak in check. That is happening right now. There are 133 million confirmed cases and counting.
Why, you may ask?
There are vaccines out there, right?
But it is not an instant panacea. We have been reporting that. And things can still get a lot worse before they get better. So let's start with our
look around the world.
In Asia today, the part of the world which was the first to really feel the punishing hurt of this pandemic there, fatigue and virus variants and slow
vaccine rollouts causing numbers in some countries to go in the wrong direction. My colleague Blake Essig sent me this report.
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BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a part of the world which was first to bear the brunt of COVID-19, pandemic fatigue, virus variants
and vaccine rollouts seemingly moving at a snail pace, are three factors that Dr. Jerome Kim, the head of the U.N. organization promoting
vaccination and its development, says will likely continue to cause problems across Asia Pacific.
DR. JEROME KIM, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL VACCINE INSTITUTE: If you can't control the pandemic and you don't have access to vaccine, you're not
going to be -- you're going to be in a situation we're in, in the spring of 2020, with hospitals being full, with people being denied admission and
people dying at home.
ESSIG: It's a grim reality that many countries in the region could face in the days and weeks to come. The Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, most of
Japan and South Korea are all seeing their daily case counts moving in the wrong direction.
As for India, they just reported more than 115,000 new infections, that's the most new cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began.
VINOD KUMAR PAUL, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSFORMING INDIA: Last couple of weeks, the situation is coming bad to worse and the serious cause for
concern.
ESSIG: In the Philippines, the president spokesperson said the spread of more infectious coronavirus variants, came as a surprise. More than 24
million people in and around Manila had been living under Barack lockdown for more than a week, as cases continue to surge. Infections have been on
the rise almost daily since mid-February, the result many hospitals are overwhelmed, nonessential workers fear for what an extended lockdown might
mean.
EDDIE ABRASALDO, JEEPNEY DRIVER: It will be more difficult when we don't have jobs, because we don't have the money to feed our family.
ESSIG: While case counts are on the rise in several countries throughout Asia Pacific, vaccines are not as readily available as in countries like
the U.K. and U.S.
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Dr. Kim explains why.
KIM: I think countries are a little late to enter the queue for vaccine purchases. I mean, to some extent, in Korea and Japan, it's because there
weren't as many cases and they want to perhaps to know the vaccines were working or which vaccines are safe.
ESSIG: Japan has fully vaccinated about 0.2 of a percent of its population. The Philippines and South Korea, even less than that.
In India, the vaccine factory of the world, is still at less than 1 percent.
But it's not all bad news across the Asia Pacific region, in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam, the new average daily case count has
remained extremely low.
JACINDA ARDERN, PRIME MINISTER OFNEW ZEALAND: Of keeping their countries - -
ESSIG (voice-over): And in New Zealand and Australia, the count is low enough that they will resume operating a quarantine-free travel corridor
between the two countries, later this month -- Blake Essig, CNN, Tokyo.
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ANDERSON: That's Asia. Let's get you to Europe. We've seen Europe's prideful approach to vaccines even frankly in the face of failure. So take
a listen to this headline.
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ANDERSON: Germany planning to open talks with Moscow about buying Russia's COVID vaccine. That's the Sputnik V. Now it will only go ahead if the
vaccine is approved by E.U. regulators.
But the fact that talks are happening, very, very significant and it is a very different line to the one that the European Union itself has, making
it clear it would not sign a contract to get the Russian vaccine like it has, of course, with other pharmaceutical companies.
Like I said, big news. We've been to Asia, been to Europe and I need to get you to South America now because nowhere are infections worse than there,
ones the head of the Pan American Health Organization and the worst part of the worst region, Brazil.
It is getting out of control. It could even get worse than things were in America back at the start of the year. Across the country, almost all
intensive care beds are full of vaccine rollout there is anemic at best.
Who to fix it?
The president?
Well, not so fast. In the facts of a staggering number of people dying, he said, quote, "We are not going to cry over spilled milk."
Shasta Darlington reports from Sao Paulo for us.
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SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The COVID crisis isn't letting up in Brazil, after recording the deadliest month since the
pandemic began in March, the numbers continue to rise this week. Tuesday saw a record number of deaths and Wednesday was just behind with more than
3,800 people killed by COVID-19.
As well as the second highest number of daily new cases, over 92,000. ICU occupancy in almost all states at or above 80 percent yet only 8.5 percent
of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine.
A new and more contagious variant has fueled this latest surge. According to a report, only a national lockdown with a minimum duration of two weeks
could curb the rapid spread of coronavirus cases across the country. But the president, Jair Bolsonaro, repeated again he would never implement a
nationwide lockdown.
He warned that the virus is here to stay and staying home is not a solution -- Shasta Darlington, CNN, Sao Paulo.
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ANDERSON: Connecting your world, folks. Everywhere you look there are cases on the rise. We cannot get fatigued by this because the virus doesn't
get tired. Wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance, follow medical advice on vaccines and stay safe. Let's please do this together.
Well, there's some major news from this region of the Middle East. Right now, the Biden administration reversing one of Donald Trump's major moves
on Middle East peace by resuming humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
The move is a boost to the U.N. Refugee Agency that handles the Palestinian file. U.S. assistance totals more than $200 million and will provide for
health care and economic development.
Israel issued a careful response to the news, in part saying, the U.N. agency helps to perpetuate the conflict between Israel and the
Palestinians. I want to bring in CNN's Hadas Gold in Jerusalem. Our U.S. security correspondent, Kylie Atwood, also joining us today.
Kylie, let's start with you.
What is the Biden administration's perspective on this?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, as you said, Becky, this is more than $200 million in assistance, going towards humanitarian aid,
development aid economic aid. And the Biden administration is arguing this is in the best interest and it's in line with U.S. values.
And so, secretary of state Tony Blinken said yesterday the U.S. also believes that this will foster understanding between the Israelis and the
Palestinians and that it will also boost the security in the region.
I want to play for you some sound from State Department spokesperson Ned Price yesterday, when he described the Biden administration's decision on
this assistance.
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NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: U.S. foreign assistance for the Palestinians serves important U.S. interests and values, including
providing critical relief to those in need, fostering economic development and supporting Israeli-Palestinian understanding as well as security and
stability and of all the region.
It aligns with the values and the interests of the United States as well as those of our allies and partners. The United States is committed to
advancing prosperity, security and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians in tangible ways in the immediate term.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ATWOOD: And so part of this assistance is going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. And that is an organization that provides support
to displaced Palestinians.
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ATWOOD: Now that is the group that the Israelis had been objecting to providing assistance to.
We should also note that the Trump administration cut off all assistance, including the assistance to that group. And when that happened, the group
was left scrambling, going to other places around the world to try and fill that void because they needed the support to continue their program.
So this is a demonstration that the Biden administration is kind of doubling down on what has been the historical U.S. support for
Palestinians. And Israelis, again, underscoring that they support a two- state solution and clearly an about-face when it comes to comparing how president Trump and his administration dealt with the region.
ANDERSON: Hadas, you are in region.
How have the Israelis and the Palestinians reacted and do we have word from UNRWA itself?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. We have heard from UNRWA itself. We spoke with their West Bank director and she described how
difficult it was after Trump cut that financing and the aid for them, saying, quote, they were really just "limping along," especially hard hit
during the COVID-19 crisis and that they really hope the restoration of this aid will help not only restore the relationship but also open the door
to further funding.
The Palestinian president also welcomed the news. He said in a statement that aid package is directed and will continue to provide "education and
health to hundreds of thousands of students and millions of people who live in refugee camps in Palestine and neighboring countries" and the other
economic and development aid to the Gaza Strip and to the West Bank.
Now from the Israeli foreign ministry we got a more sort of cautious statement. They did not criticize the Biden administration directly. They
instead focused their criticism on the UNRWA agency itself.
They said in a statement, "Israel's position is that the organization in its current form perpetuates the conflict and does not contribute to its
resolution. The renewal of aid to UNRWA should be accompanied by substantial and necessary changes and the nature, goals and conduct of the
organization."
To help explain why Israel is critical of UNRWA, it was created in the 1940s to help Palestinians left or were expelled from their homes in what
is now Israel. And the Palestinians say all those people and their descendants should have a right to return to those places, according to
U.N. resolutions.
Israel sees that as possibly problematic because, by returning potentially 5 million people, that could completely change and alter Israel as a Jewish
country. So there's clearly some sensitivities to UNRWA and how they operate. So while this move may be seen as a humanitarian one, clearly, as
many things are, it is quite political, Becky.
ANDERSON: Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem.
Kylie, this comes within President Biden's wider push for peace in the region. A White House statement saying that the U.S., as you pointed out,
supports a two-state solution.
I wonder, what is President Biden's plan beyond that kind of top line, in regard Middle East peace at this point?
ATWOOD: Becky, I think that's the million dollar question because the Trump administration faced troubles at the beginning. They really failed
when it came to striking peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians but they fundamentally changed the region with those Abraham accords, the
normalization agreements with other countries in Israel.
So now we're really waiting for the Biden administration to give some signal as to which direction they're going to go, how they want to actually
accomplish this two-state solution, which has been the goal for many but has really not been realistic in the eyes of others.
And so we really don't have an answer to that yet. I think it's also significant that the Biden administration hasn't put any special
representative in the region, which they have for other issues that they are really putting a lot of effort into.
So this is an area that we are watching. But I don't think that it's one that's on the front burner for the Biden administration when it comes to
foreign policy.
ANDERSON: I think you're absolutely right. I think that's been quite clear, as the Biden administration has been setting out its key pillars of
policy around the world.
Thank you to both of you.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD, live from our Middle East broadcasting hub here in Abu Dhabi.
Still ahead, Jordan's King Abdullah breaking his silence over the royal rift involving his half brother. Why he says it's the most painful episode
of his 22-year reign.
Plus, U.K. grappling with confusion surrounding the Oxford's AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.
Ahead on this show, is the drug safe or is it not?
We'll ask our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
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ANDERSON: I want to take a moment now to clarify some confusion surrounding the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID vaccine. A lot has been said about
this vaccine after several dozen cases of blood clots were reported in Europe.
Now the European Medicines Agency says the vaccine has a possible link with rare blood clots. But it is still encouraging people to take it, as it says
the benefits still outweigh any risks.
Well, British regulators say adults under 30 should now be offered other vaccines as benefits to that group only slightly outweighed the risks and
scenarios, where exposure to the virus is limited.
The World Health Organization, meanwhile, says the vaccine's links to blood clots is plausible but not confirmed and that specialized studies are
needed.
Bottom line, should you take the vaccine if it's offered to you?
Or should you not?
Let's bring in our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Look, there's been an awful lot of confusion around this, not least mixed with an awful lot of what feels like pandemic politics.
What do we know at this point?
Let's drill down on the facts, Sanjay, if we can, please.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I think the way to sort of look at this is that, if you look at the AstraZeneca vaccine,
around 25 million people have received it. So that gives you sort of the denominator. It's a big denominator.
Out of those people, there were 18 people who died and they seemed to die as a result of having developed these blood clots, either in the blood
vessels in their brain or blood vessels in their abdomen. We know that about 85 people in total developed these blood clots, of which 18 died.
That's what we're sort of dealing with here.
I lay out the numbers for you, Becky, because what we're talking about is very rare. But the European Medicines Association, after really
deliberating on this data for some time, came to the conclusion there may be this link there.
Why this deliberation?
Well, the deliberation is, if you look at any population of people, even outside of a pandemic, you know, two, three years ago, there would be a
certain percentage of people who would spontaneous also develop these blood clots for different reasons.
So how much higher is this in the vaccinated population versus just a general non-vaccinated population?
And the answer is we don't know. It's kind of approximating the normal background level but maybe it's slightly higher, maybe slightly higher in
women versus men and all these different things. That's why you're getting and seeing this unfold real-time. That's the thing.
Several months from now, there may be a more definitive answer here. But right now you've got to make decisions based on the data you have and this
is what we're looking at.
ANDERSON: Yes, isn't that the truth, as we've been -- well, reporting on these developments sort of minute by minute.
[08:25:00]
ANDERSON: Not potentially or not perhaps allowing scientists to sort of stand back and really deliberate on what we are learning. It's a tough
world out there. The U.K. suggesting that 18- to 29-year-olds shouldn't take the AstraZeneca dose.
Then why?
Is that clear at this point?
GUPTA: Yes. So this is interesting. A lot of people hear that. That is exactly what the U.K. said and they'll say, well, that must mean that this
is more of a concern for younger people. And that's not really the point that they're making here.
Let me show you the graph here that sort of just establishes risk versus benefit. Remember, when you're talking about authorizing under an emergency
use these vaccines, you just got to establish that the benefit is more than the risk.
At the bottom of this graphic, it's very clear; for older people, the benefit is going to be much higher than the risk overall. But for younger
people, who are lower risk of developing significant disease in the first place, the U.K. is basically saying, hey, look, the risk and the benefits,
benefits may outweigh risks still but not by much.
And therefore, for that age group, we would recommend a different vaccine. Look, Becky, it's confusing. You also mentioned that the World Health
Organization says, hey, look, if it's plausible there's this link there, this is a vaccine that, you know, the world is dependent on. So that's
going to cause a lot of consternation in many places around the world.
ANDERSON: And potentially a lot of vaccine hesitancy.
How concerned are you about that?
GUPTA: Significantly concerned. I mean, it predates the pandemic again. Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon but now it's a really, really
urgent problem. We're clearly seeing it here in the United States. It may be the stumbling block that prevents the United States from getting to herd
immunity.
I was talking to colleagues in India a couple days ago; they're seeing the same thing in India. And this AstraZeneca issue is going to fuel that. I
mean, the great hope with AstraZeneca -- and everybody had hope. We bought 300 million doses in the United States, pre-purchased those, thinking that
was going to be the vaccine.
It doesn't require the cold chain storage and can be deployed much more easily around the world. Billions of doses are supposed to go out and they
still will. But there will be increased hesitancy.
And I really think the World Health Organization, other organizations, they need to be conclusive when they're still saying more specialized studies
are needed. As you know, Becky, for a lot of people, they're thinking look, am I part of those specialized studies?
Am I part of the trial, more in a guinea pig sense and how much should I place my faith in this vaccine?
That's going to be a problem for certain -- many countries around the world that haven't had any vaccines yet at all. This will be the only vaccine
that shows up there. They don't have a choice.
What's going to happen then?
I think you know that's going to be a concern.
ANDERSON: Yes. We have to be very mindful, as we continue to report, as we should, on what we learn around coronavirus and indeed these vaccines.
Always a pleasure, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.
GUPTA: Good to see you, Becky.
ANDERSON: China's military message to Taiwan and its army conducts air, ground and sea exercises around the self-ruled island. What each side is
saying about those maneuvers.
And Jordan's king speaking out about what he calls the most painful episode in his more than 20-year reign. An update on the royal rift there -- after
this.
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ANDERSON: We are finally hearing from Jordan's ruler about the royal rift that has shaken the kingdom while creating more questions than answers at
this point. King Abdullah saying "The sedition has been nipped in the bud," and calling it the most painful thing that he has faced as king in his more
than 20-year reign because of the alleged involvement of his half brother, former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein.
Abdullah says the prince is now under his care. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, formerly based in Amman for us, is back in Jordan this week to track the
story for us, joining us now.
Many questions still outstanding, surrounding the prince's whereabouts and the investigation into those arrested. Just break down what we know at this
point.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Becky, as you mentioned, the king breaking his silence. This is something a lot of people wanted to
see. They wanted to hear from their monarch. They wanted to be reassured about the status of their country and what is going on here, as you can
imagine, obviously this has been very unsettling for a population that has never gone through anything like this before to the disappointment of many
here it was a written statement, not a televised address as some had hoped.
But two key points from the king's message. He is saying, as you mentioned, that this sedition, whatever it may have been, has been nipped in the bud.
He also reaffirms the government's line here that there was a plot that involved his half brother, the former crown prince, Prince Hamzah, and says
this has not been the most difficult challenge, the most dangerous that has faced his country.
But he said it was the most painful for him personally as a brother and the leader of the Hashemite family. And you know, again, he's saying that his
half brother was involved in whatever this alleged plot was, something that Prince Hamzah has denied.
But it really, Becky, left a lot of questions about what this plot is. Jordanians don't really know what was being planned, what happened. So so
many questions still out there.
And the second most important thing is he addressed the issue of the whereabouts of Prince Hamzah to an extent. Over the past few days, there's
been a lot of speculation since his apparent house arrest over the weekend.
People have been asking, what happened to the former crown prince?
Where is he right now?
According to the king, he says he is in his palace with his family, quote- unquote, "under my care." It's not entirely clear what that means. And, you know, it leaves you, Becky, with a sense here that the leadership of the
country wants to close this case.
They want to move on and try to restore an image that has been incredibly damaged by the events of the past few days.
ANDERSON: I just want to provide a bit of context for our viewers here. You're right to point out that Jordanians want to know certain things that
are simply unclear at this point.
What Jordanians do know is that their economy is in a perilous (ph) state and many in Jordan blame the government, the intelligence services and some
may blame the king himself for that.
As we zoom out a bit and look at this from an international perspective, there's been an outpouring of support around this region and the world for
King Abdullah. U.S. President Joe Biden giving the king a call, he said, in a show of support for a close, regional ally, which I'm sure will be very
reassuring to King Abdullah.
But what Jordan needs at this point is help.
Are they getting it?
[08:35:00]
KARADSHEH: Well, I mean, Becky, it's a very, very tough position Jordan has been in. I think what we have seen over the past few days with this
crisis it has really brought back to the surface some of the troubles and issues that Jordan is facing.
And it really is a reminder to the international community, to the United States, to Jordan's allies, that they can't take the security and stability
of this country for granted. It is facing a lot of difficulties that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, as you mentioned.
The economy, Becky, I've never seen this country like this; wherever you go, whoever you talk to, people are complaining about the economic
situation in this country that was already in shambles before the pandemic.
Right now, you have unemployment that is at record levels. Same thing when it comes to poverty. The cost of living is still going up. And the
government is really in a tough position. It's very hard for them to deal with this on their own. And international support has been, you know, slow
to come to the aid of this country.
So you know, when you see what happened over the weekend, some of the things that the former crown prince brought up, they really struck a nerve
with Jordanians, because, you know, he talked about the incompetence, you know, what he called the incompetence and the corruption that is rampant in
this country, the mismanagement.
And a lot of Jordanians, they don't really care about international support, Becky. What they care about is their government, their leadership
providing for them and coming up with solutions for the problem. They're not seeing that. Everyone we have spoken to so far really has a very grim
outlook for where this country is headed right now.
ANDERSON: Yes. That's so disappointing to hear but the message that the world should take away, who is watching this, but certainly for the
international communities' benefit, as you say, don't take the security and stability of this country for granted.
Let's see if the international community can step up with more than just statements of support. Jomana Karadsheh, thank you.
Routine operation or a pointed warning?
China's armed forces conducting simultaneous air and sea exercises around Taiwan this week, which it calls part of annual training exercises.
Taiwan's defense ministry responding, reportedly saying it has full grasp of the situation.
Well, the exercise has happened just after a U.S. aircraft carrier entered the area. David Culver following this for us from Shanghai.
David, Chinese officials pushing back against Washington, saying, late today, that the U.S. is stirring up trouble. Just walk us through what is
going on. We are seeing a rise in tensions.
What potential impact could this all have?
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rising tensions indeed, Becky. This has gotten increasingly heated. What we're seeing is what China
considers to be the red line, Taiwan, becoming really the center play of all of this.
It goes back to earlier this week, where we started to see some military action around this self governed democracy, that China, of course,
considers part of its sovereign territory. That was Chinese military and navy vessels really around the east side, which is interesting, the
opposite side from where we are in Mainland China.
And they were conducting with a carrier and a strike group there some activities that would simulate as though they could potentially cut off the
island from any sort of support from U.S. or other allied forces for the U.S.
Now it's symbolic because that's then coupled with aircraft going into the air defense zone for Taiwan, not once but multiple times. And this has been
happening for several weeks now. And it's caused a lot of concern for Taiwan as well as for the U.S.
Now for its part, the U.S. has even brought in a carrier strike group through the South China Sea and through the Taiwan Strait to show China
that they are there to defend the freedom of navigation, as they characterize it. You have this back and forth.
Ultimately, though, what does this mean?
And what is the real concern?
Well, as we point out, for China, it's considered sovereign territory; for the U.S., it's considered freedom of navigation. But there are other
factors at play.
For example, Japan, analysts telling me they are increasingly concerned with what's happening here because they believe if something were to
happen, where, for example, Mainland China were to cut off the rest of the region, particularly from Taiwan, it would cause a greater security concern
for Japan.
And that, of course, is the U.S.'s greatest ally arguably in this region. A lot of back and forth. This is really only the beginning of what's to be
rising tensions here, Becky.
[08:40:00]
ANDERSON: David Culver is in Shanghai for you. Thank you.
Well, the Biden administration moving closer towards the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The U.S. secretary of state and Iraqi foreign minister
agreed that Iraq's security forces have grown stronger while the terror threat from ISIS, they say, has weakened.
There's no exact timetable for the exit of about 2,500 troops in one of America's longest running wars. A Pentagon spokesman says U.S. forces have
already shifted to training and advisory roles. The announcement comes as the Biden administration plans its next steps on Afghanistan, with a May
1st deadline for U.S. troops from there on the table.
How does nuclear power fit into the scheme of fighting the climate crisis?
It's a complex formula for security and the environment. Just ahead, I'm joined by the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hans
Blix.
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ANDERSON: You are a regular viewer of this show, you will remember us reporting yesterday on the launch of the Arab's world first peaceful
nuclear power program. We got an exclusive look inside the first unit of the Barakah energy facility, that is the single largest source of
electricity in the UAE.
And according to authorities, when all four units are in commercial operation, it will provide a quarter of this country's electricity needs
for the next 60 years. That, of course, in spite of its oil riches.
A decade ago, this country took the long view on low-carbon clean energy demands, putting a plan in place for a time when fossil fuels may no longer
rule. Nuclear power is one of the technologies capable of curbing emissions.
But we are learning that the formula to fight climate change and balance energy resources is not one size fits all. France, for instance, bet
heavily on nuclear power decades ago. Well, now it's re-evaluating its energy mix, with an eye towards ramping up renewables like wind and solar.
Melissa Bell has a look at this change in strategy.
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BELL (voice-over): The Eiffel Tower may have gotten a green makeover a few years ago with wind turbines that now provide part of its electricity.
But here in the City of Light, most of the lights you will see are actually powered by nuclear energy; in fact, 75 percent of France's electricity
comes from nuclear power plants, according to EDF.
[08:45:00]
BELL: Now what happened is that, over successive decades, the governments here in France chose to promote nuclear not only in the name of energy
autonomy but also because, before the advent of renewables it was considered greener than fossil fuels and a step in the right direction.
Now France wants to lower the proportion of nuclear in its energy mix to 50 percent by 2025.
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ANDERSON: That's Melissa Bell reporting there.
Well, my next guest has forgotten more about atomic energy than most of us will ever know. He's the former head of the IAEA and advised the UAE on
building its nuclear power plant. Hans Blix joining us from Stockholm.
How significant is the launch of this plant, the first and only one of its kind in the Middle East?
HANS BLIX, FORMER DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: I think it's a great event and it's a great achievement of Abu Dhabi to have run
this program and now to have launched the first nuclear reactor over 1,400 megawatts into the grid of Abu Dhabi. It's a good example for the world.
ANDERSON: Sorry. Go on.
BLIX: Yes. It's an example for the world because nuclear is controversial in many places and regarded as too expensive in some places. But Abu Dhabi
has run a program that's been very wise and very steady.
They brought over four nuclear reactors from South Korea. And South Korea is the main contractor and does the building. And they got it at a fixed
price of $20 billion. So that makes $5 billion per nuclear reactor, which I think today is a very good price. They also made it very efficient in the
way that they built it as a convoy.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- the company that runs this plant, describes the launch of the Barakah nuclear plant as a milestone and this speaks to what you're saying,
quote, "It proves large-scale nuclear projects with our international partners and commercial financing are achievable to the highest standards."
Building big nuclear plants is expensive.
Is nuclear power still feasible when governments consider it an option as they try to move away from fossil fuels?
BLIX: Well, they tend to look in industrial world at ourselves and in Western Europe you only have Finland and the U.K. that are building new
reactors.
However, if you look further east, you'll find that the whole of Eastern Europe is about building nuclear reactors. When you go to Asia, you find
that not only Pakistan and India but also, of course, China, above all, is -- are building nuclear reactors.
And the Japanese are coming back. They don't have any indigenous sources of electricity and have to import of LNG and of oil. So I think looking at
Asia, nuclear, yes, is viable and necessary.
ANDERSON: Nuclear power, of course, fell out of favor after the Fukushima disaster in Japan back in 2011. I think our viewers might be surprised to
learn that there are over 400 nuclear energy reactors operating in 32 countries around the world. As I understand it, another 50 units are under
construction.
Just how safe, sir, is the industry?
BLIX: I think it is very safe. Nothing -- no energy production is 100 percent. You can always have some risks but many compare it as have may
(ph) and you look at the accidents in coal mines and the oil pipelines and gas pipelines that explode.
And you find that the safety of nuclear power is very good and the number of people who have died from the nuclear accidents from radiation is very,
very small. So I don't think that safety really is an argument any longer. Maybe feels it guts (ph) that it's an argument but not really as an
intellectual discussion.
ANDERSON: We heard, just before you and I started talking, from my colleague, Melissa Bell, about how France is diversifying its energy
portfolio and it's adding more renewables after relying heavily on nuclear power for years.
As we look to this energy transition and, this year more than any other, we will be hearing about climate change, decarbonization, curbing emissions, I
wonder, do you believe the -- there is a need to ensure that there is nuclear plus-plus, nuclear and other transitions going on, for example, to
renewables?
[08:50:00]
ANDERSON: How do you see a decent balance on the energy fix as it were?
BLIX: I think above all we must get away from the carbon dioxide- generating fossil fuels. That means coal, above all, and also oil and gas. And nuclear has a great merit that it doesn't generate any carbon dioxide
in the production.
But it doesn't suggest -- one doesn't suggest you need to have 100 percent nuclear. France had over, I think, 85 percent. And that's perhaps putting
too many eggs in one basket. And they're going down to around 50 percent.
Now that may be a sensible thing. We had very much in Sweden, too, going down somewhat. So a great percentage of nuclear but also solar power and
wind power and biomass are desirable to avoid the carbon dioxide that is really lethal for the planet.
ANDERSON: Hans Blix, while I've got you, I must talk about how the Iran nuclear deal is going. We know the U.S. has pulled out of it and the
Iranians now not in compliance. But senior officials from Tehran and Washington, alongside other Security Council nations, have been in Vienna
this week, trying to get talks started on re-engaging with the JCPOA.
Iran has said the first round of these talks was constructive. I wonder what you make of what you have heard at this point.
BLIX: Well, I think it's good that we got over this stage when they are discussing who should go first through a door and that they realize that
they have working groups, which will establish what will be needed to be done by the U.S. and by the Iranians in order to get back to the JCPOA.
It's often forgotten and we have to remember that the first breach of this JCPOA was by the U.S. They breached the Security Council resolution in 2018
and therefore delivered a very severe blow to the authority of the Security Council and of the U.N., the resolution that they had themselves supported.
Now afterward, the Iranians retaliated.
The biggest and primary problem are the Iranian retaliations. But both the U.S. departure came first and the Italian -- and the Iranian retaliation we
need to get away from.
And I think they are now writing down what needs to be done and fairly fast, both on the U.S. side and the Iranian side in order to get -- to
realize fully the JCPOA. And if that will help, it will help reduce the (INAUDIBLE) repression (ph).
ANDERSON: It's a pleasure having you on, sir. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
We'll be right back.
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ANDERSON: It's been almost two years since the massive fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and rebuilding it could take far longer. Melissa Bell
went high atop the cathedral to see just how the work is going so far.
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BELL (voice-over): Its vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows and elaborate columns, seen on these images shot by CNN, so much of what makes
Notre Dame one of the world's most exquisite wonders, stands tall, almost miraculously.
[08:55:00]
BELL (voice-over): The construction of the cathedral may have taken 182 years from when it began in 1163. It took the fire of 2019 a matter of
hours to compromise its stability. The work of the last two years has been all about ensuring that the cathedral stayed upright.
JEAN-LOUIS GEORGELIN, NOTRE DAME RECONSTRUCTION CHIEF: We work to be sure every structure is solid. So we have to take a lot of measures,
consolidate. We don't want to make a reconstruction without being reassured.
BELL: Here you can see the iconic North Tower, that at one point had been threatened by the flames on the night of the fire in the end they were put
out before it could collapse. But this was where the most devastating part of the fire took place.
It was here that the famous Notre Dame spire once stood.
BELL (voice-over): As the world watched, the spire, which had been under renovation, collapsed, breaking through the vaulted ceiling, which then
crashed into the knave. The scaffolding that had surrounded it, 40,000 tubes of metal now twisted into the structure, then had to be carefully
picked through and removed. But Jean-Louis Georgelin, who is in charge of the renovations gave CNN a rare tour.
GEORGELIN: This is a place where the spire collapsed. You know?
This is the center of the drama.
BELL (voice-over): The general then shows us the exact spot where the spire first came crashing through. Here the vaulted ceiling is held up by
wooden pillars, each weighing a 1.5 tons.
They ensure, explains the project manager, that if stones give way, for whatever reason, bad weather, tremor or shock, the wooden support beams
will keep the structure standing.
Now that the scaffolding for the renovations is ready, Georgelin says the work of rebuilding Notre Dame's vaulted ceiling and its spire will begin
before the end of the year.
BELL: This is the central part of the knave where the great majority of the reconstruction is going to have to take place since it's here that the
spire collapsed, bringing down the stone structure with it.
Elsewhere, what's really remarkable is how intact the structure is, these stones that had stood for more than eight centuries almost exactly as they
were.
BELL (voice-over): Outside, too, the cathedral's iconic gothic facade stands as a testament to a construction that has proven as sturdy as it is
delicate. Cathedral officials say almost $1 billion have been raised through donations from 150 countries so far.
A reminder of the place that Notre Dame has, not just in the history of France but in the hearts of so many all around the world -- Melissa Bell,
CNN, Paris.
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ANDERSON: I'll be back in an hour's time. For now it's time for "FIRST MOVE" with my colleague, Julia Chatterley. Do stay with us.
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