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Putin Holds Talks With Kim Jong Un; Catastrophic Flooding In Libya; Putin And Kim Voice Cooperation And Friendship. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired September 13, 2023 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this hour, on diplomatic display, the deepening ties between Russia's Vladimir Putin and North

Korea's Kim Jong Un, the two leaders came together in Russia's Far East earlier.

Whole Libyan neighborhoods have been washed away after catastrophic flooding smashed through two dams. 5,000 people are dead. At least 10,000

are missing.

Well, after 14 days on the run, an escaped convict has been captured in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. He is serving a life sentence for first degree

murder.

And Ukrainian missiles pounded shipyards in Russian-annexed Crimea. Two dozen people were wounded.

Well, "productive candid talks", that is how Russian President Vladimir Putin describes his meeting earlier today in eastern Russia with the North

Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But, just what did they talk about? Well, Putin says, the five hours sit down focused on topics like Russia helping North

Korea develop a space program and agriculture initiatives. Kim praised Putin, saying Russia will defeat and punish "evil forces", an apparent

endorsement of Russia's war on Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM JONG UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER (Translated): Russia is engaged in a fight for justice to defend the sovereign right and security interest against the

hegemonic forces. We have been expressing the full and unconditional support to all measures that you have taken in response, and that in the

front line of anti-imperialism and independence, I will always be standing with Russia. I'm using this opportunity to make it clear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, there is so wide belief among Western intelligence analysts that the leaders discussed a potential deal for Russia to buy North Korean

weapons. Putin would only hint at the prospect of some type of military cooperation between the two countries. Paula Hancocks is back with us this

hour from Seoul. And this meeting does appear to be an event aimed straight in the eyes as it were of Western powers. The question is, did it succeed?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, these are two very isolated leaders. They head up to heavily sanctioned countries, and they stood

united today against the United States, against the West, thinly veiled statements made towards both. And it was very clear that the talks were

military and focus, just from the very fact of where they were held.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Kim Jong Un is given the red carpet tour of Russia's successful space program. According to one reporter present, he asked "a

lot of very detailed questions".

UN (Translated): Is it eight meters in total?

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is happy to share the knowledge that Kim craves, a sharing of information Washington

has been warning off.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Translated): The North Korean leader has shown great interest in rocket technology. They're also trying to develop

space. We have good competencies. We will show them our new facility, the new Cosmodrome,

HANCOCKS (voice-over): North Korea's last two attempts to put a spy satellite into space have failed. Putin showed Kim his Presidential

limousine manufactured by Russian luxury automaker Aurus, reminiscent of former U.S. President Donald Trump showing off "The Beast" to Kim during

friendlier times in Singapore. Kim praised Putin for standing up against hegemonic forces, a thinly veiled swipe at the United States and the West,

even appearing to toast Russia's war in Ukraine.

UN (Translated): I firmly believe that the Russian Military and people will inherit the shining tradition of victory and demonstrate their dignity and

honor on the frontline of military operation.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): U.S. and South Korean intelligence predict an arms deal including North Korea providing Russia with much needed ammunition to

use in Ukraine. The symmetry and their weaponry means certain ammo could be used immediately by Russia. Another possibility, the very public meeting

could be sending a message.

ANDREI LANKOV, PROFESSOR, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY: It's why we have signaled to Seoul, be careful. It says, if you, South Koreans, start shipping

ammunition to Ukraine, Russia will probably do technology transfer to North Korea.

[11:05:00]

The same message is also going to Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS (on-camera): Now, there were no press conferences, no statements, no communicates, as we expected there not to be. So, of course, it's up to

the West now and the United States to guess at what exactly has been agreed upon, if anything concrete has been agreed upon. The U.S. officials have

consistently been saying they believe there is an arm steel that is in the works. Buy, any kind of agreement between these two leaders, it is assumed

it would not be good news for the U.S. and for its allies, Becky.

ANDERSON: Paula, thank you.

Well, in Libya, the death toll from that catastrophic flooding has soared to more than 5,000 with double that number missing. These before and after

satellite images of hard hit Derna show the scale of this devastation. And I've got to warn you, some of the images coming in from that city are

frankly graphic. Hospitals are at capacity. Bodies lined the streets, as the morgues are full. And Libya's International Rescue Committee has now

warned of a "crisis within a crisis" without access to clean water and sanitation. It is calling on the international community for help. Well,

various countries have already started to send in aid, but there are major blockades, both physical and political, for trying to get help where it is

needed most.

Let's kick this off with our Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman. He knows this country well. Ben, you've covered it for many years.

You're joining us now live. Can we just talk about what we understand to be the international aid response at this point, and what is needed?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a variety of countries have come forth and offered and actually delivered aid. For

instance, Turkey sent three airplane -- four low airplanes full of search and rescue personnel as well as equipment. We know that, for instance,

Italy is also dispatching firefighters. Variety of things are being offered, are arriving. The problem is that, for instance, many of the roads

and bridges into Derna, which is the hardest hit area, have been destroyed by the flood, and therefore it's very difficult to get anything there. In

fact, Italy is sending a ship, which is probably the easiest way to get a large amount of relief supplies to the city as opposed to a land route. And

otherwise, the only way to get to the city is via helicopter. And that obviously has challenges in and of itself.

So, the logistical challenges are very big. I mean, you do need to get all sorts of things. You need to get generators. You need to get water

purification equipment. In addition to personnel, search and rescue people, medical personnel as well, and getting them all there is proving to be

quite a challenge given the destruction that this earthquake caused. And of course, one of the immediate problems that's becoming very apparent is that

there are so many dead bodies in the city. It appears just from the video, hundreds, perhaps thousands are out in the open. The morgues are all full.

It's not clear if they even have enough electricity to provide refrigeration for the bodies. And doctors have said, they are worried about

an environmental disaster, basically, an outbreak of disease as a result of this body.

So, for instance, some of the bodies are being loaded into trucks and sent to Tobruk where they actually do have refrigeration facilities for those

bodies. So, it's a logistical nightmare at the moment, Becky.

ANDERSON: Ben, thank you. Let's consider just how bad this is given what Ben has just said, as Libya tries to make sense of the unthinkable scale of

the disaster here. It also needs to plan, of course, for the coming difficult days, weeks and months.

Joining me now is the country's former Health Minister, Dr. Reida El Oakley, coming to us from Benghazi in Libya tonight. And sir, as I

understand it, you have friends in Derna, as many Libyans will have. This was a tourist area, of course, as well. And as I understand it, you haven't

heard from many of them. My sincere condolences to you and those who know people who may have perished in this. Can you just describe before we talk

about needs and what happens next, can you just describe what you understand to have happened, being where you are and talking to people on

the ground?

[11:10:00]

DR. REIDA EL OAKLEY, FORMER LIBYAN HEALTH MINISTER: Thank you, Becky, for having us, and thank you for your help and support for the Libyan people.

First of all, I'd like to send my commiserations to those who have people died, and hope that God will accept that people into his mercy. Really, I

think what happened was, a few days ago, I think it was probably there was heavy rain, I was actually about 40 kilometers west of Derna, and we

observed that in the Green Mountain there is very heavy rain. And what the people -- what I hear that about three o'clock in the morning where

everyone was asleep, there was a big bang. It's like an explosion, a huge explosion, which means the dam has -- was broken down.

And the huge wave, they said it was as high as six-storey building or even higher that swept the whole country like a single wave tsunami. And that

swept many houses and many high rise buildings into the sea, or collapsed those houses and the people living in them. And those who went in the sea,

of course, they were drowned. And unfortunately, thousands are missing. And it's expected that the death toll could be as high as 15,000 or even 20,000

people.

ANDERSON: I am so sorry. As I understand it, the city was something like 60,000 people before this disaster. So, clearly, this is catastrophic.

Let's talk about what people's needs are at this point. Ben just pointing out that access to clean water and sanitation is obviously absolutely

critical at this point, and NGOs warning of an unfolding crisis within a crisis. What are your major concerns at this point, given your position as

a cardiologist and the fact that you were the former Health Minister? I mean, you know, you will know this file well.

OAKLEY: Yes. I think the main problem that we're expecting, there will be another disaster if the people who are alive stay in Derna. And if the dead

bodies were allowed to ferment and release bugs and bacteria, that could be lethal to the people who are still alive. I suspect what the people need is

immediate evacuation out of that city, which, by definition, is no longer really suitable for living, because the city itself is divided into two

halves. You cannot go from one side of the city to the other. You have to go out to the city, go all the way to the south of Derna, then try to join

in the other side, about 100-mile journey, or they're about to be able to see your relative, your friend on the other side.

In addition to that, the road access to Derna, which is parallel to the sea, has unfortunately been damaged on both -- on either side of the city.

So, there is only one route to Derna that come from the south that goes through villages close to (inaudible). And unfortunately, even (inaudible)

and nearby villages have been badly hit. And there is so many deaths and so much difficult to access these people, even to provide them with simple

amenity of needs of life, sadly. What they really need is to evacuate those who are at risk, at the same time very urgent to try to gather these dead

bodies and bury them as soon as possible.

ANDERSON: Let's talk about the response from authorities, because of course there is political division between East and West. I know you are concerned

about the likelihood of assistance for people leaving at this point. Both governments have pledged to allocate funding. But, have they have direct

support at this point?

OAKLEY: Really, we haven't seen any touchable support. I think what we have seen really, I came from Al Bayda to Benghazi two days ago, and I saw a lot

of Military hospital -- Military cars driving in the direction of Derna to support the people. This is what is really palpable at the moment. However,

direct support in terms of medical supplies and so on is meaningless because really the -- I know the health system is dilapidated, but at the

same -- I think what they really need is to dig up those dead bodies, bury them, and save the others from catching other disease, and particularly in

the absence of safe water to drink, and even basic foodstuffs that will no longer be available very soon, maybe even today, tomorrow.

[11:15:00]

They're running out of food.

ANDERSON: So -- well, yes. I mean, this is critical. Isn't it? So, I know that you know this city well, and I know that you are well aware that this

dam built in the 1970s has been, as I understand it, poorly maintained for years. At some point -- and weather instability in this region, of course,

getting worse and extreme weather events, as we understand them, and we've seen evidence of this, not just in Libya, but across the region getting

worse, what's your appeal at this point? We've talked about what is needed as far as sort of your immediate needs. But, going forward, how concerned

are you about this sort of event being repeated at some point in the very near future?

OAKLEY: It could happen this winter. I think it is highly likely that we will have other weather -- severe weather conditions that could affect that

again. However, the towns and houses in the way of a major water flow have been hit. But, unfortunately, people are trying to go back and save this. I

think the authorities should be firm that any house or any property in line with the flow of water, with potential flow of water in future should be

discouraged, and find an alternative accommodation for these people. That's number one.

Number two, we need really to support cities and towns nearby Derna, like Benghazi, Tobruk, and other villages nearby, in order to allow people of

Derna who are currently available as IDPs (Internally Displaced People). And Benghazi, for example, we have 10 schools which full of people, have

been displaced from Derna, the same will apply to Tobruk, I'm sure, and they'll wait there. These people will need, again, to have as normal life

as possible in terms of access to basic life needs, and the kids needs to go to school, and these people need to be able to access hospitals for care

and so on.

But, the problem is that you have to -- the school is about to start in Libya, maybe in one or two weeks' time, and they will be forced to leave

the schools to find somewhere to live, which really, the current governments from both sides will not be capable of erecting the required

housing and accommodation needed for these people in such a short time.

ANDERSON: You have laid out very clearly the absolute urgency of the support needed for Libya at present. So, I know, you know, these are very,

very difficult times for you. We really appreciate your time in coming on. It's an important interview, and we will continue to report on this story.

Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

As always, you can find more on what is this developing story and other important issues from the region when you subscribe to our Middle East

newsletter. There you can read a lot more about what has been the catastrophic fallout from Storm Daniel there and where Libya goes from

here. That is, meanwhile in the Middle East, it's a newsletter which we will drop in your box three times a week, produced on the region from the

region, and it's an important read. So, please do use that QR code on the screen that you see there, and sign up.

Well, relief for a community in Pennsylvania just ahead. The manhunt for an escaped killer is over. A live report on that is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson for you. After 14 days on the running, escaped murderer has been caught in the

United States earlier today in Pennsylvania. Danelo Cavalcante was captured through a combination of heat-seeking technology and a Police canine. Here

you see him being loaded on to a Police van. Well, regular viewers of this show will remember that he escaped by crab-walling -- crab-walking up the

wall of a prison yard on August 31. CNN's Brian Todd has been following this from the beginning, and he is live in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

And we heard from authorities in a news conference just last hour. What did we learn about what happened?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, some really interesting detail of a dramatic and thankfully peaceful capture of Danelo Cavalcante. What we

were told was that at about 12 midnight, a little after midnight last night, there was a local burglar alarm that went off in a residence that

authorities went and checked on that burglar alarm. But then, at about one o'clock a.m. Eastern Time, there was a heat signature that was picked up by

a DEA aircraft flying overhead. They wanted to, you know, zero in and send teams in there. But then, they had a lightning storm that forced the

aircraft to back out of the area and get out of the sky.

However, they were able to send tactical teams to the area where that heat signature was detected shortly after 1 a.m. Eastern Time. And by eight

o'clock a.m. Eastern Time, shortly after eight o'clock, that's when the teams had isolated Cavalcante lying in the tall grass in a field. The teams

moved in on him. According to Police, he was unaware that they were there, but then very quickly became aware that they were there. Then, he started

to crawl away quickly. That's when they released the canine. It was either a German shepherd or a Belgian Malinois that they released. The dog tracked

him, basically got on top of him, and he went flat, and the dog at one point bit him, but that's when he was subdued by Police.

One of the other additional details was that while he was crawling on the ground, he had that rifle that he had stolen within arm's reach the entire

time, and the rifle was within arm's reach when the dog was on top of him. So, a bit of a close call there. But, thankfully, neither the dog nor any

law enforcement officers nor any members of the public were harmed. And shortly after 8 a.m. Eastern Time, they took Danelo Cavalcante into

custody. We were told that he looked pretty depleted, that he had been -- we know that he'd been out on the run for close to two weeks. And they

finally have him in custody. They have not said really anything about whether he has spoken. We get indications that he has not spoken, and said

anything to them as of yet. But, of course, investigators are going to be questioning him.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Brian Todd is on the story. Thankfully for those in the area, a story that they will be pleased is now over. Thank you,

Brian.

Well, a new OpEd penned in The Washington Post is not a column that the Biden administration will enjoy reading today. Columnist David Ignatius is

urging President Joe Biden not to run again in 2024. Now, David, who is an influential and well considered writer by many, writes "I don't think

President Biden and Vice President Harris should run for reelection. It is painful to say that given my admiration for much of what they have

accomplished. But, if he and Harris campaign together in 2024, I think Biden risks undoing his greatest achievement, which was stopping Trump."

For more, let's bring in Jeff Zeleny, who is in Washington. I just wonder, firstly, what type of reaction there in Washington you are hearing about

this OpEd.

[11:25:00]

Let's remind our viewers and for those who don't know, David Ignatius is as an influential foreign policy columnist.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: He absolutely is Becky. And his argument isn't necessarily a fresh one. This has been said

by many people for quite some time. But, when David Ignatius, the Columnist for The Washington Post, who has been close to this President for many,

many years, for many decades, actually, when he makes this type of blunt argument in the pages of The Washington Post, that certainly has taken a

lot of people by surprise and taking notice of this. The question is, is he trying to send a message, or who is he trying to send a message through to,

uh, to get to the President? He was very blunt in this, and he is not really coming from it from a critical way as much as from a way of

admiration.

He said he has been a very successful President. He said it pains me to write this, but he launches an argument on a couple of fronts, once the age

of the President, and as well, the Vice President. He says, they believe that she simply is not going to help the ticket here. And he was explaining

earlier this morning in another interview why he did this. And he said, he is saying this now, because he believes there should be at least a

conversation about this. This is something that the Democratic Party does not want to talk about. Democratic Senators do not want to talk about the

President's age. White House advisors don't want to do that. So, this is why David Ignatius says he is injecting into the bloodstream, if you will,

to get this conversation going. But it's very blunt.

And the President has not commented on this specifically, but you can bet, he has read it. And his words reflect our polls. You can see there. 67

percent of Democrats told our poll last week that they would like to see a different candidate.

ANDERSON: Who would that be, just out of interest?

ZELENY: Well, that is the question. I mean, that is the root of the question here, because no one has stepped forward. There isn't a logical

person, because the Democratic Party has backed itself into a corner here. But, look, if he would suddenly decide that he is not running for

President, Vice President Harris is the effective runner-up here. But, you can bet that there certainly would be many other Democrats stepping forward

should this happen. But, look, there are no signs that President Biden has given any indication that he does not plan to run. In fact, quite the

opposite. His re-election campaign is already well underway. He is attending a fundraiser tonight.

But, this certainly is a conversation starter. We've been surprised by things before in Washington. So, we should leave our minds open to this,

but it is a provocative, but we don't think it will go anywhere from here, Becky.

ANDERSON: Interesting. Jeff, you've always got your finger on the pulse as it were in Washington, D.C. It's good to have you. And I've no doubt you

and I will be talking through what are the next 14 months with the U.S. presidential election, of course, due November 2024. Good to have you, sir.

Well, the way to the battlefield is to knock out the logistics of the Russians. That's what a Ukrainian official said, following an overnight

attack that Kyiv carried out on a shipyard in what is Russian-annexed Crimea. Now, Kremlin says Ukraine launched 10 cruise missiles, three

uncrewed boats also involved. In the end, Russian officials say two ships that were being repaired were damaged in the attack, and they say 24 people

were wounded.

Let's get you back to CNN's Melissa Bell in Kyiv. And we talked last hour about the significance of this attack and its symbolism coming as it

touches against the backdrop of a visit by the North Korean leader to Vladimir Putin today, and much talk in intelligence agencies of course that

that trip is about providing more ammunition and arms for Russia for this war. What do you make of the significance of taking out this shipyard

infrastructure?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is, Becky, about taking on Russian logistics, its logistical ability to keep waging this war, and

that's something that we've been seeing happening more and more clearly on Russia's own soil over the course of the last few weeks, Ukrainian

attempts, Becky, with drones often to take out its logistical ability, to keep waging this war.

Now, by bringing this to Crimea, of course, it is taking that message and that striking ability that Ukraine has one step further by bringing it back

to what Ukraine believes is/was the start of this war, and should be where it ends as well. Remember, Becky, that that ammunition that President Putin

has gone asking the North Korean leader for is artillery that's going to be used, artillery, artillery shells, ammunition that's to be used across

these frontlines, the Eastern and the southern.

[11:30:00]

BELL: Where the Ukrainians have been making real progress is towards the south, of course, trying to take on the ability of Russia to resupply its

troops on the Crimean peninsula. Crimea is very much at the heart of everything they're doing, and all of their efforts right now. So, I think

these kinds of strikes like the one that you've seen overnight, not just important in terms of the symbolism, but, of course, the actual ability to

get 10 NATO given cruise missiles to what Ukraine believes is its own, but is of course even now Russian held. It is symbolically important, but it is

also strategically important in terms of showing Ukraine's might at this particular point, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Melissa, thank you. Melissa is reporting for you from Kyiv in Ukraine.

Well, it is a Herculean relief efforts in earthquake-stricken Morocco. Next, I'm going to speak with an aid worker who has been going village to

village to find out what people who've lost everything now need most.

Plus, the U.S. House Speaker under heavy pressure from conservatives, is now ordering an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. We are

following reaction, and we'll get you more on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson. Your headlines this hour. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will defeat

and "punish evil forces". Kim's comments as they met in eastern Russia, came as an apparent endorsement of Russia's war on Ukraine, and coming amid

U.S. warnings of a potential arms deal for Russia to buy North Korean weapons to use in Ukraine. Neither leader would say if that though was

discussed.

Well, the manhunt for an escaped killer is over in the United States. Just a few hours ago in Pennsylvania, law enforcement found Danelo Cavalcante

sleeping in tall grass.

[11:35:00]

He had been on the run for the last two weeks in a heavily wooded area. He originally escaped prison by crab-walking up the wall. Prison officials say

they've made immediate changes to improve security.

Morocco's King has made his first public appearance since a powerful earthquake struck on Friday, killing nearly 3,000. King Mohammad VI visited

a hospital in Marrakech. On Tuesday, he met with injured survivors and donated blood. Meanwhile, rescue efforts are slowly shifting to recovery.

And in the most remote areas, people are still in desperate need of help.

My next guest runs a charity that develops educational opportunities for children in Morocco. But, when that devastating earthquake shook the

nation, she mobilized her team and focused her efforts and their efforts on relief. Now, they have criss-crossed the country to see what people in

villages need, which has mostly been, as I understand it, shelter and sanitation equipment. Amal Zniber, President of Amis Des Ecoles, joins us

now live from Casablanca. It is really good to have you. You know, it's clear what prompted your shift in focus, and your efforts, obviously

incredibly important at this point. Just explain how you reconfigured that team, and what you found.

AMAL ZNIBER, PRESIDENT, AMIS DES ECOLES: Well, we very spontaneously, right after the earthquake happened, we were obviously all devastated. And a

friend called, well, actually, she was an acquaintance, and she called me up and said, we need to do something. And we mobilized -- we were three in

the car, three women, three dynamic women, and decided to first assess what's going on in area, because I think assessment is the most important

thing to do before action. I had heard on Saturday what was going on. I had different people telling me different things. But, you know how it goes.

There are many rumors. So, there is nothing better than --

ANDERSON: Yes.

ZNIBER: -- first-hand information. So, we headed out on this Sunday morning. Right.

ANDERSON: And what have you discovered since then? What are people telling you they need most?

ZNIBER: We have just discovered an incredible solidarity from the Moroccan population, all of Morocco hand-in-hand, from the poorest person in the

country. It's -- actually, what's crazy is that in the -- in this devastating time, the love and the solidarity we see now is the exact same

solidarity we saw during the COVID times. So, today, what is the most important is everybody is still -- wants to have shelter. They want to have

their homes reconstructed because so many homes were destroyed. The schools were destroyed. And the basic needs are -- have been coming in in an

incredible time. We see trucks on the road all the time. We ourselves, in two days, have gone to 15 different areas and 15 different villages.

And we have -- daily, we have one to two trucks daily going up there. And we see everybody being mobilized, really. So, it's incredible, but the

needs right now is definitely -- sorry.

ANDERSON: This is -- go on. No, go on. I mean, I'm just saying this is remarkable, because, you know, frankly, it is a lot of private Moroccan

NGOs, like yours, that are seemingly making up the bulk of the support and reconstruction. And I do wonder, you know, I'm sure our viewers will wonder

why it is the government has been intent on sort of trying to cope in this situation and not taking the office of a lot of foreign aid which have been

made. So, yes, you were just about to tell me what it is that you have discovered from --

ZNIBER: Yes.

ANDERSON: -- these 15 villages that you've been in.

ZNIBER: No, absolutely. The government has, from day one -- I mean, we arrived on Sunday. Obviously, the government has done a huge effort. And

the problem is that the area is very remote. So, the first thing that needed to be done is get the dead bodies under the rubbles. And so, that is

an extreme before -- so that the NGOs and others could reach those different villages. So, it's an extreme effort that needed to be done by

everyone. And then, helicopter were giving food to the remote villages where -- as NGOs -- and I will just say that it's not only the NGOs. It's

Moroccans. Moroccans from all over the country came and donated, people in their private cars.

[11:40:00]

And the problem is that the roads were then congested because so many people were giving, and that comes from just the way we are as a Moroccan -

-

ANDERSON: Yes.

ZNIBER: -- as Moroccans. And like I said, exact same scenario we saw during COVID. And we managed the COVID crisis, I think, much better than many

countries around the world. It was incredible.

ANDERSON: Yes.

ZNIBER: And we see the same kind of support and solidarity.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Yes. And it is good to have you and to get you to describe just that sense of sort of coming together, is so

important. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says it will provide an initial $1

million in humanitarian support to organizations working on the ground, providing emergency food assistance, health services, shelter, and the

like. Again, important stuff working with people on the ground to make sure that these people are helped. Thank you.

Still to come, the U.S. House Speaker is pushing for a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over allegations he profited from his

son's business deals. We are going to get you Washington reaction on that coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Today marks 30 years since one of the most memorable moments in modern diplomatic history, the Oslo Accords, when then-Israeli Prime

Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat shook hands over a declaration of principles designed as a

bridge to a lasting solution. 30 years later, Oslo is dead, no two states, no mutual recognition, no Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at all. But, I

spoke to the key architects of the Oslo Accords, Terje Rod-Larsen. He and his wife Mona Juul were crucial to the behind the scenes moves that brought

about this famous handshake on September the 13th 1993. Rod-Larsen is still deeply plugged into discussions. He also still believes there is only one

solution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERJE ROD-LARSEN, NORWEGIAN DIPLOMAT: So, peace agreement are compromises, and in this -- in the Oslo Accords, it's full of compromises. But, what it

did was creating a quasi-state to the Palestinian Authority with the President, with the Prime Minister, with the cabinet and with the

Legislative Assembly, and subsequently given the status of the state by the UN. But, it isn't the state, because they don't have estate, and they don't

have a land.

[11:45:00]

But, our strong belief and my strong belief still is that the issue of the Palestinian state is a part of Palestinian identity, and the conflict

cannot be resolved without restoring that identity.

ANDERSON: What does that mean, a two-state solution still?

ROD-LARSEN: Yes, absolutely. There is no other way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, this week also marks the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, the historic normalization agreements between Israel and a number

of Arab countries. Rod-Larsen and I discussed that how each step builds on the last.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROD-LARSEN: Implementing a peace agreement is a process which takes a very long time. And that process led first to the peace agreement with Jordan.

Then, without that, it would have been possible for Israel to do its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. And I was the UN Special Representative -

- Special Envoy to that process. And that would not have been possible without the Jordan-Israel agreement in the year 2000. And then comes the

Abraham Accords. That would not have been possible without the peace agreement with Jordan. That would not have been possible without the

backdrop of the Israeli -- under this occupation of southern Lebanon.

And what is now happening, which is not out in the public, between Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and the Palestinians, what the Americans called the big

deal or the Grand Bargain, that process would not have been possible without the Abraham Accords. So, it is actually moving forward. But, it's

slow. It's painful, but it's moving forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that brings us to the present, the U.S. and Israel looking towards the ultimate normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

What Rod-Larsen referred to there as the Grand Bargain, we are still a long wait from that. And Terje Rod-Larsen, a man who knows how these discussions

work better than almost anyone else explains why we are where we are, and it seemingly some distance away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROD-LARSEN: My opinion is that without significant concessions from Israel to the Palestinians, it will be extremely difficult, probably impossible to

make a deal. And then, if you look at the political situation in Israel now, to make a compromise with the current coalition government, it will be

to put it under stated a tall order. And probably, it would mean that the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu would have to change his

coalition partners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: So, 30 years on from that key moment in Israeli-Palestinian relations, we have the same goal of lasting peace, depending on a different

leading cast. It remains to be seen if today's politicians can step up to become history-making statesmen.

Well, the White House says Kevin McCarthy's decision to call on his House Committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is

extreme politics at its worst. The U.S. House Speaker has been under intense pressure from right wing Republicans to push ahead with an inquiry

or face being ousted from his speakership role. Republicans have been instigating or investigating the President over allegations that he

profited from his son's business deal. So far, House-led investigations haven't provided any direct evidence that Mr. Biden financially benefited

from any of Hunter Biden's deals overseas.

For more, let's bring in CNN's Lauren Fox. She is on Capitol Hill. And I think we really just need to understand a little more about Kevin

McCarthy's decision at this point. Lauren.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, it certainly surprised many of his Republican colleagues, including those in his own

ranks, in part because House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had said that moving forward with an impeachment inquiry, opening that inquiry, was a serious

step, and that it should include a vote of the full House of Representatives. Yesterday, he decided to open this inquiry unilaterally

without a vote of the House of Representatives, and that is because the votes likely were not there to move forward with this impeachment inquiry.

[11:50:00]

If you put it on the floor, there were many Republicans who hailed from swing states and others like Ken Buck, a conservative, who argued there

just wasn't enough direct evidence tying President Joe Biden directly to Hunter Biden. And they're arguing that evidence didn't really exist at all.

So, one of the reasons that McCarthy moved forward yesterday unilaterally was just this idea that it was unlikely he was going to be able to do this

on the floor of the House of Representatives, and he was facing increased pressure from those on his right flank although so far, it doesn't look

like the decision to open an impeachment inquiry is really winning him any points with those conservatives.

Just about an hour after he made this announcement yesterday, Matt Gaetz, a conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus, went down to the House

floor and threatened McCarthy's speakership if he didn't get in line on a series of promises that Gaetz argued McCarthy made back in January to

conservatives who were holding out their votes until McCarthy gave into them. So, there are a lot of moving pieces here, not the least of which is

the government still has to be funded at the end of the month. So, we've been focusing a lot on impeachment and this inquiry that has been open now.

But, there is also real basic work to do to make sure that the government continues to be funded after the September 30 deadline.

ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

Well, with artificial intelligence or AI all around us, will it be up to the government or the tech industry to regulate it? We're going to head to

Washington where some of those decisions are being made.

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ANDERSON: Well, tech giants Google, Microsoft, Tesla and Meta, will all be represented today in a gathering with U.S. Senators on Capitol Hill. Bill

Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and other leaders in the tech community coming together for what is a closed-door meeting on the future of AI. Now,

this summit will be moderated by bipartisan Senators Chuck Schumer and Mike Rounds. And the goal is to educate lawmakers on AI before laws were enacted

to regulate the industry.

Well, for more on the summit and what may come out of it, let's go to Technology Reporter Brian Fung in Washington. Well, it's always good news

that they are getting a lesson in AI before actually taking any decisions on it. Why is this meeting going on behind closed doors instead of out in

the open? After all, it matters to all of us, right?

BRIAN FUNG, CNN TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: Yes. That's a great question, Becky. And in fact, Senator -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has gotten a

lot of criticism from some of his colleagues about the fact that this meeting is happening privately. You had Senator Josh Hawley blasting leader

Schumer for basically allowing the -- what he called monopolists to come to Washington and effectively lobby U.S. lawmakers on how they think the

industry should be regulated. And, you know, you do have members of the labor movement here, you know, the entertainment industry as well as

writers and civil rights organizations here.

But, you know, you do have a lot of concern from folks outside the room that maybe this is an opportunity for the tech industry to shape the way

that the regulations for AI unfold.

[11:55:00]

And this is really a truly unprecedented meeting, Becky, because, you know, we've never seen so many tech industry CEOs gather together in one room

with U.S. lawmakers before. And you know, what comes out of this is really a big question. But, what seems to be happening is that leader Schumer

wants this to be the start of a legislative process that can yield comprehensive legislation that would apply to all AI algorithms in the

United States, in, you know, catching up to other regulations that the EU and other jurisdictions have already moved ahead on. So, this is a really

major meeting that's happening, but whether or not this will actually yield concrete regulations that are effective at reining in the industry, that's

still a major question.

ANDERSON: Yes. Yes. And it's a massive conversation. It couldn't be more consequential what happens with the regulation of AI, and at least here in

the first instance, the Senators are getting a bit of a sort of deep dive on what it means before they take any decisions. Thank you for that.

And thank you, folks, for watching from the team working with me here and those around the world. It is a very good evening. Do stay with CNN "One

World" with Lynda Kinkade is up next.

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