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CNN Live At Daybreak

Navy to Cease Bombing Exercises in Vieques; Bush Visits Sweden

Aired June 14, 2001 - 08:07   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: CNN has learned that the Navy is to announce today that they will no longer conduct military exercises, bombing exercises on the island of Vieques, where protesters now have scored a victory of sorts.

President Bush has decided to stop those bombing exercises. But a Navy pullout is not expected for another couple of years. The president, as you know by now, is traveling in Sweden, stop No. 3 on his six-nation trip to Europe.

CNN White House correspondent John King covering that tour -- and he has more on this decision -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Carol.

Controversy about that Vieques decision back in the United States; controversy here on the road as well, as the president, now in Sweden -- stop three on a five-nation European tour -- meeting this morning with European leaders.

Sweden holds the rotating presidency of the European Union -- the European Union sharply critical of the Bush administration. President Bush has refused to sign onto the Kyoto treaty on global warming. He says he will not agree to mandatory reductions in those greenhouse gases that many scientists blame for global climate change -- the European Union criticizing the new U.S. administration, saying the United States needs to show leadership on this issue -- so criticism today in Sweden on the environment.

There was some criticism -- and, indeed, a great deal of skepticism yesterday -- as Mr. Bush met with NATO leaders to try to sell his controversial missile defense plan. Still, in brief remarks here this morning, the president tried to focus on the positive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am honored to be the first United States president to come to Sweden. And I appreciate so very much the hospitality that we've received. And I'm so looking forward to these discussions. What the people of Sweden and Europe will realize is that mine is an administration is deeply committed to a prosperous Europe and a whole Europe and a free Europe, and we look forward to a constructive relationship. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now there are some areas of agreement. Mr. Bush is a supporter of plans for a new European defense force that would operate outside of NATO Alliance. There had been some skepticism about that, but Mr. Bush says he's for it.

And as Mr. Bush meets with the European Union here, more than $1 trillion of trade every year back and forth between the United States and the European Union -- the leaders, Mr. Bush and the European leaders, pushing for another round of global trade talks as soon as this year, if possible -- Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, John King, reporting live from Goteborg, Sweden.

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