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CNN Live At Daybreak

Target: Terrorism - Blair Tour

Aired October 05, 2001 - 07:22   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives later today in Islamabad to confer with Pakistan's president and other government officials trying to solidify the international coalition against terrorism.

CNN's Tom Mintier joins us right now from the Pakistani capital. good morning, Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

The visit is just about an hour away. British Prime Minister Tony Blair on a flight from Moscow to Islamabad and he will only stay four hours. He will be met at the airport by the Pakistani foreign minister, Abdul Sattar and then taken by motorcade to the president's residence here in Islamabad.

There he will meet with President Musharraf for at least a couple of hours. Then they will sit down together and have dinner at the residence. Then Mr. Blair will come back to the airport and be leaving.

Now, this is important, say Pakistani officials, because it shows recognition by the British prime minister, by the West, by the coalition against the Taliban of what the stance has been by the Pakistani government, basically coming out very strongly, very firmly, unstinted support was the word that the Pakistani president used for the U.S. war on terror.

And this visit is seen as very, very significant, the fact that Mr. Blair put this together in his hastily arranged schedule. Just a couple of days ago, this visit wasn't on. And Number Ten Downing Street really didn't confirm it. The confirmation of the meeting came from here in Islamabad by the Pakistani government.

So it's not going to be a very long meeting and the prime minister will go from here and then fly to India for a meeting in New Delhi with the Indian prime minister. So that is also seen as significant here, trying to cool down the tensions that currently exist with India and Pakistan over disputed Kashmir.

So this visit is seen as important for several reasons, probably from Mr. Blair's perspective, trying to cool down the rhetoric that has been blowing hot between these two countries for the past couple of weeks and keep the focus on the situation with the f. Now, Mr. Blair has been very, very vocal in the last few days, basically serving as an international point man, if you will, against the Taliban and against Osama bin Laden, basically saying to the Taliban very directly and very personally that they must give up Osama bin Laden or give up power.

Now, there was a demonstration, this is Friday here in Pakistan, normally a time when people take to the streets and demonstrate. In Rawalpindi, there was a very small demonstration. It's located just outside of Islamabad. Only a few dozen people walking down the street holding pictures of Osama bin Laden, chanting but not the same type of fiery rhetoric we've seen in the past couple of weeks here where they would turn 10,000 on the streets of Karachi or 5,000 in Quetta. This is a much smaller demonstration on the streets outside of Islamabad.

And inside the mosques today, while there was talk, anti- government talk, not really that strong. People sit rather impassionately listening to it, basically saying anyone who supported the United States or any other military effort against the Taliban and against Afghanistan would be seen as infidels and should be punished by death.

So very, very cool demonstrations here in anticipation of Mr. Blair's visit in an hour's time.

ZAHN: All right, Tom, we'll be checking back with you at about the time of Mr. Blair's arrival. Thanks. Miles.

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