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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wendy Chamberlin Speaks on Aid Workers Rescue
Aired November 15, 2001 - 07:36 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: When the rescued aid workers arrived in Islamabad, U.S. ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin was at the airport to greet them. She joins me now from the Pakistani capital.
Thank you very much for being with us.
WENDY CHAMBERLIN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN: Thank you very much for having me.
ZAHN: Ambassador, describe to us, if you would, what the scene was like at the airport. Of course no cameras were allowed in at that point.
CHAMBERLIN: Well, no cameras were allowed in, but I can assure you that it was an enormously emotional, joyous moment. The parents of the two American girls were on hand to greet them. They have been here nearly the entire time that the girls have been detained in Afghanistan. They've been living with us in our embassy, sometimes in my home, sometimes in the homes of our counselor officers. The parents have become part of our family. And this reunion was joyous, it was emotional, it was a wonderful moment for all of us, for them, for the girls, and incidentally, for the very rugged and courageous American military men that helped effect this rescue.
ZAHN: The facts about the release, they're a little murky to reporters this morning. Can you tell us what you know about the point at which the Taliban abandoned the aid workers in what I'm told was a prison in very bad shape in a town of Ghazni south of Kabul?
CHAMBERLIN: Oh, I -- sure. I can confirm that the girls have reported to me that the prison was in very bad shape, but I'm not sure I'd call it abandonment. I'd call it a rescue. The Taliban appear to have been chased out of town by the local people who had taken over from Ghazni and were liberating the prison. They found the girls. They were rescued by local people -- good-hearted Afghani citizens who, when they found the girls, took all eight, there are two gentlemen in the group of eight, took them under their wing, protected them, helped locate an ICRC official who made contact with our embassy. We made contact with the American military, and we moved very quickly for a very risky midnight rescue, but we never could have done this without some very good-hearted Afghani citizens and without the complete support of the Pakistan government.
ZAHN: Is there any indication at this hour that, in fact, the Taliban did have a plan to move these aid workers from Ghazni to Kandahar but because their command and control system had been so compromised by bombing they just couldn't pull it off?
CHAMBERLIN: I -- that's my supposition. I'm not sure that we'll ever know. But what is clear is that the Taliban had taken the girls with them when they fled the city of Kabul. They seemed to be going in the direction of Kandahar, but Ghazni came under control of local citizens who were rising up against the Taliban. The Taliban were chased out of the city and did not take the girls with them. I think they were rescued then by Afghan citizens and later, by the American military.
ZAHN: And can you tell us any more about the Northern Alliance leader who played this key role in making the calls to the Red Cross and basically starting the process of their rescue?
CHAMBERLIN: I can't confirm that it was a Northern Alliance leader. I think it was a local official, possibly a Pushtun, that's a Pushtun area. I really don't know what allegiance -- if he was associated with any group other than just as a tribal leader. I can say that he was very helpful. He took risks himself. He cared for the group of eight. He asked for nothing, and he seemed to want to help.
ZAHN: And in closing this morning, describe to us how Dayna and Heather are doing. I know they spent the night in the ambassador's residence last night.
CHAMBERLIN: Well, they haven't actually spent the night yet as all of this...
ZAHN: Oh, they have not.
CHAMBERLIN: ... happened in the wee hours of the morning. We've actually picked them up at the airport this morning at about 8:00. It's only about 6:00 or so tonight -- this evening. They've spent the day in rapture, hugging their parents, crying, having their favorite meal at my house, going to the hairdressers. It's been a wonderful day of freedom for them.
ZAHN: And then will they be spending the night at your residence tonight?
CHAMBERLIN: Yes, they will.
ZAHN: Well, we are delighted that you were able to join us at the time that some very good news needs to be shared with the American public.
Ambassador Chamberlin, thank you...
CHAMBERLIN: I'm delighted to be able to share this.
ZAHN: Take care.
CHAMBERLIN: Thank you so much. ZAHN: Appreciate your time.
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