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American Morning

Colin Powell in Pakistan

Aired January 16, 2002 - 09:22   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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: As we have been reporting, Secretary of State Colin Powell is in Pakistan, the first stop on a journey which will also take him to Afghanistan, where he is due to meet with officials of the interim government, including foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

CNN's Michael Holmes just met with the foreign minister himself and comes to us live from Kabul.

Michael, what's the latest?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Anderson, good evening.

We just had a lengthy interview with Dr. Abdullah, and essentially, he said that he needs money, he needs cash. The country needs it, it needs it now. There is literally nothing in the bank. And he did make the comment that the government could lose credibility at any time on the streets of Afghanistan if that money isn't coming soon -- Anderson.

COOPER: Michael, Abdullah Abdullah is supposed to meet with Colin Powell tomorrow. What are main issues they are expected to talk about, if any?

HOLMES: Well, I'll tell you what, issue one would be cash, issue two, cash, and probably issue three would be security. Hamid Karzai, the leader of this interim administration, also very much wanting money from the international community.

You know, they have had lots of promises; they feel that those promises will be kept, but the need they say is urgent. As a spokesman said just the other day, there is no point in getting billions in a few months if we don't get millions in a few weeks -- Anderson.

COOPER: Michael, do you know how long Colin Powell is expected to stay in Afghanistan?

HOLMES: Yes, it is not long, but it is a significant visit, in a way. He will be on the ground for about six hours, the highest ranking U.S. official to visit Afghanistan since September 11 and the fall of the Taliban.

What I think is significant is that the security forces here feel that the city is safe enough for him actually to come into town. You will remember Tony Blair just went to the Bagram Air Base and stayed there. Colin Powell will be in town, to come in meet with the president and other officials. It is interesting that he will be actually not staying at the air base, but coming into Kabul city itself.

So about six hours on the ground, all off, a significant visit for the Afghan leadership, this interim administration, very much keen to meet with him -- Anderson.

COOPER: You mentioned the security forces. Those would be Western security forces say it's safe enough for him to come to town?

HOLMES: Yes, the International Security Assistance Force, known here as ISAF -- it's British led and will be carrying out a lot of security. You can guarantee the United States will have some of their security people here too, as you would normally expect, with secretary of state -- pretty much anywhere, probably a bit more so in this neck of the woods. But ISAF will be overseeing the whole thing; that's a British-led force. You see them on the streets around town now along with the local forces as well -- Anderson.

COOPER: Michael, the families of September 11 victims met with victims of American bombing in Kabul yesterday; how did that meet go and what, if anything, came out of it?

HOLMES: You know, it was pretty emotional all up. We went and met with one of the fellows they met with; his house had been bombed by what is thought to have been a U.S. bomb. It was beautiful house in Kabul -- and destroyed. He is now living in a tiny apartment with his family: four children, one on the way.

The four Americans who were here met with him, and they met with others today, and it has been pretty emotional. I talked with some of them today; they said they are seeing some amazing things, Anderson. It has been an eye-opener for them, and I think it has been really helpful for Afghans here too to see that American victims feel their pain, for want of a better expression -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, CNN's Michael Holmes, in Kabul, thanks very much, keeping us updated throughout the day.

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