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American Morning

Discussion with NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson

Aired February 20, 2003 - 08:02   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: Now onto the question of how to disarm Iraq. The question is causing a trans-Atlantic split between the U.S. and some of its NATO allies and NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson is in Washington this morning trying to do some damage control after a White House meeting Wednesday with President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank you for your leadership. You've done a fantastic job of keeping this alliance together, moving it forward and not only addressing the current threats that we face, but preparing NATO to address threats into the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And Lord Robertson will meet with Secretary of State Colin Powell a little bit later on today.

Right now, though, the NATO secretary general joins us from Washington.

And it's an honor to have you with us this morning, sir.

Welcome.

LORD GEORGE ROBERTSON, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: A pleasure to be with you, too.

ZAHN: Did President Bush at any time during his meeting with you express his frustration about the stalemate that happened among NATO members when it came to the prospect of military action against Iraq?

ROBERTSON: Well, the stalemate in NATO was about the defense of Turkey. NATO is not involved in any buildup to a military action in Iraq. What we were arguing over for the last couple of weeks was whether we were going to be able to put in place defensive measures for Turkey, which, of course, is a neighbor of Iraq. And, yes, the president was frustrated. So was I. But the president was also very grateful that we came to a conclusion after 11 days of arguing and very concerned that NATO's reputation should be reinforced and that the transatlantic links be also reinforced because they're so important to America and to Europe.

ZAHN: But as you know, Lord Robertson, critics of NATO view this as a much broader problem than simply a problem that NATO had with Turkey. How do you respond to what George Will had to say in the "Washington Post" this morning, where he said NATO's primary function is no longer collective security. It is to give collective weight to European nations in their dealings with America.

ROBERTSON: Well, that isn't true at all, because America and Canada sit around the table with the 17 nations of Europe, soon to be joined by seven others. And it's a genuine transatlantic partnership, a genuine transatlantic forum where people argue and talk and debate and discuss, as you would expect in 19 democracies. And it is about collective security. It is about collective defense.

After all, 17 months ago, NATO invoked its self-defense core treaty commitment, an attack on one is an attack on all, when America was attacked. And this week we've responded to an appeal from Turkey, as well. So that is what the alliance is about. Seventeen months ago it was standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States. This week it's standing shoulder to shoulder with Turkey. That is not a continental or an intercontinental division.

ZAHN: Why is it, then, do you think that perception is widely held that perhaps NATO is a tool of European nations to stand up against the U.S.?

ROBERTSON: Well, at the moment there are some differences of opinion about Iraq and about how to take forward the U.N. Security Council resolution. Not about the importance, because all 19 heads of government and heads of state last November reaffirmed that NATO stands full square behind the implementation of the resolution, but how that resolution will be carried out.

So there's high emotions here. There's a lot of public opinion turmoil on both sides of the Atlantic and in a democratic alliance of nations, that's reflected there. But the fact is that after 11 days of discussion, we made a decision, a very decisive contribution to defending Turkey against threats and assist them.

ZAHN: Lord Robertson, finally this morning, two weeks ago, 10 nations who are expected to become E.U. members next year signed a statement of support for the U.S. position. But French President Jacques Chirac said that their support of the U.S. could have implications for their E.U. admission.

Did you view that as a threat?

ROBERTSON: No, and I don't think they did, as well. It's part of the debate and discussion that goes on between free nations. And practically all of those countries expressed pretty robust views about what President Chirac said. And that sort of debate and dialogue and robust exchange of views is going to be ongoing.

President Chirac is entitled to his view and the other countries are entitled to disagree. And at a end of the day, that sort of robust relationship is what keeps the two sides of the Atlantic together, shared common values and a shared belief in frank, open and honest debating.

ZAHN: Yes, I think everybody appreciates robust debate. But they just weren't clear on what Mr. Chirac meant by implications for these countries that showed support for the U.S. view.

ROBERTSON: Well, I think that President Chirac simply disagreed with what they said and he's entitled to be critical of them. And I heard some of them pretty robustly coming back on President Chirac. And some of these are small countries. They're new democracies. But they're also pretty self-confident, as well.

They're going to be joining NATO. They're going to be joining the European Union. They're going to be part of the international family of democratic nations. And I don't think that they are going to be preached at or allow themselves to be preached at. And they'll have some strong views of their own to express.

Well, that's democracy. It's free speech and long may it continue.

ZAHN: But you don't see them being punished politically in any way?

ROBERTSON: Well, there's no way that they can be punished. Individual people can make their own minds up about what is going on today. But that robust debate goes on. The seven countries that have been invited to join NATO will become part of the alliance next May and those countries invited to join the European Union will also join next May. And that's going to make for a very big and a very diverse new family of nations, including the two sides of Europe that were for so long divided, but where NATO gave them support and sustenance through the dark days of communism.

ZAHN: Lord Robertson, we wish you a great deal of luck with your meetings later today with Secretary of State Powell.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

ROBERTSON: A pleasure to be with you.

ZAHN: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Robertson>


Aired February 20, 2003 - 08:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now onto the question of how to disarm Iraq. The question is causing a trans-Atlantic split between the U.S. and some of its NATO allies and NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson is in Washington this morning trying to do some damage control after a White House meeting Wednesday with President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank you for your leadership. You've done a fantastic job of keeping this alliance together, moving it forward and not only addressing the current threats that we face, but preparing NATO to address threats into the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And Lord Robertson will meet with Secretary of State Colin Powell a little bit later on today.

Right now, though, the NATO secretary general joins us from Washington.

And it's an honor to have you with us this morning, sir.

Welcome.

LORD GEORGE ROBERTSON, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: A pleasure to be with you, too.

ZAHN: Did President Bush at any time during his meeting with you express his frustration about the stalemate that happened among NATO members when it came to the prospect of military action against Iraq?

ROBERTSON: Well, the stalemate in NATO was about the defense of Turkey. NATO is not involved in any buildup to a military action in Iraq. What we were arguing over for the last couple of weeks was whether we were going to be able to put in place defensive measures for Turkey, which, of course, is a neighbor of Iraq. And, yes, the president was frustrated. So was I. But the president was also very grateful that we came to a conclusion after 11 days of arguing and very concerned that NATO's reputation should be reinforced and that the transatlantic links be also reinforced because they're so important to America and to Europe.

ZAHN: But as you know, Lord Robertson, critics of NATO view this as a much broader problem than simply a problem that NATO had with Turkey. How do you respond to what George Will had to say in the "Washington Post" this morning, where he said NATO's primary function is no longer collective security. It is to give collective weight to European nations in their dealings with America.

ROBERTSON: Well, that isn't true at all, because America and Canada sit around the table with the 17 nations of Europe, soon to be joined by seven others. And it's a genuine transatlantic partnership, a genuine transatlantic forum where people argue and talk and debate and discuss, as you would expect in 19 democracies. And it is about collective security. It is about collective defense.

After all, 17 months ago, NATO invoked its self-defense core treaty commitment, an attack on one is an attack on all, when America was attacked. And this week we've responded to an appeal from Turkey, as well. So that is what the alliance is about. Seventeen months ago it was standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States. This week it's standing shoulder to shoulder with Turkey. That is not a continental or an intercontinental division.

ZAHN: Why is it, then, do you think that perception is widely held that perhaps NATO is a tool of European nations to stand up against the U.S.?

ROBERTSON: Well, at the moment there are some differences of opinion about Iraq and about how to take forward the U.N. Security Council resolution. Not about the importance, because all 19 heads of government and heads of state last November reaffirmed that NATO stands full square behind the implementation of the resolution, but how that resolution will be carried out.

So there's high emotions here. There's a lot of public opinion turmoil on both sides of the Atlantic and in a democratic alliance of nations, that's reflected there. But the fact is that after 11 days of discussion, we made a decision, a very decisive contribution to defending Turkey against threats and assist them.

ZAHN: Lord Robertson, finally this morning, two weeks ago, 10 nations who are expected to become E.U. members next year signed a statement of support for the U.S. position. But French President Jacques Chirac said that their support of the U.S. could have implications for their E.U. admission.

Did you view that as a threat?

ROBERTSON: No, and I don't think they did, as well. It's part of the debate and discussion that goes on between free nations. And practically all of those countries expressed pretty robust views about what President Chirac said. And that sort of debate and dialogue and robust exchange of views is going to be ongoing.

President Chirac is entitled to his view and the other countries are entitled to disagree. And at a end of the day, that sort of robust relationship is what keeps the two sides of the Atlantic together, shared common values and a shared belief in frank, open and honest debating.

ZAHN: Yes, I think everybody appreciates robust debate. But they just weren't clear on what Mr. Chirac meant by implications for these countries that showed support for the U.S. view.

ROBERTSON: Well, I think that President Chirac simply disagreed with what they said and he's entitled to be critical of them. And I heard some of them pretty robustly coming back on President Chirac. And some of these are small countries. They're new democracies. But they're also pretty self-confident, as well.

They're going to be joining NATO. They're going to be joining the European Union. They're going to be part of the international family of democratic nations. And I don't think that they are going to be preached at or allow themselves to be preached at. And they'll have some strong views of their own to express.

Well, that's democracy. It's free speech and long may it continue.

ZAHN: But you don't see them being punished politically in any way?

ROBERTSON: Well, there's no way that they can be punished. Individual people can make their own minds up about what is going on today. But that robust debate goes on. The seven countries that have been invited to join NATO will become part of the alliance next May and those countries invited to join the European Union will also join next May. And that's going to make for a very big and a very diverse new family of nations, including the two sides of Europe that were for so long divided, but where NATO gave them support and sustenance through the dark days of communism.

ZAHN: Lord Robertson, we wish you a great deal of luck with your meetings later today with Secretary of State Powell.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

ROBERTSON: A pleasure to be with you.

ZAHN: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Robertson>