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American Morning
Focus on Syria
Aired April 21, 2003 - 08:08 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the latest in the diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Syria. President Bush says Syria is -- quote -- "beginning to get the message that it shouldn't harbor high- ranking Iraqi officials." And the State Department now confirms that Secretary of State Colin Powell will soon be heading to the Middle East.
Our Chris Burns is at the White House now with more on this.
Hi -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.
The president on his way back from his weekend in Crawford, Texas, at his ranch. He will be back this afternoon, not in time for the Easter Egg Roll with -- for 20 -- for 12,000 military family members in the South Lawn happening in the next hour over there, hosted by Lynne Cheney, the vice president's wife.
President Bush coming back to a plate full of both domestic and international issues, including Syria. President appearing to have taken a bit of the pressure off Damascus after getting some results, apparently after these -- this congressional visit over the weekend by a couple of congressmen who say that they got assurances from Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, that there is cooperation, that they are trying to seal the border to prevent Iraqi, former Iraqi leaders from going in to Syria. It does appear that there is progress and the president sounded upbeat about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're getting the message that they should not harbor Ba'ath Party officials, high- ranking Iraqi officials. A lot of other countries have also sent that message. As you know, Secretary Powell will be going to visit with the Syrians, and it seems like they're beginning to get the message. And when we think there is somebody there or know somebody is there, we, of course, will pass on the name and fully expect the Syrian government to hand the person over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Meanwhile, the president is expected to make a trip this week, part of his campaign to keep his tax cut package from getting cut in half. It's part of a major effort by the Bush administration to try to get that tax cut package passed by Congress when they come back from Easter recess -- Heidi. COLLINS: Chris, tell us, what is Syria prepared to do with Iraqis or former Iraqi soldiers that are in their country on the lines of war criminals possibly?
BURNS: Well, the president, President Bush expecting the Syrians to return them. The Syrians say that they are trying to prevent them from entering Syria in the first place, trying to tighten visa restrictions and so forth, trying to tighten the border controls and so forth. So that is the progress on that account.
Now we must point out that President Bush spoke before that "New York Times" story came out talking about weapons of mass destruction that may have been passed to Syria recently and even in past years. No reaction right away from the White House on that, but we'll have to see if they have more comment on that later today -- Heidi.
COLLINS: We will indeed. Chris Burns, at the White House, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 21, 2003 - 08:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the latest in the diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Syria. President Bush says Syria is -- quote -- "beginning to get the message that it shouldn't harbor high- ranking Iraqi officials." And the State Department now confirms that Secretary of State Colin Powell will soon be heading to the Middle East.
Our Chris Burns is at the White House now with more on this.
Hi -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.
The president on his way back from his weekend in Crawford, Texas, at his ranch. He will be back this afternoon, not in time for the Easter Egg Roll with -- for 20 -- for 12,000 military family members in the South Lawn happening in the next hour over there, hosted by Lynne Cheney, the vice president's wife.
President Bush coming back to a plate full of both domestic and international issues, including Syria. President appearing to have taken a bit of the pressure off Damascus after getting some results, apparently after these -- this congressional visit over the weekend by a couple of congressmen who say that they got assurances from Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, that there is cooperation, that they are trying to seal the border to prevent Iraqi, former Iraqi leaders from going in to Syria. It does appear that there is progress and the president sounded upbeat about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're getting the message that they should not harbor Ba'ath Party officials, high- ranking Iraqi officials. A lot of other countries have also sent that message. As you know, Secretary Powell will be going to visit with the Syrians, and it seems like they're beginning to get the message. And when we think there is somebody there or know somebody is there, we, of course, will pass on the name and fully expect the Syrian government to hand the person over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Meanwhile, the president is expected to make a trip this week, part of his campaign to keep his tax cut package from getting cut in half. It's part of a major effort by the Bush administration to try to get that tax cut package passed by Congress when they come back from Easter recess -- Heidi. COLLINS: Chris, tell us, what is Syria prepared to do with Iraqis or former Iraqi soldiers that are in their country on the lines of war criminals possibly?
BURNS: Well, the president, President Bush expecting the Syrians to return them. The Syrians say that they are trying to prevent them from entering Syria in the first place, trying to tighten visa restrictions and so forth, trying to tighten the border controls and so forth. So that is the progress on that account.
Now we must point out that President Bush spoke before that "New York Times" story came out talking about weapons of mass destruction that may have been passed to Syria recently and even in past years. No reaction right away from the White House on that, but we'll have to see if they have more comment on that later today -- Heidi.
COLLINS: We will indeed. Chris Burns, at the White House, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
