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American Morning
President Goes Before General Assembly Today
Aired September 23, 2003 - 08:03 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the U.N., where the president heads today before the General Assembly, making that speech right around 10:30 Eastern time. What will be the message and who will pick up on it? Two big questions today.
Richard Roth at his post today at the U.N. to fill us in and that preview now -- Richard, good morning.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
In a way it's a similar tone to last year. President Bush is going to tell the 191 members of the General Assembly that the U.S. would like help for Iraq, but, in effect, he's probably going to indirectly say that he can always go it alone, just like earlier this year with the move in on Iraq and the military campaign there.
France, Germany, Russia still on the opposite side of a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution.
Bush last year challenged the United Nations, questioning it to make it a relevant organization and listing the faults of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi leader. President Bush will talk about Iraq, but he's probably going to broaden his presentation to show how the U.S. and the world can work together in other areas, such as arms control and in the fight against terrorism.
As for the French, well, President Bush will meet, after his speech with French President Jacques Chirac, who, last evening in Manhattan, in a bit of an early charm offensive, opened up a new French-American school in Manhattan, meeting with school children from 42 different countries, playing a little basketball with them. The French president, in his remarks, strictly in French, said events over the last few months have led to tensions in relations between our countries, but he believes, he says it's his personal conviction that the deep historical friendship between the two countries is still ever present.
Secretary General Kofi Annan, Bill, will deliver some sharp remarks inside the General Assembly Hall, criticizing the U.S.'s preemptive action on Iraq, but also saying it's time for everybody in the U.N. to work together. Otherwise, he says, there's going to have to be some radical changes here to improve how the U.N. functions in this new century -- Bill.
HEMMER: Richard Roth, thanks.
Many questions and we're trying to get some answers as the day progresses.
Thanks at the U.N. there.
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 September 23, 2003 - 08:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the U.N., where the president heads today before the General Assembly, making that speech right around 10:30 Eastern time. What will be the message and who will pick up on it? Two big questions today.
Richard Roth at his post today at the U.N. to fill us in and that preview now -- Richard, good morning.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
In a way it's a similar tone to last year. President Bush is going to tell the 191 members of the General Assembly that the U.S. would like help for Iraq, but, in effect, he's probably going to indirectly say that he can always go it alone, just like earlier this year with the move in on Iraq and the military campaign there.
France, Germany, Russia still on the opposite side of a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution.
Bush last year challenged the United Nations, questioning it to make it a relevant organization and listing the faults of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi leader. President Bush will talk about Iraq, but he's probably going to broaden his presentation to show how the U.S. and the world can work together in other areas, such as arms control and in the fight against terrorism.
As for the French, well, President Bush will meet, after his speech with French President Jacques Chirac, who, last evening in Manhattan, in a bit of an early charm offensive, opened up a new French-American school in Manhattan, meeting with school children from 42 different countries, playing a little basketball with them. The French president, in his remarks, strictly in French, said events over the last few months have led to tensions in relations between our countries, but he believes, he says it's his personal conviction that the deep historical friendship between the two countries is still ever present.
Secretary General Kofi Annan, Bill, will deliver some sharp remarks inside the General Assembly Hall, criticizing the U.S.'s preemptive action on Iraq, but also saying it's time for everybody in the U.N. to work together. Otherwise, he says, there's going to have to be some radical changes here to improve how the U.N. functions in this new century -- Bill.
HEMMER: Richard Roth, thanks.
Many questions and we're trying to get some answers as the day progresses.
Thanks at the U.N. there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
