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CNN Live Event/Special

Secretary Rumsfeld, Norwegian Defense Minister Discuss War

Aired April 02, 2002 - 11:37   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Live pictures now from Washington just outside the Pentagon. You see there Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and he is acompanied today by the Norwegian defense minister.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: ... both of our countries. And we discussed our relationship in NATO and how important that is, the Atlantic relationship. We also discussed the wonderful cooperation and support that Norway has been giving to Operation Enduring Freedom. As you well know from our briefings, the Norwegians have had special forces there and have participated in a variety of other ways.

So we're happy you're here. And I'll turn the mike over for you to make any comments you'd like.

KRISTIN KROHN DEVOLD, NORWEGIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.

First of all, I'm very happy to be here.

The main purpose of my visit is to express the strong support that Norway has for the Operation Enduring Freedom and the fight against terrorism. We have been backing United States and we will continue to back United States. It's very important for us, because, as I explained to Mr. Secretary here, there are actually more Norwegians living in the United States than there are in Norway, so we have long and good tradition for actually being related to each other as we are.

At the same time, I also wanted to mention that in Norway we are in favor of changing the NATO. We are in favor of modernizing NATO. And we think that Norway actually can play a role there and that we want to cooperate very closely with the United States in the job that is ahead of us.

Thank you.

RUMSFELD: Thank you. Now, we have a tradition that Charlie (ph), being not the oldest but the senior member of the Pentagon press corps, asks the first question. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, might I ask, the White House confirmed today that you believe you're holding Abu Zubaida. What does this mean for the war on terrorism, and do you plan perhaps to question him in a third country other than Afghanistan or Pakistan before you move him to Gitmo?

RUMSFELD: Well, first, as President Musharraf indicated today and as the White House indicated, he is in fact in custody. And being a very senior Al Qaeda official who has been intimately involved in a range of activities for the Al Qaeda, there's no question but that having an opportunity to visit with him is helpful.

Sometimes I understate for emphasis.

HARRIS: That is the ultimate understatement, defense secretary absolutely disappearing off our screen. There, we have the picture back.

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QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, just a brief follow-up. Apparently he was wounded rather seriously in trying to escape. Is he in a hospital now?

RUMSFELD: He's being given exactly the excellent medical care one would want if they wanted to make sure he was around a good long time to visit with us. And he's getting very good medical care. His wounds are several. They seem not to be life threatening.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, you have...

RUMSFELD: I thought we were going to alternate between the U.S. and the Norwegian press...

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: ... Norwegian press corps, sir.

RUMSFELD: The whole corps?

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, did you discuss today a widening role for Norway's support on the war on terrorism in or outside Afghanistan?

RUMSFELD: We did discuss the Operation Enduring Freedom and the global war against terrorism as a subject. We discussed specifically the very fine role that Norway has been playing with respect to the Afghanistan activity, and also the fact that NATO and Norway have assisted with respect to the AWACS here in the United States for U.S. homeland defense, which of course is a very important thing, given the scarcity of a number of the assets, including AWACS capabilities.

QUESTION: Quick follow-up, sir. There has been some talk about Norwegian F-16 fighters taking part in the effort.

RUMSFELD: I have a practice, I let any country cooperating characterize their own participation, and that way I won't ever say anything that would be awkward for other countries. You have the floor.

DEVOLD: Yes. We have offered F-16s to the United States and to the Operation Enduring Freedom, and the signals is that they might be needed. So Norway planned to be able to go together with Denmark and Netherlands with a deployment of F-16s if we are needed later on this year.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

RUMSFELD: Good.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) participation in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program. There are reports, you're aware, that the U.S. Navy wants to cut back about 400 of the planes. Has that complicated or made your decision more problematic?

And, Mr. Rumsfeld, can you comment about your view on whether the Navy should, in fact, cut the program?

RUMSFELD: Well, I'll go first if you want? There always is discussion about the size of a buy on an aircraft. And there has been a discussion within the Department of the Navy, with the Marines. No final proposals have been made, no final proposals have been decided.

And obviously, it's a matter that is of interest to other people, allies and friends, who conceivably are interested in the Joint Strike Fighter, as well as to the United States Air Force. So it's a subject that would get discussed quite broadly before being concluded.

DEVOLD: Yes. And the situation concerning how many planes actually United States needs does not affect the Norwegian decisions. We want to take part of the development programs and we think that somewhere between 2015, 2020, we need new aircrafts, but it's a long way to that year.

But still we hope that within this year, 2002, we will be able to make a decision whether development programs to join.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Could you review for us today your thinking about exactly how unhelpful you believe Iran is right now in the war on terrorism? In fact, do you now believe that Al Qaeda has moved in and out of Iran, has operated in Iran? Do you believe that Iran in the current situation in Israel is continuing to back some of the unrest beyond the shipment of the arms you have spoken about? Just how unhelpful is Iran at the moment in your mind?

RUMSFELD: There is no question but that Iran was involved with the Karine A shipment headed for the Palestinian Authority. There is no question but that Al Qaeda have moved in and found sanctuary in Iran. And there is no question but that Al Qaeda have moved into Iran and out of Iran to the south and dispersed to some other countries.

To my knowledge, they are not operating out of Iran, in the sense that they were out of Afghanistan. So there's that distinction. But I can't think of a thing I've said that anyone by the wildest stretch of their imagination could characterize as helpful. They're all harmful and contributing to the problems with respect to the global terrorists.

QUESTION: Can I just follow up on two points? When you say they have found sanctuary in Iran, does that mean that you believe Al Qaeda is currently in Iran? And secondly, given what you have laid out, how do you begin to touch the problem inside Iran?

RUMSFELD: Maybe the word sanctuary was not a perfect word, because I don't think of it as a permanent sanctuary. I think of it as transit, as opposed to operating out of the country. But it certainly would be helpful if they were more cooperative, and they have not been particularly. There are a couple of instances where they have characterized what they are doing as being helpful, as I recall.

I should also add that the border is a very difficult border. It's a porous border, as it is with Pakistan and as it is to the north. So I'm not suggesting that it's possible for a country to know with perfect certainty exactly everything that's moving either way across the border.

QUESTION: How do you touch them inside?

RUMSFELD: I think that Iran is a country where ultimately the people are going to change their circumstance. I think that it's a country with an important history. It's got a well-educated population. The people are being repressed. They are being denied rights that most people around the world seem to find a way to get for themselves. And I suspect that the leadership in Iran will find itself with difficulties over time.

Thank you very much.

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