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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Faces New Pressures Abroad

Aired July 15, 2001 - 09:08   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.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: And Russia, quickly, denounced the test and accused the U.S. of violating the anti-ballistic missile treaty between the two countries.

CNN's Kelly Wallace now joins us from the White House. Kelly, what is the U.S. going to try to do now to try and get Russian support?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brian, the Russians have made it very clear they are very much opposed to such a missile defense system. In fact, they had said that if the U.S. goes forward with missile defense plans, they would go ahead and put multiple warheads on their own intercontinental ballistic missiles.

So, basically, what the Bush administration is trying to do is sending a signal to the Russians to try and forge some agreement, some understanding, something that would allow the U.S. to go forward with its missile defense plan, something that may also include both countries reducing their own nuclear arsenals.

So, again, the Bush administration also saying at the same time, Brian, that by going forward, by speeding up development, it will come into conflict with that antiballistic missile treaty in months, not years. So, it is crucial that the administration get some support from the Russians if it does not want to violate that treaty. Brian?

NELSON: And what about the support of European allies? How crucial is the support from that corner?

WALLACE: Well, as you know, European allies have been very, very opposed to this as well, and that's why getting Russia's support would be very key. If the Russian's would go ahead and agree to some type of understanding with the U.S. that would allow the U.S. to go forward, that might calm some European concerns; the European's have been quite concerned that U.S. plans to pursue a missile defense system could go ahead and fuel an international arms race in space with countries such as Russia. Brian?

NELSON: Now, what do you think the impact of the test is going to have on President Bush's overall efforts to win approval of a missile defense shield?

WALLACE: Well, it certainly helps. I mean, you know, the U.S. tried to downplay expectations of this test, but it definitely helps because if it failed, then we would have three failures out of four tests, and that would send a big message to skeptics who say that the technology just isn't there and that these tests at $100 million a pop are just too expensive and that more work needs to be done.

So, the success of this test should help the president, should not give so much momentum to his critics here in the United States. Again, though, there are many in Congress who say that this is very, very expensive and unless countries such as Russia and other European allies are on board, the U.S. should not go forward just yet, Brian.

NELSON: All right. Thank you very much, Kelly. This morning at the White House, Kelly Wallace. Kyra?

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is nearing a decision on one of the thorniest issues he's faced, federal funding for stem cell research.

He is under intense pressure from all sides, and former first lady Nancy Reagan recently made a personal appeal to the president.

CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The stem cell debate has President Bush in a vice, and the political and ethical pressure is building.

TOM DASCHLE (D) MAJORITY LEADER: I hope that he authorizes stem cell research. I don't think there is anything more important to research and science than the promotion of stem cell, and I believe that there is overwhelming support in the country for taking this action.

DAVID O'STEEN, NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE COMMITTEE: It's morally, ethically and scientifically wrong to use tax funds to pay to deliberately kill human embryos for research purposes.

GARRETT (voice-over): The debate has divided a White House that prides itself on speaking with one voice; one camp pushing for federal funding, another for Mr. Bush to keep his campaign promise to oppose federal support for stem cell research.

The lobbying is frantic and deeply personal. Senior advisors say friends call with heart-wrenching stories of loved ones whose diseases might someday be cured through stem cell research.

As Mr. Bush nears a decision, questions even arise about how his personal faith will govern his decision.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president approaches these decisions about all matters governmental on a basis of who he is and what he believes is best for the country. Who he is is shaped by a variety of factors, and that's his background as a governor, it's his faith. GARRETT: If Mr. Bush blocks federal funding for stem cell research, Democrats and some Republicans have already threatened to use legislation to override that decision, and that would only prolong the White House agony over what one senior adviser describes as the toughest decision of Mr. Bush's young presidency.

Major Garrett, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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