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CNN Sunday Morning

APEC Leaders' Joint Declaration Condemns September 11 Attack

Aired October 21, 2001 - 07:00   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: APEC leaders meeting in China depart from their economic agenda and issue a declaration condemning the September 11 terror attacks in the U.S. The 21 members called for U.N. leadership in anti-terrorism measures. The APEC summit was the largest gathering of world leaders since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

CNN's Andrea Koppel joins me from Shanghai with more on this second -- two-day meeting, that is -- Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good evening from Shanghai, Martin.

It is the end of the APEC summit now, at least as far as the official meetings are concerned. But on the sidelines President Bush should just be wrapping up his meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin about now. They're expected to have a press conference shortly.

But CNN has learned that during that meeting the president is expected, or was highly likely, to raise with the Russian president the fact that the United States will withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty by the end of the year. This would have been a six- month notification that's required under the terms of the treaty. According to one senior administration official who spoke with CNN, once you pull the trigger on the withdrawal notice, there is no ambiguity left. You've got to get serious.

The relationship with the -- between the U.S. and Russia prior to September 11 was somewhat strained over whether or not the Bush administration would proceed with a missile defense system. In order to do so, the Bush administration says it will have either aggregate or amend the ABM Treaty.

Now, in addition to the meeting between Presidents Bush and Putin, earlier in the day the APEC leaders -- the Asian-Pacific leaders signed off on what's known as a joint declaration -- the Shanghai accordance, it's known here. And in it they agreed that they were going to combat terrorism around the world and that this was something that all 21 economies needed to band together in order to fight.

The person who greeted the whole, and essentially unveiled this joint declaration, was the host of this year's summit, President Jiang Zemin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIANG ZEMIN, PRESIDENT OF CHINA: We condemn in the strongest of terms the attack as an affront to peace, prosperity and the security of all people, of all faiths, of every nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: Now, in addition to condemning terrorism around the world, the statement also says that this is something that, since September 11, has affected the economies of the world, whether it be in the transportation industry, in tourism and what not, and that there needs to be solidarity among the Asian-Pacific countries in order to try to revitalize the economies that have suffered not only in the West, but also here in the East.

Now, following President Bush's press conference and dinner this evening with the Russian president, Martin, he is going to be heading back to Washington, where his aides say he'll be continuing this global coalition building and the fight against terrorism -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much Andrea. CNN's Andrea Koppel in Shanghai.

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