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CNN Sunday Morning

Similar Concerns on Both Sides of World Economic Forum

Aired February 03, 2002 - 08:46   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in New York were prepared for the worst, but the protests at the World Economic Forum had been mostly peaceful. Police arrested about three dozen people yesterday. They were charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly. About 2,000 people demonstrated yesterday outside the hotel where the economic conference is being held. The conference ends tomorrow.

Life is different for those protesting the World Economic Forum than those attending it. But as CNN's Garrick Utley reports, the two sides have many of the same concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARRICK UTLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): So there you are, standing across Park Avenue from the Waldorf Astoria, kept back by police and barriers, but voicing your opinion of the World Economic Forum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're here to demonstrate against the effects of globalization, and we feel that this forum is just for a bunch of wealthy people that are getting together for a self- congratulatory meeting to congratulate themselves and pat each other on the back for a job well done.

UTLEY: But if you were inside the Waldorf, what would you find? A president, a queen, a rock star, and nearly 3,000 other attendees. Many shell out $25,000 to be here. Others are invited to spread their knowledge and wisdom about the state of our world.

CHARLES MACLEAN, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: The kinds of people that come to a meeting like this are business leaders, government leaders, NGOs, religious leaders, scientists, academics and media.

UTLEY (on camera): So you put all these people together and what do you get? Well, first of all, a self-satisfied feeling that since you're here in this conference, you must be somebody important. That's always good for the ego. Beyond that, though, this is also a good place to measure what's really worrying these days the rich and the powerful.

(voice-over): Of course, the worldwide economic slowdown doesn't help those who want to network and do business deals. And terrorism is on everyone's mind. But there's also something else in the air: global anger. Much of it directed at the United States and the very economic power held by those at this conference.

AMRE MOUSSA, SECRETARY GENERAL, ARAB LEAGUE: There is a deep difference with the United States policies in so many regions that creates real anger and frustration and agitation.

ZAKI LAIDI, FRENCH CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH: This imperialist power is regarded as a -- I will call it parochial super power. A power who is influencing the world, but in which its own population doesn't have a real interest in the world.

UTLEY: If there is anger in the outside world, you also hear a new concern inside the conference about what the collapse of Enron could lead to.

DOMINIQUE MOISI, FRENCH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: In symbolic terms, the Enron scandal is seen by many participants as the economic equivalent of September 11th. An earthquake, an entrance into a new world.

UTLEY (on camera): And then there was another way of measuring the mood here, and that's with the insider's in-joke (ph). It goes, "Secretary of State Powell was here on Friday, he calls President Bush and says, 'I have urgent, good and bad news from Baghdad. The good news is that Saddam Hussein says that he'll allow weapons inspectors back into Iraq. They can search anywhere they want to.' 'And what's the bad news,' the president asks. 'Well, Mr. President, the bad news is that Saddam is insisting that the inspectors are from Arthur Anderson."

(voice-over): A reflection on the theme of this year's World Economic Forum, leadership in fragile times. Fragile times shared by those inside and everyone else.

Garrick Utley, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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