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CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Attends APEC Summit
Aired October 27, 2002 - 09:04 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is in Mexico today, attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, but economics isn't the only thing on the agenda. CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Renay. No, the other topics on the agenda: The war on terror, as well as efforts to disarm North Korea and Iraq. These topics really taking center stage at this summit.
President Bush and the 20 other Asian Pacific leaders enjoying a dinner last night. Earlier, though, here in Los Cabos, the leaders condemning the recent terrorist attacks in the Philippines, in Indonesia and in Russia, and calling on all countries to take additional steps to protect security at airports, beefing up security at airports, and also to beef up their financial systems and protect them from any acts of terror.
One major accomplish here, though, according to U.S. officials, the statement issued by President Bush and the leaders of South Korea and Japan calling on North Korea to dismantle its secret nuclear weapons program. This after Pyongyang admitted earlier this month it had been enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. U.S. officials saying they are having great success mounting international pressure to call on North Korea to reverse course.
President Bush, though, still facing some major diplomatic challenges when it comes to Iraq and getting a tough new U.N. resolution calling on the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm. The president yesterday here showing his patience is starting to wear thin. He said if the U.N. does not pass a resolution, he will lead a coalition of allies to disarm the Iraqi leader. The message from U.S. officials, they want to see a vote at the U.N. very, very soon. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying next week will be a key week at the United Nations, and he is saying this is a case where the debate cannot go on forever -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Kelly, will next week's activities also include a meeting between President Bush and Vladimir Putin? There was some talk during the summit there that maybe that might happen soon.
WALLACE: Well, they were supposed to meet here at the summit, but the Russian president canceled his visit, of course, after that standoff with the Chechen rebels taking hundred of people hostage inside that theater. The understanding now is that U.S. and Russian officials are talking about rescheduling that meeting, possibly for next month at the NATO summit in Prague. Mr. Bush still likely to probably talk with the Russian president in the next few days to talk about that standoff, but also to try and get Russia's support, Renay, because Russia and France, both countries with veto power on the U.N. Security Council, still very critical of the U.S. approach when it comes to dealing with Iraq -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: That's right, the diplomacy goes on with the Security Council permanent members. Kelly Wallace, joining us live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Thank you.
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 October 27, 2002 - 09:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is in Mexico today, attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, but economics isn't the only thing on the agenda. CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Renay. No, the other topics on the agenda: The war on terror, as well as efforts to disarm North Korea and Iraq. These topics really taking center stage at this summit.
President Bush and the 20 other Asian Pacific leaders enjoying a dinner last night. Earlier, though, here in Los Cabos, the leaders condemning the recent terrorist attacks in the Philippines, in Indonesia and in Russia, and calling on all countries to take additional steps to protect security at airports, beefing up security at airports, and also to beef up their financial systems and protect them from any acts of terror.
One major accomplish here, though, according to U.S. officials, the statement issued by President Bush and the leaders of South Korea and Japan calling on North Korea to dismantle its secret nuclear weapons program. This after Pyongyang admitted earlier this month it had been enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. U.S. officials saying they are having great success mounting international pressure to call on North Korea to reverse course.
President Bush, though, still facing some major diplomatic challenges when it comes to Iraq and getting a tough new U.N. resolution calling on the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm. The president yesterday here showing his patience is starting to wear thin. He said if the U.N. does not pass a resolution, he will lead a coalition of allies to disarm the Iraqi leader. The message from U.S. officials, they want to see a vote at the U.N. very, very soon. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying next week will be a key week at the United Nations, and he is saying this is a case where the debate cannot go on forever -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Kelly, will next week's activities also include a meeting between President Bush and Vladimir Putin? There was some talk during the summit there that maybe that might happen soon.
WALLACE: Well, they were supposed to meet here at the summit, but the Russian president canceled his visit, of course, after that standoff with the Chechen rebels taking hundred of people hostage inside that theater. The understanding now is that U.S. and Russian officials are talking about rescheduling that meeting, possibly for next month at the NATO summit in Prague. Mr. Bush still likely to probably talk with the Russian president in the next few days to talk about that standoff, but also to try and get Russia's support, Renay, because Russia and France, both countries with veto power on the U.N. Security Council, still very critical of the U.S. approach when it comes to dealing with Iraq -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: That's right, the diplomacy goes on with the Security Council permanent members. Kelly Wallace, joining us live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
