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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush Promotes Fight Against Terrorism in Asia

Aired October 20, 2001 - 08:01   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We want to turn our attention now back to the president's trip. He's in Shanghai, China speaking to Asian leaders and promoting the fight against terrorism.

CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just before his rounds in Shanghai, the president was told two U.S. servicemen had been killed in a helicopter accident in Pakistan.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The thing that's important for me to tell the American people, that these soldiers will not have died in vain. This is a just cause. It's an important cause.

KING: Mr. Bush would not give details of the first major mission involving U.S. combat forces inside Afghanistan, but he claimed progress in the overall military campaign.

BUSH: We are slowly but surely encircling the terrorists so that we can bring them to justice.

KING: Japan's support is not in question.

JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER: I appreciate your strong leadership to fight terrorism and the determination and the patience. I highly appreciate it.

KING: But some leaders at the Asia Pacific Summit oppose the military campaign and for them the president had a blunt message.

BUSH: Those who embrace death to cause the death of the innocent cannot be ignored, cannot be appeased. They must be fought.

KING: The 21 member summit will issue a statement condemning the September 11 attacks on the United States and promising a financial crackdown on terrorist groups. But the communique will not mention lead suspect Osama bin Laden nor will it endorse the military strikes.

Malaysia's Muslim leader told Mr. Bush he was concerned about civilian casualties. Indonesia's president also was critical. And while Russia and China are generally supportive, their leaders say the military campaign should give way to a political solution as soon as possible.

Mr. Bush's discussions here include talk of a United Nations role in the transition to a new government in Afghanistan and perhaps a U.N. peacekeeping force.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: It is Saturday night now in Shanghai, the president attending a dinner of the leaders gathered here. Tomorrow more summit discussions, then a face to face meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Bush will then head immediately back to Washington. This trip had already been shortened once. Mr. Bush shaving about another 12 hours off so that he can get back to the White House to direct the war on terrorism -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John, on the subject of bioterrorism, was this a hot topic at the APEC Summit and did any leader specifically address serious concerns about bioterrorism in their country?

KING: Several leaders have spoken out about bioterrorism, the leaders discussing the many aspects of terrorism. Both the Chinese president and the South Korean president both specifically in their meetings with President Bush talking about it.

The leaders discussing it as a group, trying to figure out a way they can improve international mail systems, for one; international package shipments, for two; airline security when it comes to sending things from country to country, for that is certainly an issue here at this summit. President Jiang Zemin of China saying the incidents in the United States a wakeup call to the world to do much more to police bioterrorism -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: No doubt.

John King traveling with the president, thank you.

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