Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush Pushes Coalition-Building Agenda at Economic Conference

Aired October 20, 2001 - 10:06   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: Now to Eastern Asia, where President Bush is in Shanghai, China. He is meeting with Asia-Pacific leaders for an economic conference while trying to build a coalition against terrorism. Our John King is following the president and he joins us live with more -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Marty, Saturday night here in Shanghai. Urgent, serious discussions underway about the war on terrorism, but still, here, a celebration tonight -- fireworks over the skyline of Shanghai, along the waterfront as well as China and Shanghai celebrate their role as the host of this year's annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. The city and this country quite proud of its role as host of this forum.

Behind the scenes of course, not quite a celebratory attitude as the nations debate just how the world should respond to those September 11 attacks on the United States. President Bush trying to use this forum to strengthen and solidify the international coalition against terrorism. And as he made the diplomatic rounds today, the president also received some painful proof of his repeated words that this military campaign would not come without sacrifice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING (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 a 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: Summit deliberations tomorrow, then the evening ends for Mr. Bush with a face-to-face meeting the Russian president Vladimir Putin. The president was to spend the night here in Shanghai. The White House though announcing today, after the one-on-one meeting with Mr. Putin, he will head immediately back to Washington. This trip had already been shortened. Mr. Bush shaving about another 12 hours off it so that he can get back to the White House to direct the war on terrorism -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: John, you mentioned that there was some criticism on the part of the Asian nations, specifically those with high Muslim populations. Behind the scenes, how critical is this and how strongly is the U.S. taking their comments?

KING: Well, certainly, from a public relations perspective, criticism of the U.S. air strikes is most damaging to the administration. And what the president is trying to tell these leaders in the private meetings here is that he understands their delicate domestic, political situation but he would like, at least, that they not criticize the U.S. military strikes. The president of Indonesia has done that. The United States quite displeased with that. What the United States also wants is an understanding of the domestic politics.

What kind of help will these nations provide off the radar, if you will? In the case of Malaysia, they say Malaysia is helping on the financial front, trying to identify and then freeze assets belonging to suspected terror groups. Much less cooperation so far, the U.S. says, from the government of Indonesia and the Bank of Indonesia. Mr. Bush will press his case again in those summit deliberations tomorrow. And then he has that big meeting with the Russian president as well. That's one area where the administration is quite happy -- Mr. Putin giving support. The Muslim leaders here not so supportive because of their own delicate situations back home -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: John King with the president in China. Thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com