Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Rumsfeld Meets With President Musharraf

Aired November 04, 2001 - 15:32   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld winding down his whirlwind tour to increase support for military action in Afghanistan. Before flying to India today, he stopped in Pakistan to meet with that country's embattled president.

CNN's David Ensor is traveling with Rumsfeld and filed our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For his travel in the region, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld switched to a military cargo plane equipped with countermeasures against missile attack. On the way into Pakistan, his plane actually flew briefly high over Afghanistan itself, the Hindu Kush (ph), beautiful, but cold and inhospitable.

No ally may be more important to success in Afghanistan than Pakistan. And in Islamabad, Rumsfeld sought to show strong support for Pakistan's leader, knowing the Taliban claims of heavy civilian casualties from U.S. bombing in Afghanistan are believed by many in Pakistan, and inflaming some against the Musharraf government.

DONALD RUMSFELD, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We have been as careful as is humanly possible and have -- I don't think there ever in the history of the world has been a bombing effort that has been done with the precision and the care and the attention to that issue.

ENSOR: Despite Pakistani concern, U.S. officials said the bombing of targets in Afghanistan will continue into the Muslim holy period of Ramadan.

(on camera): U.S. officials say Rumsfeld's key message for General Musharraf -- the United States is in this for the long haul, and will reward friends who stick by it, that generous military assistance and other aid will soon be flowing to this country.

David Ensor, CNN, Islamabad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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