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CNN Live Sunday

President Bush Honors World Trade Center Victims

Aired November 11, 2001 - 17:06   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush presided over Veterans Day events, as well as in remembrance of those civilians who died at the World Trade Center today.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iran. Ireland.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In groups of two, the names of more than 80 country who lost citizens in the World Trade Center tragedy exactly two months ago were read aloud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dominican Republic.

WALLACE: President Bush returned to the site for the first time since his visit days after the deadly attack. Earlier, more coalition building, meeting with leaders, including President Mbeki of South Africa, while his aides explained why the president wants the Northern Alliance rebels to hold off capturing the capital city of Kabul.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I think everybody believes that the future here, a stable Afghanistan, one that has a government that can be representative of the very broad patchwork that is Afghan society, will have to have a Kabul in which all are invested, not just the Northern Alliance.

WALLACE: Meantime, Secretary of State Colin Powell called Osama bin Laden's claim of already having nuclear weapons a "wild boast."

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I have no way of knowing, but I think it unlikely he has any nuclear weapons. I can't say anything about chemical and biological.

WALLACE: In fact, U.S. intelligence officials have said they know bin Laden's group experimented with chemical gas at this camp in Afghanistan. The Defense Secretary said U.S. forces have targeted sites that may be involved in the production of weapons of mass destruction and are looking for others.

RUMSFELD: You can be certain that if we had very good information as to the location of a chemical or biological development area, that we would do something about it. WALLACE: With this also being Veterans Day, President Bush saluted those who have served.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Americans have seen the terrible harm that an enemy can inflict. And it has left us deeply grateful for the men and women who rise strongly in the defense of our nation.

WALLACE: Aides say Mr. Bush's meetings and speeches here in New York were in part designed to say that there are global stakes to terrorism, that every nation could be a target of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. And back at ground zero, President Bush left in writing his hope that good will triumph over evil.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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