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CNN Live Sunday

U.S. Begins Evacuation of Staffers' Families From India, Pakistan

Aired June 02, 2002 - 18:07   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: The United Nations today began evacuating families of staffers from nearby India and Pakistan as the crisis there in that region grinds on. Here's CNN's Kathleen Koch with a view now of the border conflict from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Daily cross- border shelling, western diplomats and U.N. officials fleeing India and Pakistan, as President Bush monitors the deteriorating situation, talking with his national security team. A senior administration official Sunday applauded Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to mediate, saying it's important the international community work with both sides to get them to step back and deescalate the situation. But Indian and Pakistani diplomats each insist the other must take the first step.

LALIT MANSINGH: Pakistan has to stop exporting terrorists to India and then tensions will come down. Does President Musharraf have that capability? Ari Fleischer said so on Friday. He said that Pakistan has a robust military capacity and it can prevent terrorists from crossing over into India.

MALEEHA LODHI, PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: He has already insured that there is no cross-border infiltration. He said none is going on, but having said that, it takes two to deescalate. It takes two to make peace. We have yet to see the Indians reciprocate.

KOCH: If the situation escalates, there is concern the U.S. may have to reassess its military operation in Afghanistan. There are also worries about a nuclear exchange, initiated by one of the countries or extremists who might exploit the confrontation to gain access to a Pakistani nuclear weapon.

REP. PORTER GOSS (R-FL), CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I think that it could fall into hands of people who don't realize the consequences of starting that nuclear war. I think that it is the hottest of the hot spots.

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: You see what both heads of the countries have said, that they wouldn't use nuclear weapons, but we also hope that they wouldn't test them and they have. We need to be very, very careful here. KOCH: Some point out the brewing conflict was preventable.

SEN. BOB GRAHAM, (D-FL), CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: The lesson to be learned, among others, is that the United States will pay a high price if we let other regional conflicts go unaddressed and develop into a threat to the world.

KOCH (on camera): The U.S. is now kicking into high diplomatic gear, but it's unclear whether the deputy secretary of state of the defense secretary, both soon heading to the region, can persuade the entrenched enemies to stand down.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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