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CNN Live Sunday

Bush Delivers Remarks on Syria, North Korea, U.S. Economy

Aired April 20, 2003 - 16:10   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.


SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to take you back to what's happening with Iraq and news from President Bush. Let's go to CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. I understand he had remarks on Syria today.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, he did. He had a very full day, as a matter of fact. The president is spending the Easter Sunday with his family at the Crawford ranch, but earlier today he was in Fort Hood, Texas, that is the country's largest military base. That's where he attended a church service with soldiers as well as recently those who had returned from Iraq, POWs Officers Williams and Young and their families.

The Bush administration's message really a positive one that things are going well on a number of fronts. That the successes in Iraq are already paying off in Syria. Just this past week, the administration pushing Syria to return what it says are officials from Saddam's regime who had actually fled across the border. Well, since then the border has been closed. These restrictions have been tightened. These are considered to be from the White House to be very important and positive first steps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're getting the message that they should not harbor Ba'ath party officials, high- ranking Iraqi officials. A lot of other countries have also sent that message. As you know, Secretary Powell will be going to visit with the Syrians, and it seems like they're beginning to get the message. And when we think there's somebody there, or know somebody is there, we of course will pass on the name and fully expect the Syrian government to hand the person over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And also the president felt very positive about what is also happening in North Korea. It was just days ago that Pyongyang had expressed some language that suggested that perhaps it was getting closer to developing a nuclear weapon. Well, the president saying that due to the cooperation, the pressure from the neighbors, south Korea, China, and Japan, that it was pressuring North Korea to come around. He specifically gave credit to China's Jiang Zemin. He is the one who's actually initiating and organizing the talks that are still expected to go on next week between North Korea, the United States, and the Chinese.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: China's policy is for a nuclear weapons-free peninsula. Now that they're engaged in the process it makes it more likely that's going to occur. You've got the United States adhering to that posture, you have China adhering to that posture, South Korea believes that the peninsula ought to be nuclear weapons free. Japan strongly believes that. And I believe that all four of us working together have a good chance of convincing North Korea to abandon her ambitions to develop nuclear arsenals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And Sophia, also the president making the point he's not only focused on international issues but also on the domestic agenda. White House aides tell us in the weeks to come it will be kind of like a campaign-style grass roots effort to get the message out to push his tax cut plan to $550 billion to congress and also a number of other domestic items on his agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Somehow get somewhat taken aback when I hear stories that assume I can only do one thing. I am concerned when people in our society can't find work. So I have been constantly promoting an aggressive jobs and growth program. I believe our Medicare system needs to be modernized. I consistently talk about that. I look forward to working with congress to see that that is done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So the president enjoying the Easter Sunday. A little bit of rest and relaxation as well as some of that work. He's been fishing with his father. That they'll have a nice dinner, and then the president is going to be returning back to Washington on Monday. He's going to get that aggressive agenda under way -- Sophia.

CHOI: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you so much for that.

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






Aired April 20, 2003 - 16:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to take you back to what's happening with Iraq and news from President Bush. Let's go to CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. I understand he had remarks on Syria today.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, he did. He had a very full day, as a matter of fact. The president is spending the Easter Sunday with his family at the Crawford ranch, but earlier today he was in Fort Hood, Texas, that is the country's largest military base. That's where he attended a church service with soldiers as well as recently those who had returned from Iraq, POWs Officers Williams and Young and their families.

The Bush administration's message really a positive one that things are going well on a number of fronts. That the successes in Iraq are already paying off in Syria. Just this past week, the administration pushing Syria to return what it says are officials from Saddam's regime who had actually fled across the border. Well, since then the border has been closed. These restrictions have been tightened. These are considered to be from the White House to be very important and positive first steps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're getting the message that they should not harbor Ba'ath party officials, high- ranking Iraqi officials. A lot of other countries have also sent that message. As you know, Secretary Powell will be going to visit with the Syrians, and it seems like they're beginning to get the message. And when we think there's somebody there, or know somebody is there, we of course will pass on the name and fully expect the Syrian government to hand the person over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And also the president felt very positive about what is also happening in North Korea. It was just days ago that Pyongyang had expressed some language that suggested that perhaps it was getting closer to developing a nuclear weapon. Well, the president saying that due to the cooperation, the pressure from the neighbors, south Korea, China, and Japan, that it was pressuring North Korea to come around. He specifically gave credit to China's Jiang Zemin. He is the one who's actually initiating and organizing the talks that are still expected to go on next week between North Korea, the United States, and the Chinese.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: China's policy is for a nuclear weapons-free peninsula. Now that they're engaged in the process it makes it more likely that's going to occur. You've got the United States adhering to that posture, you have China adhering to that posture, South Korea believes that the peninsula ought to be nuclear weapons free. Japan strongly believes that. And I believe that all four of us working together have a good chance of convincing North Korea to abandon her ambitions to develop nuclear arsenals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And Sophia, also the president making the point he's not only focused on international issues but also on the domestic agenda. White House aides tell us in the weeks to come it will be kind of like a campaign-style grass roots effort to get the message out to push his tax cut plan to $550 billion to congress and also a number of other domestic items on his agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Somehow get somewhat taken aback when I hear stories that assume I can only do one thing. I am concerned when people in our society can't find work. So I have been constantly promoting an aggressive jobs and growth program. I believe our Medicare system needs to be modernized. I consistently talk about that. I look forward to working with congress to see that that is done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So the president enjoying the Easter Sunday. A little bit of rest and relaxation as well as some of that work. He's been fishing with his father. That they'll have a nice dinner, and then the president is going to be returning back to Washington on Monday. He's going to get that aggressive agenda under way -- Sophia.

CHOI: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you so much for that.

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