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CNN Live Sunday
Rumsfeld Tours Middle East
Aired April 27, 2003 - 17:30 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is getting his own look at the situation in the Middle East this weekend. Rumsfeld is touring the region with stops planned for Iraq and Afghanistan, among other places.
CNN's Barbara Starr says he is meeting with Arab leaders to try to assure them that Iraq will eventually be turned over to the Iraqi people.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Persian Gulf allies are welcoming Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on his first post-war visit. But Gulf leaders want to know what happens now that Saddam Hussein is gone. Rumsfeld and General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, began talks in the United Arab Emirates with Gulf leaders, assuring them that the U.S. will turn Iraq back over to Iraqis.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We assured the ministers and the crown prince that the United States intends to do what is necessary with our coalition partners to see that there is a secure environment in Iraq, a permissive environment that allows the Iraqi people to begin that important process of developing an Iraqi interim authority, and then, ultimately, a free Iraqi government.
STARR: The secretary again making it clear that the U.S. will not tolerate Iranian efforts to establish an Islamic state in Iraq run by Shiite clerics. General Franks also emphasizing that as U.S. combat operations wind down in Iraq, U.S. and Gulf allies will reassess the needs for a large military presence to remain in the region over the long term, now that Iraq no longer poses a threat to its neighbors.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, CMDR. U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: In each place the secretary visits in the dialogues that he has, as well as the ones that I have with leaders in the region, there is an understanding that since the regime in Iraq is gone, and since there will no longer be a need for Operation Northern Watch, and Southern Watch and so forth, that in the days and months ahead, there will likely be a rearrangement of the footprint in the region.
STARR (on camera): General Franks also acknowledged that Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister, is now talking to interrogators. But he said it's too soon to say whether Tariq Aziz is telling the truth. Barbara Starr, CNN, Doha, Qatar.
(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
Aired April 27, 2003 - 17:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is getting his own look at the situation in the Middle East this weekend. Rumsfeld is touring the region with stops planned for Iraq and Afghanistan, among other places.
CNN's Barbara Starr says he is meeting with Arab leaders to try to assure them that Iraq will eventually be turned over to the Iraqi people.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Persian Gulf allies are welcoming Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on his first post-war visit. But Gulf leaders want to know what happens now that Saddam Hussein is gone. Rumsfeld and General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, began talks in the United Arab Emirates with Gulf leaders, assuring them that the U.S. will turn Iraq back over to Iraqis.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We assured the ministers and the crown prince that the United States intends to do what is necessary with our coalition partners to see that there is a secure environment in Iraq, a permissive environment that allows the Iraqi people to begin that important process of developing an Iraqi interim authority, and then, ultimately, a free Iraqi government.
STARR: The secretary again making it clear that the U.S. will not tolerate Iranian efforts to establish an Islamic state in Iraq run by Shiite clerics. General Franks also emphasizing that as U.S. combat operations wind down in Iraq, U.S. and Gulf allies will reassess the needs for a large military presence to remain in the region over the long term, now that Iraq no longer poses a threat to its neighbors.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, CMDR. U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: In each place the secretary visits in the dialogues that he has, as well as the ones that I have with leaders in the region, there is an understanding that since the regime in Iraq is gone, and since there will no longer be a need for Operation Northern Watch, and Southern Watch and so forth, that in the days and months ahead, there will likely be a rearrangement of the footprint in the region.
STARR (on camera): General Franks also acknowledged that Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister, is now talking to interrogators. But he said it's too soon to say whether Tariq Aziz is telling the truth. Barbara Starr, CNN, Doha, Qatar.
(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
