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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

President Bush Unveils His Vision of a New Europe

Aired June 15, 2001 - 20:00   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.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, President Bush crosses what used to be the Iron Curtain, and unveils his vision of a new Europe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is time to put talk of East and West behind us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: How will a call for an expanded NATO play with Russia's President Putin? I'll speak with CNN senior White House correspondent John King.

An arms smuggling scheme uncovered: A federal sting, and an alleged attempt to sell stinger missiles to buyers in Pakistan. We'll have the latest. Father's Day and her own father's assassination will always be closely linked for Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Wolf Blitzer speaks with Maryland's Lieutenant Governor about the legacy of Robert Kennedy.

Good evening. Wolf Blitzer is off. I'm Kate Snow reporting from Capitol Hill. On the eve of the first meeting with his Russian counterpart, President Bush today chose the capital of a former Soviet ally to lay out his vision of a new Europe, and that's our top story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): In Warsaw, the president said he favors a stronger, more unified Europe, and he wants to see more nations follow Poland into NATO, saying expansion of the alliance is not a question of whether but when.

BUSH: I believe in NATO membership for all of Europe's democracies that seek it and are ready to share the responsibility that NATO brings.

SNOW: High on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Mr. Bush's controversial plan for a missile defense system.

BUSH: The new concept of deterrents that includes defenses sufficient to protect our people, our forces and our allies as well as reduced reliance on nuclear weapons. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: To learn more about Mr. Bush's European policy, and his plans for the meeting with President Putin, I spoke a short while ago with CNN senior White House correspondent John King.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: John King, thanks for joining us. Why did the president feel that he needed to make this speech and why choose to do it in Warsaw?

JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate it was after all the Warsaw Pact that stitched together the former Soviet Union. So the White House believed this was an appropriate setting to deliver a speech that many European allies thought was long overdue. The president in the past has discussed his very controversial missile defense plan.

He has spoken out in favor of expanding the NATO alliance again, spoken out in favor of more trade and other issues in the U.S.- European relations. But never in his nearly five months in office or during the campaign had he delivered a detailed speech connecting the dots if you will, delivering his comprehensive view of the future, not only of U.S.-European relations, but of how the Russians would fit in to those relations as well.

So the White House thought on this first trip to Europe that it was very important for the president to deliver this speech. They thought this was the appropriate place to do so especially because it was on the eve of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and because former President Bush, this president's father, came here back in 1989 right at the beginning of the end the Cold War age and he delivered a speech in which he called for a Europe whole and free. The president echoed those remarks today in a little bit of a personal footnote -- Kate.

SNOW: A big guy tomorrow, John. You mentioned the meeting with Vladimir Putin with President Bush. What's on the agenda for that meeting?

KING: A very complicated agenda. Number one, the president wants to make the case for missile defense. He wants President Putin to negotiate amendments to the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty. Without those amendments the United States would have to walk away from the treaty which would be quite controversial across Europe if it wanted to continue with the research of the technology necessary for missile defense. So that is goal number one.

Number two, Mr. Bush wants to speak to Mr. Putin about another quite controversial subject: The United States says there is continuing evidence that Russia continues to sell missile an other military technology to Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We believe that we have a chance to make a new argument about this. We believe that the Russians will perhaps begin to understand that if this does go this way in Iran that they too could be in range of that ballistic missile technology from Iran and so we have a lot to talk about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now Mr. Bush also wants to make the case and address Russian objections to another round of NATO expansion. Russia not in favor of that because it is former Soviet client states now that the NATO alliance is looking at to join as new members. But the two leaders remember will be together for just a couple hours. So the White House says don't expect any major breakthroughs.

Mr. Bush said today to look Mr. Putin in the eye and make clear that he in no way considers Russia to be the enemy. Mr. Bush says he also want to take the measure of this man, the Russian president. He said he hopes some day, not just yet, but some day he'll be able to look at him and call him a friend -- Kate.

SNOW: John King, in Warsaw, Poland. Thanks so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

The president has been shadowed by demonstrators at each stop in Europe, but a day after he left the EU summit in Goteborg, Sweden, the protests continued. Police say they opened fire after an officer was badly injured by an object hurled from a crowd of anti-globalization protesters. At least one demonstrator was shot and 10 police were injured in those clashes.

After a lengthy investigation, federal agents have arrested four suspects in an alleged plot to smuggle missiles and other sophisticated weapons out of the United States.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The deal and the sting took place here in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The plan, according to court documents, to smuggle antiaircraft stinger missiles, TOE antitank missiles, grenade launchers, pistols, and night vision goggles.

To sell to whom? Sources tell CNN private buyers in Pakistan. What is if the equipment was to end up in the hands of any terrorist groups. Two New Jersey men are in custody now. Diaa Mohsen, an Egyptian-born U.S. citizen who allegedly once told an undercover agent that he had a passport that could allow him to travel anywhere undetected, and Mohammed Malik, a Pakistani native who owns liquor stores and once served on Jersey City's zoning board.

The sting also took down Kevin Ingram, who's mug shot bears little resemblance to his high-profile picture on the cover of "Black Enterprise" magazine. Ingram, a former Wall Street high flier, is charged with laundering $2 million. A fourth man, Walter Kapij, is also charged with money laundering and also chartering a jet from this Florida airport to Netherlands. A flight in which Ingram allegedly was to have carried millions more in cash.

One defense attorney says his client was entrapped by the government.

VALENTINE RODRIGUEZ, MOHSEN'S ATTORNEY: The government created the crime and created the means to do it for someone who otherwise would not have committed the crime.

HINOJOSA: Mohsen and Malik are charged with unlawfully exporting explosives to kill, injure or destroy property. They allegedly met over a dozen times with undercover agents posing as arms dealers and discussed selling 200 missiles for $32 million. But the exchange of arms and cash never did occur. They were arrested before that could happen.

Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Her father was cut down in the prime of life. But she carries on his legacy of public service. Wolf Blitzer speaks with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the lieutenant governor of Maryland. And a sea of controversy surrounds a plan for offshore abortions.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back. Like his brother before him, Robert F. Kennedy was struck down by an assassin's bullet. His death came during a run for the presidency in June 1968. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend followed the family calling: She's the lieutenant governor of Maryland. Heading into Father's Day weekend, she spoke with Wolf Blitzer about her father's legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Governor, thanks for joining us. You have a beautiful office here in Annapolis.

LT. GOV. KATHLEEN KENNEDY TOWNSEND (D), MARYLAND: Thank you.

BLITZER: This is a special time of the year. It's just before Father's Day. We're thinking back 33 years ago, the assassination of your dad, growing up -- you were already a big girl at the time. What's it like this time of the year for you?

TOWNSEND: Well, there are a lot of memories. There are a lot of, you know, what-ifs. But there is also a lot of sense of, you know, my father left an extraordinary legacy that we -- he gave me and he gave to my brothers and sisters and that we can carry on, and I'm very lucky for that.

BLITZER: What is the legacy, as far as you're concerned? Obviously, it has influenced your career choice.

TOWNSEND: Thank you for pointing that out. Obviously. His main legacy was that we had to get involved, we had to make a difference. As he often quoted, "it's only the angels and God who can be lookers- on." It's our responsibility to use our talents for the best and to help others, to be engaged, to be part of the solution to problems. There was a really strong sense of taking action when you see a problem, rather than not.

BLITZER: The timing, though, Father's Day. Your father -- this time of the year, your legacy -- the mission that you, in effect, have created for yourself, you think a lot about your dad right now?

TOWNSEND: I think a lot about my father on Father's Day and this time of the year. My father was a very special person. He was, as you know, a great public servant. He I think transformed a lot of what goes on in this country, and in fact all around the world. There's very seldom do I go anywhere where somebody hasn't said I got involved in teaching or I got involved in politics because of your father.

But he was also a special parent to me and to my brothers and sisters. That is, he liked to play with us. He liked to make sure that we read. I've told the story before, but it's true, you know, every evening he would read the Bible to us, and we would say prayers because he really thought it was important that we have some spiritual grounding and an understand that there's right and there is wrong, and what are we going to do about it.

He was also lots of fun to be with. He liked to go hiking, he liked to go rafting, he liked to take us on adventures. He liked to be with us.

I would say that he wanted us to know what was going on in the world. You know, he would -- when we were going on vacations, for instance, to the West Coast or to, you know, go rafting in Colorado, we'd spend the day visiting Indian reservations so we could see what was going on there. Or he would make sure when we arrived at La Guardia in Newark, we wouldn't go strictly to 5th Avenue, we'd go through Harlem so he could say, "these are our challenges in our country."

BLITZER: Governor, let's talk about some of these pictures that obviously have some meaning. This one over here, for example.

TOWNSEND: Well, that's -- you know, that's obviously one of my favorite pictures, because it shows my father and me together.

BLITZER: How old are you here?

TOWNSEND: I was about 13, and he is -- I think he's pensive and thoughtful and just filled with love. I mean, that's -- it's -- it's -- much, you know, caring and...

BLITZER: And you were the oldest. TOWNSEND: I was the oldest. I was very lucky to be the oldest, because it meant that I got to know my father more than my brothers and sisters, unfortunately for them, so that I could see, you know, how much he liked, you know, to play with his children, to be with his children.

Oftentimes in the morning, we would play a tickle-tumble in my bed, all the kids would get into bed -- and there were already four dogs in the bed, it was a very crowded bed -- and we would all tickle each other.

BLITZER: These are the things you remember, and obviously, the president -- you knew -- you were old enough to remember when he was elected. You were 9 years old.

TOWNSEND: Yes, that's right. I was 9, and it was one of those extraordinary evenings, and very exciting. It was exciting.

Actually, my father was away that year that he was running for president a lot. I mean, he was running the campaign, so that's the year that I don't remember very much of seeing my father. But after he became the attorney general, we would often go to his office for dinner, we would talk about what was going on in -- during the civil rights movements.

When he was the attorney general, as you know, there was the most extraordinary time in American history, and it was during the time of the civil rights movement. After he resigned, his assistant attorney generals gave him a chair that described some of the accomplishments during that year -- those years. The freedom riders, the University of Mississippi, the University of Alabama, the civil rights legislation, his attack on organized crime and his help for juvenile delinquency are among other accomplishments.

BLITZER: What about this other picture up here, when your dad was campaigning?

TOWNSEND: That's in Los Angeles where he was campaigning, and you can see so many people were excited about his campaign. He really touched their hearts and their hope for the future.

BLITZER: It's an amazing picture. That was just before the assassination?

TOWNSEND: Yes, it was.

BLITZER: How long before?

TOWNSEND: I think a couple of days.

BLITZER: Governor, in many respects, you're not a typical Kennedy politically. You are more of a centrist, DLC, new Democrat as opposed to a traditional liberal Democrat. Why is that?

TOWNSEND: Well, I think it's because I think it's the most effective way to govern. I think it's important that we bring people together and solve problems and figure out what works, that we're not ideological but we're practical and pragmatic.

BLITZER: You favor the death penalty.

TOWNSEND: I do. I do. I think some people commit heinous, terrible crimes and I think they deserve to be punished.

BLITZER: What about your immediate future? The word here in Annapolis and throughout the state of Maryland is you're going to run for governor next year?

TOWNSEND: Well, let me say I love serving the people of Maryland and the governor's term-limited, and I want to stay in politics for a long time, so that's what I will say about it now.

BLITZER: All right, what about -- that opens up a door. You're a Kennedy, right? You want to stay in politics a long time. Governor is term-limited, and you are still a young woman. What are we talking about, really?

TOWNSEND: We're talking about service to the people of Maryland. Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Coming up after the break: new developments in the Robert Hanssen spy case. Also ahead: how much do you trust the U.S. post office? We'll introduce you to a man who trusted it enough to mail a multimillion-dollar lottery ticket. And has Tiger been tamed? The world's best golfer is living on the edge at this year's U.S. Open.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back. Developing news now in the case of accused spy Robert Hanssen. A highly placed source says the government is considering a deal not to seek the death penalty for accused spy Hanssen if he cooperates fully with prosecutors.

The government says the veteran FBI agent began spying for Moscow in 1985, but CNN has obtained some new information about the case.

Our justice correspondent Kelli Arena joins us live now with the details -- Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate, a source close to the family of accused spy Robert Hanssen tells CNN Robert Hanssen, quote, confessed to his wife that he was spying in 1979. That's six years before the government contends he started his espionage activity.

Now, this was first reported on CBS News. According to this source, who was in-touch with the family, Hanssen's wife, Bonnie, told the FBI about the confession when she was debriefed after Hanssen's arrest earlier this year. FBI officials would not comment on the report. But according to this source, Hanssen allegedly stopped spying for six years, resumed in 1985 without his wife's knowledge. But according to CBS, a psychiatrist, Alen Salerian, said that Hanssen confessed his spying activities to a Roman Catholic priest.

Now, Salerian was hired by Hanssen's lawyers to perform an evaluation on Hanssen. One of those lawyers, Plato Cacheris, speaking to CNN refused to confirm or deny the substance of the report. However, Cacheris did tell CNN Salerian has been fired.

Cacheris went on to say that Salerian was instructed in writing that he was not privileged to discuss any confidentialities that he may have heard from Hanssen or his family. Cacheris also tells CNN that legal action against Salerian is a possibility.

Now, law enforcement sources have contended all along that Bonnie Hanssen did not know about her husband's spying activities and no charges have been filed against her -- Kate.

SNOW: Kelli, thank you so much for that. We'll continue to follow it.

In other news tonight, amid intense controversy, a Dutch fishing vessel equipped to provide abortions has docked in Ireland. Abortion is illegal in Ireland unless the life of a mother is in danger. The vessel sailed into Dublin intending to bring women out to see, where Irish laws would not apply. Because the Dutch government hasn't licensed the clinic yet, though, operators say it will simply provide counseling, its arrival renewing debate on abortion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DORENE MCCARTHY, MARIE STOPES CLINIC: We pretend in this country that we don't know anything about abortion. So, that's the cloak-and- dagger way it was done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAIRE HOWLETT, ABORTION OPPONENT: What they are doing is wrong, killing Irish babies, and we don't allow babies to be killed in our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: After leaving Ireland, operators plan to take the ship to other countries with similar abortion laws.

A multimillion-dollar question in New Jersey has been answered. Today, the winner of the unclaimed $46 million Big Game Lottery came forward. It turns out Melvin Milligan found the ticket last week and mailed it to lottery headquarters, just two days before the ticket would have been worthless.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MELVIN MILLIGAN, LOTTERY WINNER: At the time it was 7:30, so I didn't -- I didn't even try to call or anything like that, because I didn't have a number. So the guy took me through the procedures of putting it in an envelope and stuff, filling out the forms. So just took it to the post office and mailed it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Milligan and his wife, by the way, plan to buy a new house with the winnings: a onetime payout of almost $24 million.

Tiger Woods' dream of winning five majors in a row could be short-lived. Woods is struggling to make the cut at the U.S. Open in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tiger has to finish within 10 strokes of the lead. After two rounds, Woods is at five over par, nine strokes off the lead. Several players remain on the course, leaving his future uncertain.

Would you pay $82 for a watermelon? What if it's square? Just ahead in our "Leading Edge" report, we'll tell you what's behind these cubed creations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Tonight on "The Leading Edge," say hello to square watermelon. Japanese researchers have figured out how to grow the unique melons to save refrigerator space. It's done by inserting the watermelons into square cases while they're still growing. At $82 a piece, don't expect them to see them -- don't expect to see them in the States any time soon.

It's being hailed as the next generation of tires. A man has invented a tire he says won't go flat, won't blow out and will never lose its tread. Instead of rubber, the tires are made of urethane. The company says the tires could hit the road in two years if an investor is found.

A newly discovered meteorite from Mars could provide the answer to "the" question: whether life ever existed on the red planet. Swiss scientists discovered the fist-size meteorite in the Oman desert. Inside are unusually large pockets, which scientists say could contain gases or fragments from the atmosphere.

Please stay with CNN throughout the night. John Travolta is Larry King's guest at the top of the hour. Up next, though, Jake Tapper filling in for Greta Van Susteren on THE POINT. He's standing by to tell us what he has -- Jake.

JAKE TAPPER, GUEST HOST, CNN'S "THE POINT": Hey, Kate. How are you doing? We have a great show, the hot-buttoned issue that exploded on the Senate floor yesterday, gays and the Boy Scouts. And also, legendary singer and diva Dionne Warwick, all coming right up.

SNOW: Thanks, Jake. Sounds very interesting.

And thanks for watching. I'm Kate Show in Washington. Wolf Blitzer will be back Monday. THE POINT begins right now.

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