Return to Transcripts main page

Your World Today

McClellan Resigns, Rove Has New Job Description; Strains Over Chinese Currency; Pressure Mounts on King of Nepal to Return to Democracy; Interview with Prime Minister of Lebanon

Aired April 19, 2006 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Parting words at the White House. The face in front of the cameras bids farewell, while the so- called brain behind the scenes gets an even less visible role.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Much ado about international business. Much unsaid about international politics. China's president is on the U.S. West Coast.

And...

CLANCY: Anger and defiance in Nepal. An embattled king takes a new step to crackdown on the even of a big day of protests.

It is noon in Washington, 9:00 in the morning in Seattle.

I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani.

Welcome to our viewers throughout the world and the United States.

This is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

CLANCY: The leader of the world's fastest growing economic power is making a high-profile tour of the United States.

GORANI: Chinese President Hu Jintao will be at the White House on Thursday, tomorrow.

CLANCY: But it's some very high-profile changes at the White House that have the attention of many people this hour.

GORANI: And that is where we begin. As President Bush himself said, it's the game of musical chairs in Washington. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has resigned, and senior presidential adviser Karl Rove is getting a new job description. The changes come as new chief of staff Josh Bolten spends his first week on the job.

Ed Henry is traveling with the president and joins us now from Tuskegee, Alabama -- Ed.

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Hala.

That's right, the staff shuffle is accelerating. It's not unexpected that Scott McClellan would be resigning, but it is dramatic, nonetheless. As you noted, he's the public face around the world.

There has been some Republican grumbling within the United States that perhaps the communications operation at the White House has to step it up amid the president's sliding poll numbers. McClellan made the announcement today with the president at his side on the south lawn of the White House, just moments before they departed to come here, where I am, at Tuskegee University in Alabama, for a speech the president is delivering on competitiveness.

Take a listen to what Scott McClellan had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Good morning, everybody.

I have given it my all, Sir. And I've given you my all. And I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary over the next two to three weeks.

Thank you for the opportunity.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's going to be hard to replace Scott. And -- but nevertheless, he's made the decision, and I accept it.

One of these days, he and I are going to be rocking on chairs in Texas, talking about the good old days of his time as the press secretary. And I can assure you, I will feel the same way then that I feel now, that can I say to Scott, job well done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Now, administration officials saying an announcement on McClellan's successor is likely to come within a week, maybe sooner. Republican sources telling CNN that the FOX News commentator, anchor and radio talk show host, Tony Snow, has been sounded out for the job. No comment from Snow.

Also, another candidate being floated out there is Torie Clarke, the former Pentagon spokeswoman, now a CNN contributor, who has said that she's not interested in the job.

Meanwhile, as you noted, Karl Rove is getting a new portfolio. He is basically going to stay on as the deputy chief of staff at the White House and a senior adviser, but he's going to be focused more on long-term strategic planning, taking a look at the midterm elections that are coming up in the United States in November. But he will be ceding his policy duties to Joel Kaplan, who will not become deputy White House chief of staff for policy. Just another step in what you noted is basically a White House game of musical chairs -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. Can we expect this game to continue? Is the shakeup over, or can we expect more changes in the future? HENRY: It's not quite a shakeup just yet. It's mostly been some cosmetic changes, if you will. Some changes that had been expected.

Yesterday, a budget director coming on. That was a job that was open because Josh Bolten gave it up when he became chief of staff. But I do think there will be more changes. That is the expectation. Whether it ends up becoming a major shakeup or not, time will tell -- Hala.

GORANI: In Tuskegee, Alabama, Ed Henry.

Thanks -- Jim.

CLANCY: Now, critics have long been urging changes to the White House staff, saying the administration needed some new fresh viewpoints. But this sudden shift in the West Wing could be leaving some observers breathless.

John Roberts joins us now from Washington to help us sort it out.

John, let's begin not with the press secretary, but go behind the scenes to Karl Rove, especially for our international viewers. Some people have called him the brains behind the president.

What is his shift to focus on the November elections really, indicate to you?

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN SR. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, President Bush was the one who titled him the "architect" of his election victory in 2004.

Jim, for a few months now, senior Republicans, including people like Ken Duberstein, who was one of the top people in the Reagan White House, have said Karl Rove is just spread too thin, this is our political mastermind.

And now you've got him as deputy chief of staff, you've got him working on policy. What we need to do, particularly since the ratings in Congress are as terrible as they are, a recent Gallup poll showing only 23 percent of people approve of what Congress is doing, and with control of Congress up for grabs in this 2006 election, and with many Republicans predicting that they are going to have a difficult time, is, we need somebody to be able to focus on the overall political strategy here. We need to have somebody looking at the long-term game, not the minutia of policy day in and day out.

So, a lot of people have been encouraging President Bush to take back a little bit of what Karl Rove has been assigned to do. And he was given that deputy chief of staff and policy job as a reward for the work that he did for President Bush in 2004.

So, now they are saying, look, he's got too much on his plate, take the policy part off of his plate, leave him as deputy chief of staff if you need to have him with a big title. But get him focused on politics, because that is so utterly important to Republicans this year. CLANCY: Well, certainly, that is where he's an asset. And some people, though, are questioning whether or not he was serving as an asset or really just a lightning rod there at the White House, that he had became too controversial, his name coming up too often in investigations of leaks.

ROBERTS: Yes. And in terms of what that was doing for Republicans and inside the White House, was a lot of people thought it was distracting him and taking him away from the job at hand, which, again, is the issue of politics. So, you know, the more Rove stays behind the scenes, I think, for Republicans this year, the better off they feel they are going to be.

CLANCY: All right. Let's go back to that White House briefing room that is the face of the presidency since the Clinton years, as you well know. You have been in Washington every day, sometimes inside that briefing room.

People talk about it as the face of the presidency. Is it really that? And how well did it work under Scott McClellan?

ROBERTS: Well, what it really is, is it's the forum through which the spokesman articulates the president's policies and vision. And to that end, I mean, Scott McClellan is always everybody's favorite punching bag.

And here's something that's gotten me in trouble in the liberal blogs before, but I'll say it again. He is a decent person. I think that he is a truth-teller.

You know, that whole thing with, did Karl Rove tell him the truth and did Scooter Libby tell him the truth a few years ago, you know, I think that basically Scott was the victim of that. He's always very good to his staff. He is taken around the White House as being a very good guy.

Was he the best press secretary that the White House has ever had in its history? I'll leave that for other people to decide.

But yes, the press secretary is the public face of the White House, the person who has to faithfully articulate the president's vision and policy. And on that front, you know, McClellan did a good job. He never got knocked off point, despite people attacking him and aggressively going after him with questions every day.

He stayed pretty much on point. But a lot of people thought he was relying too much on notes.

CLANCY: John, in all fairness -- and I know that people that cover the White House, that there is -- there's a friendship there, admit it, between the press secretary and members of the press corp there. The fact of the matter is, that Scott McClellan wasn't able to defend the administration that articulately on so many sensitive issues, from Iraq on down.

Now, he just got the job when things in Iraq started to go downhill. That's not his fault, but that was his job.

ROBERTS: I wouldn't call it a friendship. I'd call it maybe a collegiality. And, you know, a certain type of symbiotic relationship.

Perhaps, you know, McClellan wasn't as quick with a quip or as facile as people like Mike McCurry was, and perhaps that got him in trouble and earned him some criticism. But he did come in at a very difficult time.

He came in right after the Iraq war started to come unraveled in the summer of 2003, and he has spent the last two years and change completely on the defensive. And, you know, I don't care who you are. I don't care if you're Ron Ziegler or Marlin Fitzwater or Mike McCurry or Scott McClellan. That's going to start to wear on you after a while.

CLANCY: All right. John Roberts, thank you very much for your insights there from Washington -- Hala.

GORANI: Well, the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, is putting business before politics on his visit to the United States. And that's illustrated in the fact that he didn't stop in Washington first. He stopped in Seattle, Washington.

On Tuesday, the Chinese president toured Microsoft's headquarters and had dinner with co-founder Bill Gates. China recently said it was cracking down harder on software pirates. It's promised all computers made in China will have licensed software preinstalled.

Today, Mr. Hu is visiting a Boeing airplane factory before heading to Washington, D.C. China recently signed a $4 billion deal with the company to buy eight 737 jets.

Mr. Hu is due to meet with President Bush on Thursday. Among the topics for discussion, the imbalance in trade between the U.S. and China, and the Chinese yuan's exchange rate against the dollar.

Let's find out now whether China's recent deals with American firms are helping ease some of the strains over the Chinese currency.

Maggie Lake joins me now to talk about that.

So, what manufacturers in the United States, some of them, at least, are saying, Maggie, is that this artificially low yuan is putting them as a competitive disadvantage.

MAGGIE LAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. And it's something they have been saying for some time.

The bottom-line argument from U.S. manufacturers is still, despite the charm offensive happening on the West Coast, that China's currency policy is unfair. They argue, by artificially keeping that yuan undervalued by as much as 40 percent against the dollar, China allows its companies to sell goods here in the U.S. at very low prices. U.S. companies says that it makes it extremely difficult for them to compete and it widens the trade gap.

Now, although China has taken some steps on this trip, as you saw, to reach out to American businesses, trade groups want to see more done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK VARGO, NATIONAL ASSOC. OF MANUFACTURERS: One might call this a yuaning (ph) trade gap, and that they have to address it. So the positive things that we saw last week -- and they are significant, but they are far from addressing the real problems. So, we hope that President Hu, this week, tomorrow with the president, will bring the same positive attitude and that we'll see some real progress on the real issues, which are China's currency, its subsidies and its need to protect intellectual property.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAKE: Now, multinationals that have a presence in the Chinese market are not in fair of punitive action. They view China as an important trading partner. But manufacturers do want to see that trade imbalance come down. They say it is to blame for lost jobs and flat wages, and they are going to continue to push lawmakers to pressure the Chinese for faster change on the yuan -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. That's what manufacturers are saying. Some economists disagree. But this is not just a business issue, it's also a political issue.

What about legislating this whole trade gap or the currency exchange peg?

LAKE: It is very much a political issue. In fact, some analysts say at least half of it, if not more, has to do with that.

There are 25 bills pending that have something to do or are related to Chinese relations on the trade imbalance or the yuan. Now, some of them, the most extreme versions, call for 27.5 percent punitive tariff on Chinese goods.

Right now, the feeling is that lawmakers are not going to push for them during the summer. They are going to step back a little bit. But come September, as we head into those midterm elections -- especially the Democrats really feel like this is an issue that resonates with voters when it comes to job security and the wages I mentioned, and they are going to push hard to push those bills through -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. Maggie Lake, thanks very much.

That brings us to our "Question of the Day" today.

CLANCY: That's right. Today, we are asking if you are concerned with China's explosive growth. And in what way?

E-mail us your thoughts. We're here at CNN -- at YWT@CNN.com. GORANI: Include your name, where you are writing from. We will read a selection of your e-mails a bit later in the program.

CLANCY: Saddam Hussein has learned that he may have signed away his own fate 20 years ago. The former president was back in court on Wednesday. The judge announced that handwriting experts have now authenticated Hussein's signatures on more incriminating documents.

They relate to a crackdown on Shia Muslims in the 1980s and apparently include an order approving the execution of 148 men and boys. The incident making up the core of the case against Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants.

The trial now adjourned until the 24th of April. That is when the prosecution is expected to conclude its case.

GORANI: A short break here on YOUR WORLD TODAY.

When we come back, Nepal. Pro-democracy protests reach the boiling point there.

CLANCY: That's right. Refusing to back down despite the sometimes deadly force being used against them, can these crowds bring down an all-powerful king?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY.

Returning now to one of our top stories this hour, the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, is scheduled to meet with the U.S. president, George W. Bush, on Thursday in Washington, and the agenda will probably cover a wide range of issues.

Joining us with his perspective, Harvard University professor Joseph Nye.

Thank you for being with us.

You've written that one of the biggest challenges for George W. Bush in his second administration will be how to deal with China's rising economic and political power.

JOSEPH NYE, HARVARD UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR: That's right. I mean, any time throughout history, when one country rises rapidly, it creates anxieties which sometimes can lead to conflicts, even war. So, this is a big one for President Bush.

GORANI: Are we overestimating China's power or even its potential for economic and political power in the next decade?

NYE: Well, China's had a dramatic economic growth rate. They have tripled their gross national product in a couple of decades. They are growing close to 10 percent a year. That is very impressive. But, even if they keep growing at that rate and the United States grows at our rate, at a little under 3 percent a year, they're not going to pass us until well -- in terms of total size of our economy -- until well into this century, 2036, or something in that area. And in per capita income, which matters in terms of how rich and sophisticated you are, it probably won't be until late in the century.

GORANI: So, another 30, 40 years, perhaps, before a nation of more than one billion people rivals economically the United States with its 300 million inhabitants?

NYE: That's right. The Chinese are not about to pass us.

This is still a country which is -- half of it is underdeveloped. I mean, there are several hundred million Chinese in the middle class, which is a large market. There are another several hundred million who are under -- earning under $2 a day and are dirt poor.

GORANI: The question is, all these -- these economic relationships between the United States and China, China is the U.S.' second largest creditor. The fact that business dealings are happening, Hu Jintao stopped in Seattle, China is buying Boeing planes, how is that going to change China strategically and politically?

NYE: Well, basically, as China grows, there's some chance it may become more open, more pluralistic. It's a slow process. China has a long way to go. It's certainly not a free society now.

On the other hand, as one of the former ambassadors, American ambassadors said, there are more Chinese free today than any time in Chinese history. So, there are not only economic benefits from mutual growth, but also some possible long-term political benefits.

GORANI: Now, one of the things you also say is, with regards to China, embrace, but hedge. What does that mean?

NYE: Well, that's -- basically, we don't know what China will look like in 20 years. It will be richer, it will be stronger, and if it is also a responsible stakeholder in the entire international system, that will be good for us.

If it goes nationalistic and aggressive, then that will be a danger. So, we need to integrate China, but we also need to maintain our alliances with Japan and other countries, just in case China doesn't behave. And that's what we mean when we say embrace but hedge.

GORANI: All right. Professor Joseph Nye, of Harvard University, thank you so much for your time -- Jim.

NYE: Thank you.

CLANCY: Well, shifting our focus now to Nepal, where the government has issued an 18-hour curfew for Katmandu on Thursday, that to block a major rally. The Mountain Kingdom, a popular international tourist destination, has been caught up in gridlock by two weeks of protests against the king's authoritarian rule. Giant neighbor India has sent in a special envoy hoping to negotiate and ease the tension.

Senior International Correspondent Satinder Bindra has more now from Katmandu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Even as India's envoy arrives here, there's been more violence, more demonstrations in eastern Nepal. Police sources now confirming to us that two more people have been killed. This brings to eight the number of pro-democracy protesters who have been killed in this two- week-long struggle here in Nepal.

Meanwhile, a conciliatory gesture from the embattled king of Nepal. We understand that release orders have been just signed for (INAUDIBLE). He's a senior communist leader, once the deputy prime minister of Nepal who had been taken under house custody. Now he's been released, and tonight he will meeting with India's envoy here, Dr. Karan Singh.

There's been another development. Nepal's home ministry is having a special meeting, deciding what strategies to implement when a big demonstration will be held tomorrow. We understand from organizers of this demonstration that tens of thousands of people would come out onto the streets. They are promising that this will be the largest demonstration seen in Nepal so far.

So, a lot of apprehension, a lot of fear as to what exactly will happen in this crisis-ridden country two hours from now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: All right. That was Satinder Bindra reporting.

Now, fleeing the rising waters.

GORANI: Coming up on YOUR WORLD TODAY, thousands evacuate as the swollen Danube carries floodwaters through Europe. We'll tell you about it after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan at CNN Center in Atlanta. More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes. First, though, let's check on stories making headlines here in the U.S.

A West Wing shakeup. The latest move involves senior Bush adviser Karl Rove. He's the one out front in the video.

Rove is sticking around. But his job description is changing. He'll no longer focus on policy. Instead, he'll be involved in long- term political planning. And White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is stepping down. McClellan has been the chief Bush spokesman for almost three years. The changes come during Josh Bolten's first full week as the new White House chief of staff.

A small victory for Tom DeLay. An appeals court today agreed that one felony conspiracy charge against the congressman should be tossed out. DeLay still faces a money laundering charge and another conspiracy count. The case centers on financing for Texas state legislature races in 2002.

DeLay recently announced he will resign his seat.

The Duke rape case. Just hours after two lacrosse players were arrested, investigators searched the men's dorm rooms. They're not saying if any evidence was found. Attorneys for Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty say the men weren't even at the party when the alleged rape took place.

Sources tell CNN that defense attorneys have evidence to prove that Seligmann and Finnerty were somewhere else. Here now, one of the defense attorneys.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you feel about Bob Extrahan (ph) releasing that evidence even after the charges were filed?

BILL COTTER, FINNERTY'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you know, Bob Extrahan (ph) is a good lawyer, and he's done a lot of work in this case. And I'm not going to second guess him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even though you just said that you're not a fan of releasing evidence?

COTTER: I'm not going to release my evidence concerning my client. Now, there's a lot of general information out there that some lawyers are releasing, and I don't have any problem with that.

There's a lot of good lawyers who have been involved in this, and they've worked very hard. They've gotten a lot of information together. And I think they've done a good job getting some of that out there. But as far as my evidence, as it pertains to my case, I'm just not going to do that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bill, you were telling me earlier how you think this case might affect the simple assault case against your client...

COTTER: Don't know. I mean, I just simply don't know. And be careful that you don't fall over that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

COTTER: OK. I don't know. But that case, that case is going to stand on its own, and I don't want to say anything that would jeopardize that case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And also, what about the other attorneys? I know you mentioned earlier, as well, about that third player who has not been charged, and maybe perhaps speculation or anticipation. I mean, do you think that others attorneys whose clients have not been charged should not be speaking until their client is charged?

COTTER: I think -- I think there's nothing but good lawyers in this case. I think they should be doing exactly what they think they should do that would benefit their client.

All of our clients are in a different position. I mean, mine's been -- mine's been indicted. That's a much more serious position than someone whose client has not been indicted and someone whose client they may feel like is not going to get indicted.

So -- so, I think they all need to do what they think is best for them. They know what they are doing. I'm just in a position where, now that my fellow is charged, we're just not going to tell you, or the state, or anybody, what the evidence we have that we're going to present in court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And we'll have more on the latest on the Duke case live at the top of the hour on "LIVE FROM," coming up in about a half hour.

Let's check in on weather right now. Chad Myers is looking at that -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Daryn, you better get your car inside. Some dangerous weather headed to Atlanta this morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Chad, thank you.

MYERS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: They jog, they juggle, so, of course, they are jogglers. These amazing athletes go the distance today on "LIVE FROM." It kicks off at the top of the hour.

Meanwhile, YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

I'm Daryn Kagan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: This is YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Hala Gorani.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy, and these are the stories that are making headlines around the world.

China's president Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush are scheduled to meet Thursday. The agenda will likely include trade, China's appetite for oil and the Iranian nuclear crisis, just to name a few. Tuesday, Mr. Hu enjoyed an evening with about 100 political and corporate leaders, including Bill Gates, the co-founder of software giant Microsoft.

GORANI: In Washington, the shake-up at the Bush White House continues. Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced his resignation Wednesday. Senior presidential adviser Karl Rove is keeping his job as deputy chief of staff, but he will focus more on long-term strategic planning rather than day-to-day policy. They're the latest in a series of top level changes in the administration.

CLANCY: In Nepal, security forces opened fire on pro-democracy protesters, killing two people and wounding several others. Eight people have died thus far in two weeks of protests against the autocratic rule of King Gyanendra, who suspended the democratic forms of the government some months ago. Nepal's government has issued an 18-hour curfew now for Kathmandu on Thursday. That would block a planned major rally.

GORANI: An update now on Italy's disputed election. There's word a top court has confirmed that Central Left leader Romano Prodi has finally emerged the winner in the lower house of Parliament. He's also expected to prevail in the Senate over current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. But official word on that could take a few more days. The judges have been reviewing a slim number of disputed ballots, and they've rejected so far Berlusconi's complaints about those ballots in the lower House.

Members of the U.N. Security Council will meet for a second day to discuss how to curb Iran's nuclear program. Delegates from the five permanent member nations of the council, plus Germany, met Tuesday in Moscow, but couldn't agree on a course of action. The U.S. advocates sanctions, including a freeze on Iranian assets and travel restrictions for members of Iran's regime. Russia opposes such moves, preferring to wait until the U.N. atomic watchdog agency files a formal report on Iraq.

CLANCY: French President Jacques Chirac says Iran's handling of its nuclear program has created great anxiety, both in the Middle East and the international community at large. Mr. Chirac is on a two-day visit to Egypt, where he is going to be holding talks with the President Hosni Mubarak on the Iranian situation, as well as the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In comments published in the state-run Egyptian newspaper, the president said the door is still open for talks once Iran complies with U.N. Security Council demands. But he added, the prospect of Iran with nuclear weapons is unacceptable to the international community.

GORANI: The flurry of meetings comes amid growing concerns that the dispute could deteriorate, and it could deteriorate all the way into a military conflict.

Brent Sadler looks at the historic roots of the tensions between the United States and Iran, and how recent U.S. actions may be increasing Iran's regional prominence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last week's stunning declaration from Tehran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims that Iran has joined the club of nuclear nations.

RAMI KHOURI, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: I think we are potentially on the verge of a catastrophe in the Middle East if you get military strikes against Iran from Israel or the U.S.

SADLER: Rami Khouri, a lecturer at the American University of Beirut, has spent more than 30 years studying the cause and effects of Middle Eastern conflicts. He is an experienced observer and has monitored the pulse of reaction in the Arab street after the Iranian nuclear breakout.

KHOURI: My sense is that most people are pleased with the Iranian enrichment capability. They don't want to be ruled by Iran, they don't want an Iranian-style theocracy, but they like the fact that Iran has resisted and defied American threats.

SADLER: Tehran's nuclear ambitions of today should be calculated in part, says knowledgeable Iran watcher Ibrahim Moussawi, as a reaction to the vulnerability it feels from relentless U.S. pressure since the shah was deposed.

IBRAHIM MOUSSAWI, HEZBOLLAH MEDIA EXECUTIVE: Yes, of course. This would add more credibility to the already credible Iranian position, vis-a-vis the enmity with the United States, and facing and standing up and continue fronting the American support of Israel.

SADLER (on camera): An emboldened nuclear capable Iran plays well here in Syria, where hardline anti-Israeli extremist groups like Hamas, Islamic jihad and Hezbollah all enjoy strong support, actively confronting U.S. policy in the region.

(voice-over): Iran is winning greater regional prominence, too, gaining after its enemies were systematically attacked by American military might, first against the Taliban in Afghanistan; followed by the invasion by Iraq, toppling Iran's arch foe, Saddam Hussein; empowering Iraq's majority Muslim Shias, now subject to broad Iranian influence.

BOUTHAINIA SHAABAN, SYRIAN CABINET MINISTER: I think it's leading to Iran becoming a very important country in the Muslim world, a leader in the Muslim world.

SADLER: And the use of force by the U.S. to try to prevent Iran's nuclear development remains a possible option.

MOUSSAWI: I believe this would open the doorways of hell.

SADLER: Iran's bare-knuckled militancy of the early 1980s challenged U.S. warships escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers the Gulf. But Tehran's new policy of confrontation risks escalating hostilities into a much more serious dimension if nuclear brinkmanship triggers another Middle Eastern conflict. Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: There was no invasion or intervention. But in a troubled Middle East, Lebanon can fairly be called a success story of democracy today. Progress toward freedom has not come amid the kind of chaos that's been seen in Iraq. Still, the Lebanese have paid dearly in their on blood. This week, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora of Lebanon made a call on the White House where President Bush praised the so-called Cedar Revolution that reclaimed Lebanon for Syria to withdraw and launched a new political movement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: There's no question in my mind that Lebanon can serve as a great example for what is possible in the broader Middle East, that out of the tough times the country has been through will rise a state that shows that it's possible for people of religious difference to live side by side in peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: All right, joining us now with a view of what came out of his talks at the White House and what lies ahead, the challenges for his country, is Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. He joins us from Washington.

Mr. Prime Minister, thank you so much for being with us.

FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: Thank you.

CLANCY: It would appear that it was a very warm meeting between yourself and President George W. Bush, but what does Lebanon need in terms of support in the days ahead?

SINIORA: Well, actually, the meeting, as you said, it was very warm meeting, and the thing was an opportunity to really brief the president about the developments that have been taking place in Lebanon, and to seek his support, and support of the United States to really empower Lebanon and the Lebanese government to -- politically, an on a security side, as well as on the economic side.

Politically, actually, Lebanon still has a grave problem with the situation as it stands that there is a still a land which is being occupied by Israel, despite that Israel has withdrawn from Lebanon in the year 2000.

CLANCY: Let's discuss that specifically. Did you ask President Bush to pressure Israel to pull out of the Shaba Farms that is part and parcel to the claim by Hezbollah that it must remain armed.

SINIORA: Well, you see, this land, actually belongs to Lebanon, and Lebanon always exercised its authority and sovereignty of that part of the -- of Lebanon, and...

CLANCY: But Mr. Prime minister, did you ask President Bush...

SINIORA: Yes, I did.

CLANCY: What did he say?

SINIORA: Yes, I did.

CLANCY: Did he understand the logic?

SINIORA: Yes, I think -- I made it very clear in this respect. And I said that I will continue the matter with the secretary general in order to get all what is necessary to declare that part of land to be Lebanese.

You see, there has been some misunderstanding about this plot of land, to be considered Syrian, and then, subject to the resolution 242. What we say is that this is Lebanese, and that in fact it will be subject to the 425, which was really implemented in the year 2000 and remains this part.

So, in effect, once it is declared Lebanese, it will be subject to the 425, and then we will ask -- and the United Nations will ask Israel to withdraw from that area.

CLANCY: All right. And as pointed out, that is key to asking Hezbollah to hand in its arms. It says it holds those arms in order to defend Lebanon against the aggression, the occupation of its territory.

But, sir, on another level, are you concerned that Iran's backing of Hezbollah, Syria's backing of Hezbollah, is making it impossible to complete your democracy? You can't have an armed group as part of the political processes in your country?

SINIORA: Well, first of all, let's put things very straight in here. We want, on one hand, to have the withdrawal. And, secondly, there should be a continuation of the dialogue that we are having among the Lebanese in orderer to agree on a strategy how to protect Lebanon, and this will be the real way that will lead us toward having the Lebanese government in full control, and having a monopoly over the security, because it is the government, and the Lebanese government is the one that really protects Lebanon, and has the duty to do so.

CLANCY: The United Nations reporting this week that it now has a fairly good idea of what happened, the scenario of events in the assassination of Rafik Hariri. They're going to be talking to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, the number-two man, long-time foreign minister of Syria, this week. Do you see this case coming to an end here, sir? And as many Lebanese want to know, when?

SINIORA: Well, it is very difficult to say when. What we really want in Lebanon, and the Arab world, everywhere, is that everybody wants to know the truth. Who really was behind and who really committed this crime? Because we are interested in knowing that, and we want to really stop this cycle of violence that's taking place and taking the lives of so many innocent people. And particularly, all these incidents are political assassinations.

So we are really giving all the necessary support, and we are standing behind this international investigation, commissioned so that we can really achieve the end result, which is the knowledge of who has been behind and who really committed this crime.

CLANCY: Fouad Siniora, prime minister of Lebanon. I want to thank you very much for sharing some of your valuable time with us and our viewers.

SINIORA: Thank you.

GORANI: Interesting talk. All right, we're going to take a short break. The World Cup, as many football fans know, of course, and have been counting down, the World Cup is coming to Berlin soon.

CLANCY: And coming up right here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, the event drawing in fans who are capable of violence, their presence feared. We're going to tell you about these hooligans, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: The world cup, about seven weeks away, but anticipation for the event in Berlin, very high.

GORANI: All right. But some of the fans who attend might have an agenda that has nothing to do with just enjoying the sport.

Martin Geissler of ITV News has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN GEISSLER, ITV NEWS (voice-over): Welcome to the Polish football league. We traveled to Warsaw on the weekend to take in a game. We were greeted by Nazi salutes and missiles. This can be an intimidating place.

Outside the grounds here, there is a massive police presence. The game we watched attracted a tiny crowd. Besides the turn smiles, a long line of riot vans and a water cannon.

(on camera): The police here tackle the problem of hooliganism by tackling the hooligans head on. It's a quick fix. If people start fighting, get in there. But the authorities make to attempt to look at the bigger picture, and that's a nightmare for the organizers of the World Cup. The police here have neither background intelligence, nor it seems the inclination to root out the ring leaders and stop them from travelling to Germany.

(voice-over): There are more than 100 gangs here. This year alone, eight people have been stabbed to death at Polish football games. Chief superintendent Kenny Scott (ph) is one of Europe's leading experts on football hooligan behavior. He's worked at some of the game's most volatile fixtures. With the World Cup approaching, he says the Polish fans give real cause for concern. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With so many people with a violent background going to travel to Germany for the World Cup, the probability of violence has got to be really high. So for the authorities who are organizing the tournament, then yes, it's a real concern.

GEISSLER: They're worried about people like Peter. A hooligan follower of Legia, Warsaw, he told me he plans to go with a group to the World Cup this summer, intent on causing trouble.

(on camera): Who are you going to fight against?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: English, Germany and Turkey.

GEISSLER: England, Germany and Turkey. Why those countries?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: English thinks she's tough, but she's so weak. Turkish is crazy. We gonna show you Polish is very crazy.

GEISSLER (voice-over): Those are threats the German police don't take lightly. They know this summer the Polish thugs will present them with a massive test.

Martin Geissler, ITV News, Warsaw.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: Well, put on your hats, gloves and sweaters.

GORANI: When YOUR WORLD TODAY continues, we'll take you with us onto a giant iceberg, now on the move, though, around the Antarctic.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEMI OKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now on the telephone, Shelley. How did you get pictures of this iceberg, C-16, on the move?

SHELLEY KNUTH, ICEBERG SPECIALIST: Well, we monitor icebergs by satellite, so we can basically keep track of what's going on in Antarctica while we're safely in Wisconsin.

OKE: Now, you made a little movie, and it's basically shades of gray. So explain to us what we're trying to see?

KNUTH: Basically, we're watching C-16 as it moves from its original position near Ross ice shelf along the Antarctic coast, the coast which can be seen by the whiter areas on the image, and it's heading up toward the Drygowski (ph) ice time (ph), which is the piece of ice located near the top of the movie.

OKE: And it seems to be nipping along that Ross ice shelf very quickly. What kind of speed is it going?

KNUTH: It's moving pretty quickly. It moved -- I don't have an exact speed, but it moved quite a few kilometers over the course of about seven days or so.

OKE: Now, you've been down to C-16. You sat on that iceberg. For instance, tell us why it's actually called C-16.

KNUTH: C-16 is named that way based on where it breaks off along the Antarctic continent. The National Ice Center names the icebergs according to where they break off into different quadrants, and then the amount of iceberg that break off.

OKE: Now, of course, everybody's asking, if a chunk of that big is moving along Antarctica, is it anything to do with the global warming?

KNUTH: No, actually, these particular icebergs don't deal with global warming. They are just a natural part of the process, the hydrological cycle in which these icebergs break off from the Ross ice self just to maintain their size.

OKE: It looks spectacular down there, but what difference does it make whether you're studying these icebergs or not? What difference does it make to everyday people?

KNUTH: It's actually pretty interesting, in terms of just being able to monitor where they go and what sort of implications they have on the continent. It's also important for the United States Antarctic Program, in terms of if these icebergs get in the way of ships that deliver supplies to the McMurdle (ph) Station, which is the United States hub in about Antarctica. It can actually end up costing a lot more money if the ships have to be diverted around the icebergs.

OKE: Shelley Knuth for University of Wisconsin, thank you for sharing your photographs and keeping us up to date with that massive iceberg, otherwise named as C-16. Thank you very much indeed.

CLANCY: The size of France, floating around the South Atlantic.

OKE: That's the Ross ice shelf, is the size of France.

CLANCY: OK, so but the iceberg...

OKE: ... and that's not floating anywhere.

GORANI: Long Island, though, it's pretty big.

CLANCY: Yes, it's pretty big.

GORANI: It's the size of Long Island, yes. All right. Thank you very much.

CLANCY: I liked that, Femi, thank you.

OKE: Should I tell you about when I was in the British Antarctic Survey refrigerator?

CLANCY: No.

GORANI: Well, you have five seconds.

CLANCY: Not today.

OKE: To be continued. My mouth froze. It was a good thing.

CLANCY: We're out of time. Thank goodness. This has been YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani. Stay tuned. A lot more ahead right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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