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CNN SATURDAY MORNING NEWS
Former U.S. Presidents Visit Thailand
Aired February 19, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Two live events you won't want to miss this hour, two former U.S. presidents begin their tour of the tsunami devastation. We will hear from them shortly.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Also, deadly attacks in Iraq on the holiest day in the Shiite calendar. This, as a delegation of high ranking U.S. senators prepare to speak there this hour.
HARRIS: From the CNN center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is February 19. And good morning everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. It is 7:00 a.m. here in the east, 7:00 p.m. in Thailand and it is 3:00 p.m. in Baghdad. We're following those developments. Now more on these and other headlines this morning.
As just mentioned, former presidents George Bush Senior and Bill Clinton are in Thailand, first stop on their tour of areas devastated by December's earthquake and tsunami. They ex-presidents, who are leading a fund-raising drive in the U.S. for tsunami survivors, are expected to meet with reporters momentarily and CNN plans to bring you that live when it happens.
Meanwhile, Senator John McCain who wants an estimate of the number of insurgents in Iraq is leading a senate delegation to that country. Also with him are Senators Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, Susan Collins and Lindsay Graham. The senators will hold a news conference about a half hour from now at 7:30 Eastern and CNN will cover that event live as well when it happens.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to march in Rome this morning, demanding the release of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena. She's being held hostage in Iraq and appeared in a video this week pleading for her life and begging Italy's government to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
HARRIS: Here are three good reasons to stick around for the entire hour. First, a man on the cusp of cracking the color barrier in one of sports most exclusive clubs.
Also, this boat is a far cry from the nuclear sub that Jimmy Carter served on some 50 years ago and some of what it can do is so hush hush, that no one can even talk about it. And later, the south isn't known as the stroke belt for nothing. If it's deep fried, you'll find it on the menu in the dirty (ph) south. But even die hard southern foodies admit there can be too much of a bad thing.
NGUYEN: Oh, but it tastes so good Tony. Well, as we reported, a U.S. congressional delegation is in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi government officials. The visit is set against a backdrop of some of the worst violence since Iraq's election. We want to get more now from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Hi there, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Betty. It is the Ashura (ph) commemoration day, the day when thousands, tens of thousands quite literally of Shia Muslims are pouring out, commemorating the battle where the prophet Muhammad's grandson died in the year 680. It has meant that there is very tight security in Baghdad around those holy shrines. And today as worshipers were on their way to one of those shrines, three suicide bombers tried to attack them. They were engaged by Iraqi security officers as they tried to get in amongst the crowd. We are told from the detonations then, that five people were killed and 40 people wounded.
A little later, a suicide bomber riding a bicycle rode into a tent where people were gathered for a funeral service there. Three people were killed, 38 wounded and a little later in the afternoon, very close to one of those very important Shia shrines in the north of Baghdad, in the Kadamire (ph) area, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at worshipers. Iraqi and U.S. security forces moved in to secure the area. As they did that at one of the checkpoints they quickly set up, a suicide bomber approached them, killing two people, wounding two others. Among the dead one U.S. soldier and also one U.S. soldier injured in that attack.
This is this year, however, the violence so far less than last year. 141 Shias were killed in the same celebrations last year and what is very interesting to note this year, amidst the tight security that the holy city of Karbala has so far not been attacked in the way it was last year, so perhaps the Iraqi security in the holy city of Karbala being more effective this year at keeping out the insurgents or maybe the insurgents not trying to penetrate that particular city. But the violence potentially could go on longer today. Certainly the celebrations still continue, many tens of thousands of people out on the streets in commemoration. Betty?
NGUYEN: Nic, this is also a unity day in Iraq where insurgents are asked to voluntarily surrender. Is that happening? Are you seeing many insurgents actually surrender on this unity day?
ROBERTSON: We don't have any reports of it, Betty. In the town of Baquba, about 40 miles northeast of Baghdad, there had been a call for unity day. We've heard these calls before, insurgents asked to come and put down their weapons and surrender. In Baquba, there have been multiple attacks over the last few months, attacks on Iraqi security force chiefs, attacks on Iraqi police stations and army bases. The indication there, the insurgents not heeding that call for them to lay down their weapons. Indeed today in that town, there was an attack at a checkpoint right outside of a police station killing two people, one a police officer at a checkpoint, another a civilian riding by on a bicycle. Betty?
NGUYEN: A very violent day there in Iraq. Nic Robertson we appreciate your time and your insight today. Thank you. Tony.
HARRIS: A strong earthquake shook eastern Indonesia about 12 hours ago but so far there are no reports of damage or injuries from the 6.5 quake. Earthquake experts say it could cause some flooding but nothing like December's tsunami. Indonesia has experienced aftershocks since the massive earthquake that preceded the tsunami. But this latest quake is not considered an aftershock because it was centered more than 1,000 miles from the areas hit by the tsunami disaster.
As we've been mentioning, presidents, ex-presidents, Clinton and Bush are in Thailand. Let's take you there now.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, from here tomorrow, they will head, continuing their three-day tour of the region to Indonesia and Sri Lanka and then on Monday, they'll wrap up in the Maldives. As we heard in the press conference, Bush senior especially very keen on defining their trip. Neither of these presidents, former presidents are here to advise or to evaluate the situation on the ground. We heard only laudatory comments that the government here in Thailand and likely will hear something similar as they head further to Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
What they are here to do is keep the global spotlight on the tsunami's lingering aftermath, to encourage Americans who have already shown incredible compassion in their donations in the immediate aftermath to not forget what happened on December 26th, to not forget that this is a year's, if not decade's long process for the people on the ground. They spent this morning surveying some of the hardest-hit areas, Khao Lak, the coastal part of southern Thailand. There, both men got quite emotional as they walked through the village of Banam Cam (ph). That village was destroyed in the tsunami. Nearly half of the villagers were killed. There as Bush senior spoke in the press conference, they were given drawings by the children of the waves that killed their parents, an incredibly emotional moment, one that at the scene both men said they will likely never forget and one that they will use to convey back to the Americans the emotional legacy of the tsunami. They also laid wreaths at the wall of remembrance. But they're very keen as you heard from former President Clinton, that the worst sites are perhaps still yet to come. Phuket was somewhat lucky, hasn't suffered nearly the structural damage nor human loss as where they'll head tomorrow Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Tony.
HARRIS: Aneesh, just one quick question if I could. You're absolutely right, both presidents made a concerted point to make it clear that their effort here is not to lead this operation, but to work with the locals. Is there a sense there that there is concern that the United States might try to take a very active and lead role in the recovery effort?
RAMAN: Not really on the ground. I think it was something that people were going to wait to see what the words were of these former presidents and as we've seen now in this press conference in and statements throughout today, a very concerted effort by them to say that they are here to help in any way they can. They're here to encourage Americans to donate, but they are also here to remind the leaders here in Thailand, in Indonesia and Sri Lanka and the Maldives that the current President Bush very much sees America as having an active role in the recovery, relief and reconstruction effort in the years to come. They're here to convey that message directly to the leaders and convey a message as we're saying to the American public that their donations are needed as urgently now as they were on December 27, Tony.
HARRIS: Very good, Aneesh Raman in Phuket, Thailand, Aneesh, thank you. Appreciate it.
NGUYEN: There's a lot of other news happening today. A congressional delegation, including Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain is in Baghdad this morning. That is the site, a live picture right now. We are expecting to hear from them shortly. When that happens we'll bring that to you live. Stay right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. We are standing by to hear from the congressional delegation in Baghdad. Here is a live look at the room right now. Senators Clinton and McCain are expected to talk about their trip to the region. We'll bring that to you live when it happens.
But in the meantime we want to welcome you back this morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. We'll bring you this event live when it happens, first a look at some other stories making news.
As you saw just a moment ago, here on CNN LIVE former Presidents Clinton and Bush are touring tsunami ravaged countries today. They were in Phuket, Thailand where the presidents made the point that it is important right now to get the countries to live up to their commitments and to spend the money that his being donated, properly. And to coordinate all of the efforts to build these countries back and to make them whole over the next two years.
In other news, a powerful earthquake shook part of eastern Indonesia today. It sent thousands of people into the streets in a panic. But there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The quake had a 6.5 magnitude. And it hit about 1,000 miles from the area most devastated by the Christmas Eve quake and tsunami.
U.S./Japan talks get underway in Washington today. Talks will focus on China's growing military power and the threat it poses to Taiwan. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will hold the talks with their Chinese counterparts. The discussion will also focus on the North Korean nuclear issue.
NGUYEN: Well it is a holy day in Iraq, but that has not stopped the violence. We want to go now to our Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson, who is in Baghdad with the latest on all the violence today.
Hi, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Betty, the latest we have on the violence here this afternoon, in a combined attack around the Shia shrine in Kadamire (ph), the north side of Baghdad, one U.S. soldier was killed and one wounded as they came to assist Iraqi security forces in setting up security checkpoints following a rocket propelled grenade close to that shrine.
Tens of thousands of Shias have been coming out on the streets, not only in Baghdad around this particular shrine, in the north of the city, but in Karbula, the holy city for Shias, in the south of Iraq. Many tens of thousands of people coming out on the streets, there.
But the violence, today, has been centered Baghdad as worshipers were making their way earlier in the day towards the Kadamire shrine, three would-be suicide bombers approached the crowd. We are told that they were engaged by Iraqi security forces. However, the detonations killed five people, wounded 40, we're told, in that first attack.
Also, shortly after, we were told by Iraqi police that a suicide bomber had ridden a bicycle into a funeral gathering detonating his explosives inside the funeral tent, killing three people and wounding 38.
The violence lower than last year, this particular day, 141, at least, Shias were killed in violence on the Ashura commemoration. But the streets, the security on the streets today very, very tight, particularly around these Shia shrines, Betty.
NGUYEN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad for us with the latest on the violence there. Thank you for that.
We also put up a live picture now to show you that we are waiting for developments to happen, because a delegation, a congressional delegation is in Iraq. They will be speaking live, momentarily. That delegation is made up of Senators John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham. They will be speaking, as I just mentioned, momentarily. And when that happens we'll bring it to you live right here on CNN.
Well, it is time now for a check on some of the other stories making news around the world today.
HARRIS: And for that, let's go to Anand Naidoo at the International Desk.
Anan, good morning.
ANAND NAIDOO, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you, Tony. And a very good morning from me. A lot happening at the International Desk this morning.
First up, a huge demonstration in Rome. Thousands taking to the streets calling for the release of a Italian journalists kidnapped in Iraq. Giuliana Sgrena was abducted in Baghdad on February 4.
Her captors released a video on Wednesday. It shows her pleading for her life and calling on Italians to pressure their government into withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq. Italy has about 3,000 soldiers there in Iraq. Officials expect as many as 200,000 to take part in today's march.
News of another kidnapping now; this one in Venezuela and involving the mother of the Detroit Tigers pitcher, Ugueth Urbina. Maura Villarreal, that is Urbina's mother, was rescued after being held for more than five months. Police stormed the captors remote mountain camp some 340 miles southwest of the capitol Caracas. The raid left at least one of the kidnappers dead. Villarreal expressed surprise when the police found her, saying she never expected to be found.
The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of $6 million, but officials, police in fact, tell us that no money was paid.
And another high-level effort to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff; a top Chinese Communist Party official heads to Pyongyang to get the North Koreans back to the six-party talks. There have been mixed signals coming out of Pyongyang in the past 24 hours. Latest reports we're getting, quote, "North Korea is saying it is not ready to return to the negotiations." Tensions have been rising in the past two weeks, since North Korea claimed it had nuclear weapons and said that it was pulling out of the multi-party negotiations.
The North has also been calling for direct face-to-face talks with the United States, but these reports that we've been getting in the past hour or so, that even that is now off the table.
I'm going to end right now, we're going to go to Baghdad. That news conference is about to start. Let's listen in.
HARRIS: Anand, thanks.
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