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Connect the World
WikiLeaks Founder Granted Bail; Will Assange Be Extradited to the United States?; "Significant But Fragile;" Saying Goodbye to Larry King; Deadly Clashes in Ivory Coast; Adviser to Disputed President Gbagbo Wants International Community to Recognize Him as Winner. India and China Made Trade Deal. Re-Connector of the Day Ricky Martin. Connecting Voices Share Thoughts on Larry King.
Aired December 16, 2010 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: As WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is freed from prison on bail in Britain, the United States debates whether he and his organization should face persecution.
So, what's the next cheaper in a battle which spans continents and divides nations?
Going beyond borders on the day's biggest stories, on CNN, this is the hour we connect the world.
Well, he's on bail in Britain, wanted in Sweden, but could Julian Assange end up facing an American court?
Joining the dots in London, I'm Becky Anderson for you.
Well, so as President Obama warns of a tough battle ahead in Afghanistan, we'll ask whether the U.S. is really on track to start bringing its troops home.
And it's the end of an era for a television icon. We'll relive some of
Larry King's 25 years, asking the questions.
And why not tell us some of your favorite moments from his show?
Head to Facebook.com/cnnconnect.
Kicking off tonight, you've all heard of house arrest.
Well how about mansion arrest?
That's the immediate future awaiting Julian Assange after the WikiLeaks founder was finally granted bail.
Atika Shubert has more on the decision issued today at the high court here in London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Julian Assange is free on bail. His supporters and personal friends put up more than $300,000 in cash for his bail. Assange thanked his defense team and his supporters when he made this statement in front of the high court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS FOUNDER: First, some thank yous, to all the people around the world who have had faith in me, who have supported my team while I've been away; to my lawyers, who have put up a brave and ultimately successful fight; the authorities (ph) and people who provided money in the face of great difficulty and aversion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT: Now, in his ruling today, the judge took several factors into consideration. Among them, he said that Julian Assange was not living like a fugitive on the run. He pointed out the fact that Julian Assange had offered himself for questioning to Swedish prosecutors and police a number of times and that he had waited for more than a month after those initial allegations surfaced in Sweden. And he also was granted permission to leave Sweden by the Swedish prosecutor's office.
And then, of course, once he came to Britain, he actually voluntarily surrendered himself to police once that European arrest warrant was issued.
All of this factored into the judge's decision to release him on bail with certain conditions.
Now, his -- his legal team said they were very happy with the results today, but there was still a long way to go ahead, in particular, that extradition hearing to Sweden.
Here's what his defense lawyer, Mark Stevens, had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK STEVENS, JULIAN ASSANGE'S ATTORNEY: We're utterly delighted and thrilled with the result here today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT: Now Assange does have a number of strict conditions that he has to adhere to. His passport is in the hands of police. He cannot make any international travel. He will also effectively be under house arrest. He has a curfew at his residence. He will have an electronic tag that will monitor his movements and he must report to police every day.
So these are some of the requirements of that bail. But he will have good Internet access at his residence and, of course, he can have any visitors he likes. And that means he will be able to continue in his role as the WikiLeaks editor, and so we can probably expect more of those classified U.S. government documents to continue to be released.
Atika Shubert, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: All right, well, a big contention from the defense is that if Assange does get extradited to Sweden, that would clear the way for him to be extradited to the United States. Keep that factor in mind as you listen to comments at U.S. House committee hearing this morning on America's Espionage Act and how the leaked documents may factor in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH WAINSTEIN, LAWYER, O'MELVENY & MYERS LLP: In terms of prosecution, the stakes for the government are very high. If WikiLeaks and Assange end up facing no charges for their mass document releases, which are about as audacious as I've ever heard of, they will conclude that they're legally invulnerable, they'll redouble their efforts to match or exceed their recent exploits and copycat operations will sprout up around the Internet.
LOUIE GOHMERT, U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: This isn't simply about keeping government secrets secret, this is about the safety of American personnel overseas at all levels, from the foot soldier to the commander-in-chief.
JOHN CONYERS, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRAT: Our country was founded on the belief that speech is sacrosanct and that the answer to bad speech is not censorship or prosecution, but more speech. And so whatever one thinks about this controversy, it's clear that prosecuting WikiLeaks would raise the most fundamental questions about freedom of speech, about who is a journalist and about what the public can know about the actions of their own government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right, I want to discuss a possible U.S. case against Assange now.
First, I'm joined on the phone by CNN's senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin -- Jeffrey, well, you heard both points of view there. But fair to say, there is a lot of anger directed toward Assange on this.
Am I right in saying that?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: There's a tremendous amount of anger throughout the American government. Not -- it's not unanimous, but it's close to unanimous, that the United States government simply can't function if large numbers of classified documents are distributed over the Internet without the permission of the government.
ANDERSON: All right. Stay with me, Jeffrey.
Our next guest says Assange should be prosecuted for espionage.
Kori Schake was foreign affairs adviser for the McCain-Palin 2008 presidential campaign and has held various government positions.
She joins me now from CNN Washington.
So what do you want to see at this point?
KORI SCHAKE, FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISER, MCCAIN-PALIN 2008: Well, I agree with the legal analyst's judgment on this. It does seem to me that there is quite a lot of anger in the policy community, that the government actually has a right to keep classified information. And with the release of a quarter million documents at a time, it inhabits the ability of the United States to carry on normal diplomacy.
ANDERSON: A charge against Mr. Assange is -- is, of course, Jeffrey, possible, but extraditing anybody, as far as I understand, usually requires the deed of -- the crime, effectively, to be in both countries.
Am I right in saying that?
TOOBIN: That's usually the rule, although extradition is generally a fairly political act. So there is some play in the joints. But the -- the important point to remember at this point is that there is no American charge yet against Julian Assange. And the government is clearly struggling to articulate some sort of principle that will allow it to prosecute Assange, but not place in jeopardy all the American journalistic outlets that have, in turn, printed his documents again.
The question of, you know, whether Assange is a journalist or a co- conspirator to treason, to espionage, that question has not yet been answered, even within the government, much less by a judge.
ANDERSON: And you're obviously talking here as to whether the U.S. government can avoid prosecuting "The New York Times," which is one of the five media organizations involved in actually publishing these leaks.
Kori, some reports say that an American grand jury has already been secretly sworn in.
What do you know about that?
SCHAKE: I don't know anything about that. But as I think the WikiLeaks' release make clear, the ability of the American government to keep something like that secret is highly suspect.
ANDERSON: How much hope do you hold out that, indeed, he'll make it over to the States and that he will, effectively, be done (ph) for treason?
SCHAKE: I think that's an extremely hard call. I don't think he would be subject to prosecution for treason because he's not an American citizen. I think he could be subject to -- to espionage charges under the 1917 law, since he came into possession of the American documents knowingly, released them knowingly with the intent of harming the United States government.
I'm not a lawyer, so I can't say whether a court of law would find him guilty of that. But it does seem to me reasonable that he could be charged, although, as I think Jeffrey would -- would agree, the law is catching up to the technology on this. And this is going to be an important test case, I think.
ANDERSON: Do you concur, Jeffrey?
TOOBIN: Well, I -- I think the law may be catching up. I don't know. I mean the -- the problem here is not so much the technology, it's really the chain of custody. Clearly, it is illegal to do what Private Manning is accused of doing. He is the -- the private who is accused of taking the documents off a government server and giving them to WikiLeaks.
The -- the question becomes is WikiLeaks, having receive those classified documents, just a news organization exercising its freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment, or is WikiLeaks somehow a co-conspirator of the underlying illegal act?
The press -- the government has not articulated its theory yet of how -- of which way it plans on going. But it's a difficult legal question that I don't think has been answered to anyone's satisfaction.
ANDERSON: He's causing trouble whatever you think.
Kori and Jeffrey, we thank you very much, indeed, for joining us this evening.
Joining the dots to connect the world on what is one of the biggest stories of the day.
On track, on target, but the goal is still a long way off. Up next, the White House's assessment of where the war in Afghanistan is going right and where it's going wrong.
Also tonight, a presidential fight spreads to the streets -- how to break the stand-off in Ivory Coast.
All of that coming up after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It's quarter past nine in London.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
I'm Becky Anderson.
"Significant but fragile," that is the White House's verdict on America's progress in what is the nine year war in Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama said that the findings of the long-awaited review show that the U.S. is on track to achieve its goals, but the path remains uphill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It will take time to ultimately defeat al Qaeda and it remains a ruthless and resilient enemy bent on attacking our country. But make no mistake, we are going to remain relentless in disrupting and dismantling that terrorist organization.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the assessment is this -- in Afghanistan, an increase in U.S. forces has reduced overall Taliban influence, but that progress remains, and I quote, "fragile and reversible."
In Pakistan, al Qaeda's senior leadership is weaker and facing the most sustained pressure in almost a decade, though the U.S. says more cooperation is needed from the Pakistani government in denying extremists a safe haven.
And the bottom line here, the strategy is paving the way for U.S. forces to start pulling out by July next year.
Well, that is the U.S. view of the situation in the region.
Let's link up with our correspondents who are on the ground there.
Nic Robertson has reaction from Afghanistan and Chris Lawrence joins us from Pakistan.
Kicking off with you -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, interesting, perhaps, that there has been no official reaction from the Afghan government here. They've sort of taken this in their stride, it seems. The reality on the ground, from what we were hearing from people outside of the military here before is that the Taliban are growing stronger in the east and the north of the country. The military have said that the surge has been successful in Kandahar and some parts of Helmand because they've had enough people to do the job they haven't been able to do before.
But there's an underlying trend behind that that you need to follow on with Afghan security forces, who are not there yet; that you need trouble Afghan government. One of the things that this review says, does the Afghan government have the capacity to consolidate those security gains?
And from what we've seen recently, at the moment, it is lagging. That means one very simple thing -- you can't take your troops and move them to take on the Taliban in these other parts of the country where the Taliban are getting stronger.
That means you either cannot pull them out at the end of next year, as -- or part of the way through the year, as President Obama has said, or you -- you simply have to concede that you're not going to defeat the Taliban in some areas.
So those -- those are some of the -- the sort of ground realities here that people talk about -- Becky.
ANDERSON: And Nic Robertson is there in Afghanistan.
Chris Lawrence, you're in Pakistan.
The view from there?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the Pakistani defense minister sort of pushed back against this notion that U.S. wants more from the Pakistani Army. He said the Pakistani Army can only do more when they can and that Pakistan's interests have to come first.
Well, what are Pakistan's interests?
Well, some leaders here in Pakistan still feel that India is the more serious threat to Pakistan. They want to keep more resources allocated to their eastern border.
There are also people who feel that the militants that are in the heart of the country, not along the border, are more of a threat to Pakistan, that they are targeting the government and the state. And there is a feeling among some officials in Pakistan not to go after those extremists and militants in North Waziristan, along the border, because some officials still want to keep a stake in Afghanistan in case the NATO mission fails.
So if the government in Afghanistan collapses, if the state splinters, then there's a possibility that India and China could move in to assert influence. Pakistan wants a way to sort of make sure that their interests are still represented in Afghanistan. And those militants along the border could be that key -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Your Pentagon correspondent there on the ground in Pakistan.
Chris Lawrence and Nic Robertson in Afghanistan for you.
Chaps, thank you for that.
Of course, the -- the war has come at a heavy cost. U.S. casualties have increased in Afghanistan in the past year. But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says American forces have the right strategy in place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: This is really the path out for everybody, is if the Afghans -- the whole idea and the military strategy is to halt the momentum of the Taliban, reverse it, degrade their capabilities and deny them control of major population centers.
At the same time, you build the capacity of the Afghan national security forces to take on a degraded cap -- Taliban.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sound complicated?
Well, I thought it did.
A short time ago, I asked Bruce Reidel, who is an expert on Afghanistan, to make sense of exactly what the Defense secretary had to say.
This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUCE REIDEL, SENIOR FOLLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Well, I think what Secretary Gates is trying to say is, first, this president inherited a disaster in Afghanistan and Pakistan two years ago. He is now trying to change momentum on the ground and doing that in two ways -- building up Afghan forces. And we've gone from about 100,000 to 150,000 in the Afghan Army in two years; and degraded the Taliban.
We hope that those two vectors will intersect and at that point, the Afghans will be able to contain the Taliban problem largely without foreign combat troops on the ground, but with a lot of foreign help and intelligence and in paying for it.
ANDERSON: All right. All right. I hear what you say. Let's remind ourselves what -- what Robert Gates said earlier today about a withdrawal. And perhaps it will make more sense for me and the viewers if I read what he said rather than us listening to what he said.
And I quote: "In terms of when the troops come out, the president has made clear it will be conditions-based. In terms of what that line looks like, beyond July 2011, I think the answer is we don't know at this point."
So the Defense secretary doesn't know.
Should we be concerned about that?
REIDEL: I think Secretary Gates is trying to draw a very fine line here between the president's commitment to some kind of withdrawal in 2011 and the reality that Afghanistan is not going to be ready for a substantial withdrawal then.
At best, we're going to see a process of transition begin in the middle of 2011. The most safe and secure parts of the country, including, for example, the capital, Kabul, will see fewer and fewer foreign combat troops and more and more Afghan combat troops.
How long that transition is going to take is anyone's guess. And I think the secretary is being honest when he says he doesn't know.
The target date, though, is the end of 2014. It seems to me that's a reasonable target date. If we can't do this by then, we're never going to be able to do it.
ANDERSON: All right.
What did you make of the president's criticism of Pakistan, when he said -- and I quote -- "Progress rooting out terrorists within its borders has not come fast enough."
REIDEL: Pakistan has always been the hardest part of this problem. This is a country with the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world and more terrorists per square mile than any other place in the world. Trying to change Pakistan's strategic behavior is the biggest challenge we face.
The one part of this review that we haven't heard anything about, really, is the regional diplomacy angle.
How do we work between India and Pakistan?
How do we get the Chinese involved?
How do we bring the region together in a way that helps stabilize not just Afghanistan, but Pakistan, where the stakes are much, much higher?
ANDERSON: Bruce Reidel speaking to us earlier.
Well, it is the end of the an era and a very satisfying era, at that.
Larry King prepares to complete his quarter century run at CNN. A look back, along with your own comments, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, how do you say good-bye to a television icon, especially when that legend is Larry King?
His last show on CNN airs tomorrow, after a quarter of a century on the network. So we do not apologize when we bring you a look back at Larry through the years, along with a few others from what has been a cast of thousands.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUNE 3, 1985
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Good evening.
My name is Larry King.
And this is the premiere edition of "LARRY KING LIVE".
Every night at this time, we'll be here for one hour. We're going to meet fascinating people from all walks of life.
You're a legend. I mean you do know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody is really a legend, but nobody -- there are no normal people in the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fame (ph) is almost impossible.
GEORGE BURNS, COMEDIAN: From here up, I'm fine. From here down, I need makeup.
(singing)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Larry, kiss me. Just do it now. Don't be afraid. Hold me. I love you. Your nipples are hard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And across your body.
KING: I'm struggling, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait, no.
KING: Let's dance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
SNOOP DOGG, RAPPER: Whoa. See, I told you low to the floor.
KING: I'm low to the floor.
Do you want more children?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Oh, yes, yes, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are poison glands right here, right back there. When the dog eats you -- no, no, he's not going to hurt you.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: He's coming toward me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul's going to get upset, you're touching my leg, Larry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You must have gone through (ph) something in your head for you to come out and call me a murderer of my child.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's it.
BILL COSBY, COMEDIAN: We were downhill carrying that coffin, feeling like slaves and we're going uphill feeling like free people.
(singing)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Goodbye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Goodbye.
CHRISTOPHER REEVE, 1952-2004: I can actually be of help. You know, it wasn't a road I would have picked, but a lot of times things, you know, get picked for you.
JOHNNY CASH, 1932-2003: Why should I be bitter?
I'm thrilled to death with life.
MATTIE STEPHANEK, 1990-2004: If peace is possible, can we do it.
Why are we even trying?
TAMMY FAYE MESSNER, 1942-2007: Jesus, Jesus, you know, the bible says that his name is all powerful, that his name is about (INAUDIBLE).
ELIZABETH EDWARDS, 1949-2010: Don't spend your time worrying about when it is you're going to die. Spend your time worrying about how it is you're going to live today.
STEVE IRWIN, 1962-2006: That's why I was put on this earth, to try and help conserve our trees, our wilderness and our oceans and our wildlife.
KING: Police radio is saying that Simpson, the passenger in the car, has a gun at his head.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will not run as either a Democrat or a Republican.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I -- I know that's kind of a -- a line you're trying to come across with, but either you try...
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: But it goes...
BUSH: No. This is weak.
AL GORE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, you're saying...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you guys never do anything but propaganda.
KING: Was there a Holocaust?
PRES. MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRAN (through translator): You want to impose your viewpoint on me and Iran.
KING: No, it's not a viewpoint. It's a question.
RICHARD M. NIXON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I've never been in the Watergate, so it's kind of hard.
KING: You've never been in it?
(INAUDIBLE) the West Wing.
NIXON: No, no. Other people were in there, you know, unfortunately.
KING: That's still a Texas driver's license (ph)?
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes, you want to see it?
KING: Yes.
VIRGINIA KELLEY: I don't have a question. I have a statement, please.
KING: Go.
KELLEY: I want to say hello to my son, Bill Clinton.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hi, mother.
MARGARET THATCHER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: That's a strange question to ask.
KING: What happened with the submarine?
VLADIMIR PUTIN: I don't know. It sunk.
KING: Does it come with a curse of any kind?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no. It comes with so much love.
KING: What's it about like to kiss him?
If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk out of heaven and bring her home again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
JERMAINE JACKSON, MUSICIAN: This is his creation. This is his idea, for him to come here and to feel him here. I'm happy.
KING: We'll also go live to Haiti, showing you specifically what your donations mean.
For now, for here, it's time to hang up the nightly suspenders.
And who knows what the future is going to bring?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Twenty-five years of television history coming to an end. All this part of CNN's countdown to Larry's final live show. It will be a star-studded event. That is Friday our time, 10:00 in the morning in London, 11:00 in Paris and in Prague or whatever times locally where you are watching, only here on CNN. Bowing out with a bang.
Well, it used to be the economic powerhouse of West Africa. Now Ivory Coast appears on the verge of another civil war. New clashes erupt over a political stalemate that has polarized the country. We're going to ask why the leader shunned by the world is refusing to step down?
This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
I'm Becky Anderson.
This show is live from London.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: You're back with CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN. I'm Becky Anderson in London for you. Coming up, a standoff between two self-declared presidents spreads to the streets. Deadly clashes break out in Ivory Coast between rival groups of supporters.
Also ahead, India and China get down to business. We're going to tell you about a major trade deal between the economic giants.
And he definitely deserves an encore. We're bringing you one of our favorite Connectors, Latino pop star Rickey Martin, the candid interview on his sexuality, fatherhood, and what he thinks about gay marriage coming up later in this show for you.
Those stories are ahead in the next 30 minutes. As ever, though, at this point, let's get you a quick update of the headlines.
Julian Assange says he's determined to prove his innocence in ongoing sex crimes investigation in Sweden. The WikiLeaks founder was released from a British jail earlier today on bail. He must remain at a country mansion outside London, report to police daily, and wear an electronic tag.
A new White House report says the US is making progress against the Taliban, but outlining key points of the strategic review he ordered, President Barack Obama cautioned that the war in Afghanistan "continues to be a very difficult one," and I quote.
A Nigerian man charged with trying to blow up a passenger jet last Christmas faced more charges in a US court on Thursday. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was charged with two additional crimes in connection with his attempted bombing. A plea of not guilty was entered for him.
Iraqi authorities warmed that al Qaeda may be targeting the US and Europe in a series of suicide attacks over the holiday season. US officials say they don't know of a specific threat. The US military says - - tells CNN it will work with Iraq to determine the extent of any potential threat.
As one international human rights group puts it, Ivory Coast has never been so close to a resumption of civil war. Gun battles and explosions shook the nation's commercial capital on Thursday. Authorities say 20 people were killed as rival supporters of two men claiming the presidency clashed in the streets.
Ivory Coast has been locked in a political stalemate since last month's presidential elections. Incumbent Laurent Gbagbo has -- and his challenger, Alassane Ouattara, each claims to be the legitimate winner.
When it comes to the international community, though, there is no controversy. It's essentially President Gbagbo against the world. His challenger has the backing of the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, and ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, amongst others.
They all side with Ivory Coast electoral commission, which declared Ouattara the winner. The problem is, that declaration was overturned by the highest legal authority in Ivory Coast. It tossed out hundreds of thousands of votes because of alleged fraud, giving President Gbagbo the edge.
Well, he says, so far, he seems immune to international pressure to step down, and Alassane Ouattara doesn't appear willing to give up the fight. So, where do we go from here? I'm joined now by Abdon Bayeto, an advisor to the present government and president, and he joins us now. Why won't he go?
ABDON BAYETO, ADVISER TO PRESIDENT GBAGBO: Before -- I don't know why you think that he should go. When --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Well, everybody else does. I've just told you that.
BAYETO: But when you know, clearly, that he won the election in the Ivory Coast.
ANDERSON: The African Union, the EU, ECOWAS, and the United Nations all say he should go.
BAYETO: But that's classical.
ANDERSON: He didn't win.
BAYETO: That's classical. The need to determine to us today where the sovereignty of a country starts and where does it end.
ANDERSON: But Abdon, he didn't win. The electoral commission --
(CROSSTALK)
BAYETO: But he did win the election.
ANDERSON: Said he didn't win.
BAYETO: You had before that on the 20 -- 28th of November election organized in the country. In the north part of the Ivory Coast, where people are still armed, the vote was rigged there. People were beaten up, there's even people died there. Dead people were there.
And today, the constitution, the council, the constitutional council decided to annul all the results of the north part of the country --
ANDERSON: A council run by the president's men, of course.
BAYETO: It doesn't work like this. I mean, France and Ivory Coast, they have a carbon copy of constitution. You nominate a person you know as the head of an institution.
But let me just go further. The independent commission -- electoral commission.
ANDERSON: Independent being the operative word.
BAYETO: But it's still -- it's still dominated by the opposition in the Ivory Coast. Majority of them meets, even the president, is from the opposition side. Nobody -- Laurent Gbagbo is a Democrat.
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you.
BAYETO: This guy needs to be given our appraisal for what he did --
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you. The Botswanan president has strongly condemned the situation in Ivory Coast, and he said this, that Laurent Gbagbo should be, and I quote, "a true statesman and step aside." He says, "The sort of one-man rule that goes on for years is just wrong."
BAYETO: I disagree with what he's saying. President Laurent Gbagbo won the election in the country. The Supreme Court of the country ruled out the north part of the country in the voting system. It was rigged. It's not only them who are saying it. There were so many independent observers who said it. You know that.
Why is the world against Laurent Gbagbo? We don't know it. This is an atypical person. This is a person who is not in that sort of game with them.
ANDERSON: All right.
BAYETO: That's why they're all against him. But --
ANDERSON: OK. We've got the UN; the EU; the African Union, importantly; presidents like the Botswanan president saying that he should go. Let me say -- let me just remind our viewers what the Secretary General of the UN said earlier on today. He said he is "deeply concerned that any violence now -- " and let's see what's going on in the streets. People are dying on the streets --
(CROSSTALK)
BAYETO: But is that --
ANDERSON: Hang on, hang on a minute.
BAYETO: OK, go on.
ANDERSON: He says that he's "deeply concerned that any violence now could have unpredictable consequences, including reigniting civil war." That was a statement from the Secretary General. Given that civil war only finished in 2002, do you really want the country reeling back to that sort of episode?
BAYETO: But that's the perception of the world, the international world often put on African countries. Why be very pessimistic in this issue? Where a constitution of a country decided at the Supreme Court annul a result in some part of the election, and people are all funny, jumping and commenting.
But let me go further. The United Nations, Ban Ki -- Mr. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said that he is very worried about the situation in the Ivory Coast. But he shouldn't be worried. He is accountable for what's happening there. His special envoy --
ANDERSON: Well, his troops are still there, of course.
BAYETO: But a special envoy went over its borders and declared the opposition man lead winner. But it's not his role. He went beyond his mandate to declare it. That's not him to say that --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Let's remind ourselves that there is --
BAYETO: It is more an international plot --
ANDERSON: Death on the streets at this --
BAYETO: Against Ivory Coast or hidden agenda. We can't see why people would do this.
ANDERSON: OK. I've given you your point -- I've given you your time. Amnesty International, today, appalled by what they call "completely unjustified and disproportionate use of force," calling on the security forces to stop these killings immediately. One of their workers there said, "Those who open fire on these people, as well as those who gave the order, will have to account for their actions."
BAYETO: That's why I came to you, saying that it is an international plot against the Ivory Coast. There's a fact there that some election organize in the country. That's why I asked you early on where the sovereignty of a country starts and where does it finish? The world, the international world seems to not listen to the constitution of a country.
We are a member of the United Nations, but it's because we're a sovereign country that we're a member in that union. Why are they not listening to us?
ANDERSON: What happens next?
BAYETO: The president won the election. He's just forming a strong government. He's going for good governance in the country. He's going to reunite the country, and he's thinking of developing the country. And that sort of person, as I said, is very atypical. That's why the western world is against us.
But we want him as a president. We elected him as a president. The country constitution elected -- proclaimed him as the president. We want the international world to respect him as such, and in the country we should be ahead as it is. Like everybody. To fake otherwise would be a form of racism --
ANDERSON: All right.
BAYETO: Because how the democracy will be in one country the other way and in our country, when it comes to the African country, it's different. No, that's a form of racism, also.
ANDERSON: So many Africans have been saying it, and so has the AU. We're going to have to leave you there. I thank you very much, indeed, for joining us --
BAYETO: Thank you, thank you very much.
ANDERSON: This evening.
Well, for the first time in five years, a Chinese premier is visiting India. The two Asian giants may not agree on much, but they are putting aside sensitive disputes to strike billions of dollars in business deals. That is coming up next here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: When the world's two fastest-growing economies get together, you can bet that they mean business. Talks on Thursday in New Delhi, the leaders of China and India agreed to double bilateral trade. Suhasini Haidar brings us the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUHASINI HAIDAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Partners, not rivals. That's how Chinese premier Wen Jiabao described relations between India and China after meeting with Indian prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.
And it was on the issue of trade that the two sides made the most strides, deciding to project a $100 billion trade target between India and China by the year 2015. China already is India's largest trading partner, but it has a massive trade surplus. Of the $50 billion or so the two countries traded last year, about $25 billion is China's surplus, Singh looked to address that.
But it was on the political side that the two sides didn't make much headway, whether it was on the boundary issues, the prickly issue of separate visas, stapled for residents of Jammu and Kashmir that India has been taking up with China. And the two sides certainly not agreeing to resume defense ties. Remember, India called off defense ties with China earlier this year, called off all military exchanges with China over that stapled visa issue.
The elephant in the room when these two leaders meet, of course, remains Pakistan. Premier Wen Jiabao heads to Islamabad after his visit in New Delhi, and it's a question of what he is willing to concede to Pakistan when he goes there that will weigh heavily in New Delhi, particularly the Chinese plan to provide Pakistan with a nuclear reactor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, it is easy to see why many reports in China and India focus on the strength of their economies, but one observer says, that's only party of the story when it comes to internal transformations taking place. Anand Giridharadas is a "New York Times" columnist and author of "India Calling: An Intimate Portrait of a Nation's Remaking."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANAND GIRIDHARADAS, NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST: What's really striking is the stunning similarity of the social process, the very complex social process, that both of these countries are going through.
So, even as they have these border disputes and are pitched as these economic rivals and people talk about the great game in Asia, actually, India and China are going through this very, very hyper-rapid process of urbanization, of social atomization, of empowering young people, of breaking down the family, of empowering disenfranchised groups and minorities.
And above all, they're going through a process of thinking about, after 20, 30 years of stunning growth, what comes after growth?
And what has really struck me, particularly in conversations with young people in both countries in recent months and years, is the idea that people are done with -- not done with, but tired of the incessant talking about doing, doing, doing and what these countries will do militarily, and much more interested in thinking about who they will be, what their identities will be, what will be their relationships to historical pasts that both countries have kind of pushed away all too quickly.
And so, in a way, as these countries get together and talk this week, it's interesting to think about the great commonality that they are living through. And also to think about the question of who they will be when they become superpowers, rather than just the question of whether they will become superpowers, which seems increasingly clear they will be in some for or other.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're expert on the subject tonight.
Next up, we're going to bring you one of our favorite Connectors of the Day. Latino sensation Ricky Martin has revealed all in his autobiography, his decision to come out, being the father of twins. We'll get the story behind the story, up next.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, his fame has crossed borders and his talent has crossed genres. As promised, here's one of ours -- and I hope your -- favorite Connectors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): With his Latin looks and crooning vocals, it didn't take long for Ricky Martin to grab the spotlight. Even before his first American album topped the charts, Martin was in the hip band Menudo. But it was his catchy single, "Living La Vida Loca" that made him a global star.
(MUSIC - "Living La Vida Loca")
ANDERSON (voice-over): The single sent Martin on a whirlwind tour, performing for millions of screaming fans around the globe. Since then, the Puerto Rican-born singer has come out with a string of hits, including "She Bangs" and "The Cup of Life."
Offstage, Martin is known for his extensive humanitarian work and has established a foundation that has made the fight against child trafficking a major focus.
Throughout his career, Martin was also subject to speculation and gossip regarding his sexuality. But earlier this year, he put the rumors to rest by disclosing that he is gay. In a new memoir out this month, he discusses this decision and what led up to it. He talked to me about why he's chosen to write about this now.
RICKY MARTIN, SINGER: To be honest, Becky, it all started as a game. I sat in front of my computer and I started writing about the work that I've done in my foundation, the Ricky Martin Foundation. We've been working on human trafficking for many years, now. And I just said, "You know what? Let me see how it feels to really actually write about this."
And then, I started writing about my trips to India, and then I started writing about my spiritual quest and my years in the music business, and then I started to feel really, really, really comfortable about everything. And then I came to the conclusion that it was a really good way to talk about my homosexuality.
ANDERSON (on camera): Good story. Charlie asks, "Were you worried about the backlash from your fans when you talked about coming out?"
MARTIN: Yes. I think you're -- you're always concerned about what's going to happen to your career after you tell the world something like this. But you know what? I was just really -- really tired of fear.
And this book is about acceptance. This book is about recovering dignity. This book is about self esteem. And for me, the most important thing is to be at peace with who I am and, obviously, the communication that I'm going to have with my children about life is going to be completely transparent. And they are one of the most important reasons why I went there in this book.
ANDERSON: I know the twins are so important to you. How do you rationalize the balance between family and fame, Ricky?
MARTIN: For me, the most important thing is family. The love is basic at this point, and it feels really beautiful to have a two-year-old tell you, "Daddy, Daddy, I love you" every other hour of the day. So, for me, that is exactly what motivates me to go into the studio, to start creating images for new videos or even start thinking about my next world tour.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. Another question from one of the viewers. Chris says, "Was it hard to come out when you were marketed for so long as a sex symbol to women?"
MARTIN: Yes, like I said, you are concerned about the reaction of people. But then again, that's allowing yourself to be seduced by ego. And I'm -- I try to practice detachment every day of my life. The most important thing is to be happy with yourself and not -- try not to jump into old patterns of, like I said, fear. This is me, and I'm happy.
And when I'm on stage, I'm going to be dancing, and -- my body, I'm going to be reacting towards music and the applause of the audience.
ANDERSON: Juan Carlos wants to know if there is or was a particular memorable moment that you have got fixed in your mind while you've been performing.
MARTIN: My music has given me the opportunity to literally go around the world. My last tour was so beautiful, I visited -- oh, 70 countries around the world. And to be able to find similarities instead of differences because of music I think is fantastic.
ANDERSON: I know that you have made a commitment to try and stop human trafficking around the world. It's one of the things you really care passionately about. It's something that we're committed to on this show, as well. And John asks, "What made you support the cause initially?"
MARTIN: Many years ago, I had the opportunity to go to India, and I rescued three girls from the street, not that were trafficked, but that could have become victims of trafficking. When I rescued them, I had no idea what human trafficking was.
And then I was -- I went back home, and I started doing my research, and I found out that, unfortunately, there are men out there that are paying hundreds and thousands of dollars to rape little kids as young as four years old.
Now, knowing about this, not doing something about it is like allowing it to happen. For many years now, the Ricky Martin Foundation has been trying to work on -- just creating awareness around the world. I'm using my music to talk about this subject that is dreadful. We're talking about slavery of the new era.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And it's an issue that we care about here on CNN, and I hope we'll be talking to Ricky Martin about that more in 2011. Ricky Martin, there, one of our favorite Connectors this year. Tonight, we'll be right back for you.
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ANDERSON: Before we leave you tonight, we make no apologies, we thought we'd make a final tribute to Larry King, just a few hours before what is his final show after 25 years here on CNN. Here's what a few of you had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEXT: CONNECTING VOICES.
AGA AGINESKA, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: He really tried to make it to the core matter. And he did not -- did not stop inquiring. He wasn't scared, whoever visited his studio, whether it was a famous politician or an influential businessman --
Like, I remember one of the interviews with the boss of Novartis some two years ago. He really made it controversial and he really made it to the very, very core matter. He pushed, and he wasn't afraid of his guest. And that's something which is also missing currently in journalists. That's one of Larry's qualities, obviously.
FELIPE MENDES, PECS, HUNGARY: I will miss his standards. He's the model king. If I want to masquerade a journalist, I would do standards and be Larry, too. And I started to watch CNN because of him. He's very professional in his speech, and he can interview everyone, everything. So I -- he's amazing. The best journalist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Connecting Voices on CNN, talking Larry King. I'm Becky Anderson. That's it, your world is connected. "BackStory" is next, right after a very quick look at the headlines.
END
