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Can Libya's Peace Accord Survive; Greek Parliament to Vote on Bailout Terms; Iranians Celebrate Nuclear Deal. Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET
Aired July 15, 2015 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:15] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: The world has seen several high profile deals these last seven days, but the signing on the dotted line is
just the start. Often what comes afterwards is just as hard won.
When it comes to Iran, Barack Obama now has to convince a skeptical congress that America really does stand to benefit.
In Greece, the prime minister wants parliament to pass a bailout deal he doesn't even believe in.
And in Libya, where chaos is nurturing ISIS terrorists, the United Nations is pushing an agreement that one side hasn't even signed up to.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: A very good evening. It is 7:00 here in the UAE. Tough sells all around. We'll have details throughout the hour. You're watching
Connect the World with me Becky Anderson.
First, the Iran deal may be done, but a new round of negotiations is just beginning for the Obama administration.
It's making its case to congress before formally submitting the agreement for review later this week.
Lawmakers aren't waiting to weigh in. Many Republicans are already rejecting the deal while some Democrats need convincing as well.
We are waiting for President Obama to give a news conference about two hours from now. Before that, White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski
following developments for you in Washington, and our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Vienna where the historic agreement on
Iran was reached.
And Michelle, I want to start with you, the fate of this deal has squarely moved from Vienna to Washington, more specifically to Capitol
Hill, of course, and to President Obama's ability to defend it.
He has time on his side, but do the numbers stack up at this point?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At this point they seem to, but that doesn't mean that congress -- those opposed aren't going to give it a
good try. I mean, they can't wait to sink their teeth into this deal, take a good look at it, and for some of them can't wait to rip it to shreds.
But the White House is also ready to counter any criticism. We're going to see the president take questions from the press corps this
afternoon. The vice president just traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with Democrats, several of whom said that they, too, are skeptical about the
deal.
Really, coming from all sides now a hailstorm of reaction to it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have cut off every pathway for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
KOSINSKI: President Obama got his nuclear deal with Iran, the job now, to defend and sell it at home.
OBAMA: I think that criticism is misguided.
KOSINSKI: Taking on the skeptics and critics, asking why the U.S. and five other countries couldn't insist that Iran dismantle its nuclear
capability altogether. Here with the "New York Times."
OBAMA: The notion that the world signed up for these sanctions in order to either achieve regime change, to solve every problem in terms of
Iranian behavior, or to say to them in perpetuity they can never have peaceful nuclear power, that was never something that was in the cards.
KOSINSKI: But there are plenty of questions. What kind of access really will nuclear inspectors have if Iraq balks at opening certain doors?
There is a process in place for that, though gaining access through it could take nearly a month or longer.
JOE LIEBERMAN, FORMER SENATOR, (I) CONNECTICUT: The most disappointing part of it is the inspection part. It's not anywhere, any time. It's
nothing remotely like that.
KOSINSKI: Former senator Joe Lieberman and experts weighed in at a House committee hearing on the deal only hours after it was announced.
REP. ED ROYCE, (R) CHAIRMAN, HOUSE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Why would the United States sign off on such an agreement?
KOSINSKI: Many in Congress angry that Iran will still be able to enrich uranium at all, albeit at a vastly reduced supply and still retain
almost all of its industrial nuclear infrastructure. At the same time it will gain billions of dollars in sanctions relief and new trade, while not
unlikely continuing to fund terror, threaten neighbors, and destabilize the region. Some parts of the deal expire in 10 or 15 years.
AMBASSADOR NICOLAS BURNS, FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS: I would rather have seen 20 or 30 years rather than 10.
KOSINSKI: President Obama acknowledges the challenges.
OBAMA: Diplomacy can work. It doesn't work perfectly. It doesn't give us everything that we want.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSINKSI: So here's what could happen now. I mean, congress is going to review it, but if they vote disapproval in effect would keep
congressional sanctions on Iran, that could mean that the deal just breaks apart, that Iran says, well, that's not what we signed up for, or the U.S.
is isolated, that other countries involved go their own way, they lift their sanctions against Iran and move on.
So, you have the White House now essentially warning congress that even if they were to be able to override a presidential veto, which doesn't
look terribly likely at this point, the outcome might not quite be what congress originally intended -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Well, we know -- thank you, Michelle -- that Israel is lobbying congress hard. They are anti-this deal.
And this Nic, the Israeli prime minister has described it as simply absurd, this deal. He points to a number of clauses, not least one that
requires international inspectors who suspect violations of the deal give Iran 24 days notice before they get access. A Saudi source describes that
to me as just a disaster.
Was this a win-win deal?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly was packaged as such. I mean, listen to President Rouhani yesterday on Iranian
television. And you have cheering people in streets of Tehran telling them that a sanctions will be lifted for good.
Listen to President Obama, and you have him telling the American people and the world audience that in fact the sanctions can snap back on.
What's written is, the sanctions can snap back on, but after eight years of compliance, the sanctions come off for good. So there's something in there
for everyone.
Listen to the critics and you would think that the inspectors, nuclear inspectors have to wait 24 days after asking the Iranians to go onto any
site to get access there. What's written in the agreement is the inspectors have access to any site. If the Iranians say no they have 14
days to talk it through with the IAEA to come with alternatives to agree something. If they can't, it goes to a committee. After seven days that
committee, if it's not satisfied will escalate it another three days later so that the sanctions are flipped back on.
So, you know it depends which way you read the agreement. Is it a glass half full, is the glass half empty. The truth is, the reality is, is
that it won't fully be tested until they try to implement it. It's what is the real intention of the Iranians. And you don't know that until you
start to push the envelope, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nic, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond heading to Israel later today to explain the nuclear deal in person. He may have to
explain some controversial comments as well. I want our viewers to have a listen to what he said a short time ago in the House of Commons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILIP HAMMOND, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: I think the question you have to ask yourself is what kind of a deal would have been welcomed in Tel
Aviv? The answer, of course, is that Israel doesn't want any deal with Iran. Israel wants a permanent state of standoff. And I don't believe
that's in the interests of the region, I don't believe it's in our interest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Israel wants a permanent state of standoff. That's not going to go well when he arrives in Tel Aviv, Nic, is it?
ROBERTSON: It's not. It's going to take a lot of explanation. And there is a lot of explanation about the deal as well that Israel is going
to want to hear.
We have also British foreign office saying Secretary Hammond has been widely reported as hoping that the British foreign office can open -- can
reopen its embassy in Tehran by the end of the year.
You also have the French foreign minister today tweeting that he's expecting to go to Tehran soon.
These are the sorts of concerns that the British foreign secretary is going to hear when he goes to Israel because clearly there's a lot of
economic interests for all the nations involved in this deal, in Iran and the opening up of its economy. And it's also going to fuel the questions
that the British foreign secretary and others are going to face when they go to Tel Aviv -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Vienna for you. Michelle Kosinski in Washington.
Well, it is another day -- thank you, guys -- it is another day, another deadline for Greece. Right now lawmakers are involved in what is a
fiery debate over whether to approve a wave of reforms needed for the country's third bailout.
Now they are expected to vote in about six hours just before the deadline, but there is strong opposition.
Earlier, a member of the far right Golden Dawn Party tore up a paper describing the deal. This is a man trying to convince them to pass the
changes, even though he says that he doesn't agree with the proposals.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says as painful as the new plan may be, it's the only path forward for the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS TSIPRAS, GREEK PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I am fully assuming my responsibilities for mistakes and for oversights and for the
responsibility of signing the text that I do not believe in, but that I am obliged to implement.
I will not run away from my responsibilities, because what is important right now is to ensure the safety of the country and of the
working classes so that they do not suffer an economic catastrophe, and to ensure the safety of the banking system and protect people's savings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:10:29] ANDERSON: Well, the International Monetary Fund is condemning the bailout plan as a fantasy, saying that Greece is going to
need far more than debt relief -- far more debt relief, sorry, than Europe is willing to give.
Well, the IMF also says it's unrealistic to expect Greece's leaders to obtain and hold a budget surplus. And it questioned the ability of Greece
to improve worker productivity and boost the overall number of people in the workforce.
What's more, the IMF says that Greece's banks will be looking for fresh cash very soon. And it says no one is addressing the governance
issues that created the crisis in the first place.
Well, to give us a sense of the mood in the country, let's cross over to the Greek capital now. Isa Soares joins us from Athens tonight.
And as people of the country watch this Greek tragedy unfold, Isa, what are they telling you?
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, good afternoon, Becky, it is a Greek tragedy. Just that those lines you had been saying
from the IMF, many people shocked to be hearing this at this stage, Becky.
There is definitely a sense of tension in the moment, I've been able to speak to members of the Greek parliament, those who have been there in
the plenary sessions this morning. And they say it's very, very dramatic. People extremely nervous about the vote ahead. But they do expect,
nevertheless, that vote to pass, that Alexis Tsipras will have the support of the opposition parties including the coalition partners the Independent
Greeks.
But like you said there will be some dissenting voices, Becky, within Syriza. Already, we've seen two members of Syriza Party step down the last
couple of days. And we know around 40 have said they will not back this deal, basically.
On the outside of parliament, we're expecting a big rally, Becky, at 7:00 tonight, people saying no to this austerity bill saying it's just too
much. And we also have heard in the last 24 hours, a 24 strike by workers, probably sector workers.
You can feel the mood extremely tense. And many people, Becky, scratching their heads exactly about this IMF deal. What exactly is the
point of it at this stage, given, you'll remember, the Christine LaGarde, the head of the IMF, had this paper in her hands. Eurogroup had this paper
in their hands on Sunday when they were trying to agree on this deal, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, I mean, this was written before the eurozone reached a deal with Greece in the early hours of Monday.
I mean, Greece faces what is an immediate cash crisis. The banks have been shut since the 29th of June. We're hearing they may stay shut until
at least the 16th. And the IMF predicting that this country will have debt close to 200 percent of GDP in two years time.
No wonder people in Greece are calling this a humiliation, Isa.
SOARES: Oh, absolutely. 200 percent in two years. And, you know, people are saying they needed -- the IMF is saying they need 30 year grace
period in order to get the economy growing again.
But what's really interesting about this, Becky, if we step away from this is that the IMF has always said, not the first time they've seen this,
that Greece's debt is unsustainable. They've said it all along.
And within the IMF rules, the IMF basically cannot support, cannot back a bailout if debt is unsustainable. But still they backed the
bailout, the last bailout in Greece. So what exactly is the purpose of this report? It's just to grow division, to add pressure on Europe, or is
it just pure politics rather than economics, Becky. The feeling is this is just another one of extend and pretend from the IMF.
Nevertheless, this is really rallying Greeks who are angry that (inaudible) clearly there are huge divisions in Europe. And this is pure
humiliation on Europe's part.
ANDERSON: I did wonder why over the weekend Tsipras was angling to get rid of the IMF from any deal going forward. I guess we kind of know
why now.
Anyway, there you go. Isa, always a pleasure. On the story for you as ever. Yeah, sorry, I cut you off there.
I'm going to take a very short break, Isa. But thank you.
We're going to do from Isa as we move through the hour.
Still to come, surveillance video is shedding new light on the prison break of Mexico's most notorious drug lord. You've got to see these
moments, the moment he disappeared and where authorities are in their search.
First up, though, what Europe can get from Iran now that a nuclear deal has been reached.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:17:26] ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson -- what time is it? 17 minutes
past 7:00 here in the UAE.
Now the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran has triggered a wave of euphoria in Tehran. Thousands of Iranians flooded the streets of the
capital to celebrate. People cheered and blew horns. There was even dancing, which is officially banned, though it was tolerated in this
instance.
Others used social media to congratulate President Hassan Rouhani for paving the way to an end of economic sanctions -- eventually of course.
Well, our next guest says Europe can and should build on the opening presented by the nuclear agreement.
Ellie Geranmayeh is a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and joins me now from London.
And your group, Eli, has just released a blueprint on what Europe should be doing vis a vis Iran in this post-deal world.
What's the biggest takeaway?
ELLIE GERANMAYEH, EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS : Thank you, Becky.
Essentially I think what Europeans came back from yesterday is despite weeks on end of negotiating and intense debate with Iran on the nuclear
issue, there's a lot more to talk about. And we heard from the EU high representative Federica Mogherini that this is going to be a new chapter
for European relations with Iran.
We've heard that Foreign Minister Fabius has finally accepted a long awaiting invitation to visit Iran. We've had a lot of positive trade
delegations going in and out of Iran. So, really I think that they recognized that this could be an opening to not only talk about more on the
business sector, but also concerns about human rights. And in our opinion the biggest priority is regional security for Europe going forward with
Iran.
ANDERSON: I want to concentrate on a couple of things here. The French played an interesting role in these talks, didn't they? In public,
they took a hard line on Iran. Now that a deal is done, they could be moving quickly to expand ties with Tehran.
On Wednesday, the French foreign minister Laurent Fabius announced on Twitter, and I quote, the -- at the invitation of Javid Zarif I will soon
go to Iran. Britain also looking for improved relations. A short time ago, the country's foreign secretary told the House of Commons that Britain
hoped to open an embassy in Tehran by the end of the year. And Philip Hammond, the defense minister off to Israel to try and sell the deal there.
I am, Ellie, fascinated by the French move, angling clearly for a big slice of the action. Now this is a country effectively, many people will
say, was doing Saudi's bidding during the negotiations. Riyadh no friend of Tehran. So where do the French stand? And what are they going to get
out of business in this post-deal era, do you think?
GERANMAYEH: Well, the French have certainly played their cards in a very fascinating way throughout the last 20 months of negotiations. As you
said, they were labeled as bidding for Israel or bidding for Saudi Arabia and various demands that they were making on the nuclear deal.
But really throughout all of this time, the French political system has been under a huge pressure from the trade delegations and the trade
interests and the business interests in Iran. France used to have a very huge investment in Iran with Total, its biggest energy company. And these
companies are all keen to back in.
And France has played its cards right in order to go back in and get a share of that market.
At the same time, I think we're going to see competition from the Germans and from the British on this.
But I think it's going to be very important, especially for the EU high representative and the EU commission to make sure that this
delegations of trade going into Iran is done so in a concerted way.
While there's going to be competition, I think it's important also to be a united front on Iran, especially when it comes to engaging on regional
security debates.
ANDERSON: Yeah. All right.
Well, your report -- or certainly in your report, "you say that Europeans have not sufficiently tested the possibility that Iran might be
able to cause the Assad regime to change its behavior in Syrian in advance of a comprehensive political settlement." This is incredibly important,
isn't it. "After a nuclear deal, this should be investigated, you say."
And the report also goes on to say Iran can help with the help with the fight against ISIS, Yemen, Hezbollah.
Is cooperation on all of these fronts realistic after years of isolating Iran? And Iran being accused of expansionist policy around this
Middle East region?
GERANMAYEH: I think, Becky, there's no doubt there's a lot of mistrust going around from both Iran, given the containment policy, and
literally freezing it out of any diplomatic initiative on Syria for the last few years. At the same time, there are reasons to be very doubtful
whether Iran can make constructive movement.
But our line really is that this hasn't been tested sufficiently. CNN had an interview a couple of weeks ago with the deputy foreign minister of
Iran Abdollahian who came out with a rare remark essentially saying that the Iranian administration is not wedded to Assad long-term and that they
are hopeful that they can make constructive contributions to the transition government if one can be agreed.
On the anti-ISIS campaign, well I think the U.S. President Obama has quietly acknowledged that Iran has to have a role in Iraq. It's played one
of the most effective on the ground forces whether we like it or not. And there has been some quiet tacit coordination going on.
And Philip Hammond today in parliament, the UK foreign minister, said that there is likely to be an overlap and more open cooperation with Iran
on their anti-ISIS campaign going forward.
ANDERSON: With that we're going to leave it there. We very much appreciate your analysis. Come back and talk to us again. Thank you.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Coming up, a notorious drug lord's escape from prison caught on camera.
You've got to see this story. It's in about 10 minutes time. We've got new video for you on that.
Also ahead, a peace deal aims to bring stability to a country racked by conflict, but can it take hold without one of the key players on board.
First up, though, with going personal and high tech for you this evening, an African startup takes its greeting card business to the web and
finds rewards. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[08:25:53] JOHN DEFTERIOS, EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Nigerian husband and wife team Abuderine (ph) and Wamide Opanuga launched their business
Greetings World in 2011.
WAMIDE OPANUGA, GREETINGS WORLD: While my husband and I were courting back then when we were in school, we exchanged greeting cards with one
another. and we saw this as a platform to give others the opportunity to also, you know, convey heartfelt messages to one another.
Initially, we started with mass producing physical actual greeting cards.
DEFTERIOS: The cards were sold in shops around Lagos. But business was slow and the couple was forced to look for a new direction.
W. OPANUGA: Like towards the end of 2012, we noticed that most businesses were taking their products and services to the internet and
ecommerce was becoming a norm, you know, in the country. So we decided to take advantage of this and take the business to the internet.
DEFTERIOS: In recent years, Nigeria's growing middle class created one of Africa's leading markets for ecommerce with estimates of more than
$2 million in transactions weekly. The Opanugas launched their website in July 2014 and began offering personalized greeting cards instead of pre-
printed ones. But that wasn't all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eventually we got the opportunity to add gift vouchers. So now we have 28 shops connected to the platform, so you can
add gift vouchers.
What happens is, we print a code with the greeting card. And that code gives you access to pick anything you want in that store.
DEFTERIOS: The move paid off, and the couple say the business is now profitable with cards ranging from $5 to $12 and they're now selling more
and more each month. But it's still tough.
W. OPANUGA: Most people basically that gives a person's birthday, a friends birthday and you just want to send a text or a message or on
Facebook. We want to revert the culture of giving greeting card when it's your friend's birthday or your mom's birthday you should send your
personalized greeting card.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Greetings World is for us a conveyor of messages of hope, affection and spiritual. And I think that's what we stand for,
that's the most important thing.
That's what guides everything that we do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:58] ANDERSON: A very good evening. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson out of the UAE for you. The top stories this hour.
Barack Obama is gearing up for a showdown with U.S. lawmakers over the Iran nuclear deal. Congress has 60 days to review it with many Republicans
already finding fault with what is a very complex agreement. President Obama is expected to hold a news conference about an hour-and-a-half from
now. Stick with CNN, of course, for that.
In Iran, the mood is a little different. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javid Zarif was given a very warm reception as he returned to Tehran.
There were also celebrations in the streets of the capital following news of the deal, which will ease economic sanctions eventually on the people
there.
Greek lawmakers are debating whether to approve a raft of reforms its creditors are demanding in exchange for a third bailout. There is strong
opposition to the plan inside parliament Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras agreed to the terms on Sunday.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being treated at a hospital in Cape Town in South Africa. The 84-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate was admitted on
Tuesday. He is suffering from what is described as a persistent infection. His daughter says she hopes he will be able to return home in a day or two.
Now, I want to show you newly released video of the moment a notorious drug lord escaped from his prison cell. You can see Joaquin "El Chapo"
Guzman as he emerges from the shower and walks over to his bed. He then changes his shoes -- watch carefully as later he gets back up, walks back
to the shower and disappears for good.
Investigators say this is where he went, through a complex mile long escape tunnel equipped with a ventilation system, lighting and a motorbike.
Well, there's been no sign of him since his escape on Saturday. Our Polo Sandoval is following the manhunt for El Chapo in Mexico. He joins us
now live.
No sign. What are authorities doing to try and track him down at this point?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I can tell you they are taking a very close look at several government officials. In fact, at
this hour, we can now confirm that some law enforcement sources here now say that the head of intelligence for Mexico's federal police is now off
the job, Ramon Pequeno is the very latest high ranking official to be taken from his post -- removed from his post -- since this really incredible
jailbreak that you just mentioned.
It was caught on camera. The footage of it was just released by the Mexican government yesterday shows the exact moment when this cartel
kingpin makes his way in -- he basically paces around his cell and then he ducks towards a -- what is a blindspot there for the surveillance camera
that was keeping a close eye on his cell. And he never comes back up.
And that's when authorities say he basically accessed this custom made tunnel that stretched from his prison cell all the way to a partially built
home about 1,600 metes or so from the prison perimeter here.
Now very key here in this investigation, Becky, not only is this the actual the moment when Joaquin Guzman actually busts out of jail, but also
this is the very last picture, perhaps, that was taken -- while, it was a bit blurry, it is the last image that was taken of this kingpin that still
remains on (inaudible) -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and we're showing these -- this video again, because it is quite remarkable. And as you say, the very last images that we have
of a man who is so notorious, this is not the first, but the second time he is escaped and averted (inaudible) as it were. It almost feels like he's
walked out of prison, but escaped from prison.
We've been over the past, what, 72 hours now, since this escape, about the impact on the U.S. -- on the Mexican president, the embarrassment that
this has posed for the Mexican president. What have we heard from him to date?
[11:35:16] SANDOVAL: Well, we do know that this has tremendous -- this really does -- have a tremendous impact on the current presidential
administration of Pena Nieto. We now know that he really did work extra hard to try to convey that message that we was after these cartel kingpins,
it wasn't just El Chapo Guzman, but others that his administration is credited with taking down.
However, this very embarrassing moment when one of the most high profile arrest is able to make his way out of prison. But no doubt that
there are -- the critics are sounding off at this hour. Many people believe that this will be seen as a moment of weakness for his
administration not only in the eyes of the people of Mexico, but most importantly in the eyes of some of the very dangerous drug cartels that
continue to sweep across parts of the country here in Mexico.
ANDERSON: Polo is in Almoloya in Mexico. Thank you.
UN special envoy to Libya is expected to brief the security council today on a new framework for peace. Warring factions signed the deal a few
days ago, with the exception of one key player in Tripoli.
Getting the Islamist dominated government on board could be critical to ending the chaos that is destabilizing the region. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Mass murder on a beach in Sousse, a gunman, radicalized at home in Tunisia, trained in a foreign jihadist camp, authorities say. The
bloody hand of ISIS, which claimed responsibility apparently reaching out from the debris of neighboring Libya.
AIMEN DEAN, FIVE DIMENSIONS: ISIS was able to exploit the chaos that was in Libya and establish a foothold in Sirte.
ANDERSON: Images like these reportedly from Sirte, the hometown of former leader Moammar Gadhafi, underscore the terror group's damaging
footprint on the north African country.
Today, Libya lurches between rival governments. A power vacuum exasperated by a poisonous mix of militia fighting for oil, influence and
territory.
Months of protracted UN-sponsorted talks culminated last week in the unveiling of a peace agreement that includes an outline for a unity
government and fresh national elections. Fresh hope for the people of Libya, certainly, but hope tempered by real politics.
UN envoy Bernadino Leon persuaded most of the country's warring factions to sigh up to the deal, including the internationally recognized
government based in Tobruk.
The Islamist dominated government in Tripoli and its allied militia Libya Dawn, however, haven't signed. And without their buy-in, it's
unclear how the agreement can really change things on the ground.
DEAN: I don't see any hope for this new peace agreement, because it doesn't include main players who within their hands they can control the
future of Libya in terms of peace or war.
ANDERSON: Bernadino Leon has said the peace talks will continue and that the door remains open to the Tripoli-based government to participate.
Until then, Libya will likely remain teetering on the abyss.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, we had hoped to speak to the UN envoy Bernadino Leon. He'd promised us an interview this hour, but is as we speak briefing
members of the UN security council.
We can, though, get some important perspective now from Mohammed Eljarh. He is a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council and joins us
via Skype from Brussels.
Without the signature of the Islamist dominated government in Tripoli, what does this deal actually achieve, sir?
MOHAMMED ELJARH, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Well, the deal is an important step towards ensuring commitment of the majority of the Libya factions that
have signed, also the commitment of the international community and regional players to supporting whoever agrees to the peace process and be
part of it.
It also makes it easier for the international community to impose sanctions on the spoilers on the ground in Libya.
However, as the report clearly indicated in your introduction without the government in Tripoli, or the GNC in Tripoli, signing up to the deal it
means that all of the government institutions and ministries are still under the control of the Islamist dominated authority in Tripoli, which has
not signed to this deal, which means that the new government that is supposed to be formed out of the agreement will not have access to
essential and important infrastructure in order to function.
[11:40:00] ANDERSON: Which provides a glaring hole, of course.
I want our viewers to take a quick look at how Libya is divided between various factions. The Islamist militia known as Libya Dawn took
over Tripoli a year ago, and as we've been discussing installed a government there.
But the internationally recognized government is based in Tobruk.
ISIS, meantime, gaining ground in between. It raised its black flag over the city of Sirte a week ago.
And there are a myriad of other actors.
You talk about the fact that the spoilers effectively are out there. There are so many spoilers. Does this -- does this agreement have any
weight whatsoever? And if it doesn't, what'st he point
ELJARH: As I said, the agreement can only be effective if the international community shows an actual commitment to helping the
agreement, to helping the national government of accord that will result out of this agreement.
But also most importantly the Libyan factions, which is the majority of the Libyan factions on the ground, have signed up to the deal, they will
need to work hard on the ground to convince any skeptics that the deal is the best way forward for Libya. And unless there is this commitment very
quickly from the international community and from the Libyan factions, the deal will not be effective on the ground unfortunately.
ANDERSON: But who trusts the international community at this point when it comes to Libya? So many people in this region, and particularly in
Libya say it is partly the fault of the international community and its actions since 2011 there that has created this mess in the first place, or
certainly helped to create this mess.
ELJARH: Absolutely. That's an important point. However, this should not stop the international community or the regional players from making
sure that they actually are proactively involved in Libya to try and mitigate the current crisis, because Libyans alone have proved throughout
the last four years that they will not be able to hold the country together, they will not be able to sort out the chaos and the instability
in the country. And as a result, a more proactive and more organized approach from the international community is definitely required.
ANDERSON: You make a very good point, Libyans can't hold this thing together.
And I wonder just how often Libyans, the man and woman on the street are asked by these international stakeholders and indeed those who are --
who say that they are acting on their behalf, fighting on their behalf, politicking on their behalf, in Libya itself, I wonder how often you know
they ask the average Libyan on the street what they want?
I worry at this point that we are staring down the barrel of military solutions, and we know military solutions are no good, because quite simply
political solutions, whether this is on the table in the UN security council accepts it or not, political solutions are not forthcoming at this
point?
ELJARH: And I totally share your concern, Becky, there. It's important for the international community to gain credibility with the
ordinary Libyans on the street. There needs to be a lot of humanitarian aid going into Libya and to help the internally displaced, which is not
happening at the moment.
There needs to be a lot of work to try and restore the basic services and to Libyans including electricity, cooking gas and so on. All of these
are what matters to the ordinary Libyans. This is -- living in Libya for - - throughout the last year, this is what really matters to Libya -- having electricity, making sure that schools are running, making sure that they
can drive around in a relatively safe environment and so on.
This is where the international community's efforts are lacking. And there is only this talk about the bringing the factions together or signing
this deal and making it look as if it is the success story of the efforts of the international community.
There needs to be a lot of commitment and a lot of work on the ground to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary Libyans that you rightly pointed
out to. Otherwise, this whole orchestrated process will not result in much and will only fuel more instability and will only make young people, a lot
of young people, join extremist groups such as ISIS and will only allow ISIS and other extremist groups to exploit the situation to their
advantage.
ANDERSON: Mohammed is non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council joining us tonight via Skype in Brussels. Your analysis incredibly
important. Thank you.
I just want to leave you with this, some rare pictures from the Libyan city of Misrata. At least 50 prisoners were released from a unit there at
the weekend after four years in jail. Their crime, they were said to have been fighters loyal to ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi. They were freed by
the Tripoli-based prime minister who said the released shows that the country is on the path to democracy.
You've got to wonder about that decision. Conversation for another day.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. Coming up protesters in Athens are demanding that the bailout there be rejected. But will
lawmakers listen? We turn live to Athens just ahead.
And on tonight's Parting Shots, we take a look at some of the best scenes from Tehran where they celebrated the news of a nuclear deal long
into the night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:48:00] ANDERSON: Well, people have been taking to the streets in protest in Athens. You can see civil servants here demonstrating against
the harsh bailout terms that the country's creditors are demanding in exchange for what will be this third bailout. They include cuts to public
services.
You're watching CNN.
This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. It is 48 minutes past 7:00 here in the UAE as you saw just saw there, very, very strong
feelings...
(AUDIO GAP)
[11:51:05] ANDERSON: ...sounds as if we can't hear. I tell you what we're going to do. I'm going to take a very short break. This is CNN.
You're watching Connect the World. Difficult to get through to Kyriakos, we're going to try again. Taking a short break.
Coming up aside from that, in Tehran, they've poured into the streets to celebrate the news of a nuclear deal. Well, long into the night. We're
going to have some of the best images from there after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right. I was promising you some analysis on what is going on in Athens, and I think we're going to be able to do that for you.
Joining me now to discuss things is the parliamentary speaker Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He is with the opposition party New Democracy. And he has
just come out from parliament to join us.
Kyriakos, thank you. I know you're on the phone for us this evening.
Just describe the atmosphere as people, lawmakers, your colleagues, thrash out the details of this deal.
KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS, NEW DEMOCRACY PARTY (GREECE): Well, Becky, this is probably one of the most critical votes we've had in modern
parliamentary Greek history. We've voting for the first set of conditions in order to start talks with our creditors for a third bailout program.
What I can tell you is that my party, the opposition party, is going to be united in supporting this deal. Obviously, this is not the best
possible deal for the country, but the alternative would be a complete catastrophe. We are facing a third bailout program, 85 billion euros. We
have three years to basically not repeat the mistakes of the past and to use this time to implement proper structural reforms, improve the quality
of our administration and make our economy more competitive.
This is the last chance we're going to have.
ANDERSON: You say this is the best deal you're going to get. I want to remind our viewers -- we were trying to establish with you just before
the break, and we were going through some of the numbers per the IMF. I mean, if this is as good as it gets, this is humiliating, isn't it. This
bailout, the IMF says, will balloon Greek debt to nearly 200 percent of GDP, the second highest in the world. That amounts to a debt burden of
more than 400 billion dollars averaging out to each and every Greek owing around 37,000 dollars.
I mean, you're a family man. How does that feel?
[11:55:29] MITSOTAKIS: Well, Becky, you are right to point out that our debt is unsustainable. I do need, however, to point out that the debt
situation has dramatically deteriorated over the past months. This has been very much the making of the current government. Had the current
government been able to sign a deal three or four months ago the debt situation would have not been that bad. And obviously the situation on the
ground as far as the real economy is concerned would not have deteriorated as much as it has.
We're currently facing closed banks, real businesses, healthy businesses going bankrupt. The situation cannot continue for very long.
But as part of the agreement, there is also a reference that a debt restructuring needs to take place. Obviously, it is much more urgent now
than it was a year ago. I do believe that this time our European partners are going to adhere to the promise they gave us for the first time back in
November 2012, that was the first time we discussed more debt relief.
It is more necessary than ever now.
ANDERSON: It does seem so ironic that the previous government to this Tsipras -- to this Syriza government, was actually doing not a bad job
under extremely difficult circumstances in reducing the debt. The problem was that the Greek people didn't like it, because it was way too painful.
Ironic now that you are in opposition, that you are voting on something that has been agreed on by a party that you don't agree with, a bill
effectively that the Greek people have already rejected. And even the prime minister himself say he doesn't agree with.
MITSOTAKIS: Well, you're right to point out it is indeed ironic. But, you know, sometimes you know somebody has to stand up and do the right
thing.
When we were still in power, Becky, in January, the proposed fiscal measures, Becky, did not exceed 1 billion euros. Now we're voting on a
package with 12 billion euros of fiscal measures. And all this is a result of the incompetence of the current government.
We came very close to actually turning the ship back in January. The Greek economy had returned to a growth path. But unfortunately the Greek
people decided otherwise, to elect a government based on false promises.
And these false promises have been dashed. The prime minister, you know, acknowledged with a five month delay that his expectations of
changing the rules of the game in Europe were not valid.
So, you know, better late than never. But what we have to do now is to save the country.
ANDERSON: With that, we're going to leave it there. And we will close out our show. Thank you, sir.
That was Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson, thank you for watching. For the team here and those who work with us around the world.
It is a very good evening.
END