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Republicans Candidates Prepare for Debate; Iranians Have Positive Outlook For Economic Future; Syrian Refugees Stopped on Hungarian-Serbian Border; Singapore High-Rise Allows Buyers To Park Car in Living Room. Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET
Aired September 15, 2015 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:30] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: On the border is Europe closing the door to Syria's refugees? Razor wire now greets new arrivals in Hungary
and they could face jail for trying to get across. We're going to have a live report for you from the Hungarian-Serbian border up next.
Also ahead this hour, the view from above, these satellite images are said to show a Russian military buildup in Syria. What does this mean for
the Syrian war? Analysis on that is ahead.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENITIFIED MALE: I can guarantee that within the next five to 10 years, Iran will be one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Positive outlook. The nuclear deal with western powers has Iranians optimistic about the future of their economy. A full report from
Tehran is later this hour.
It is just after 7:00 here in the UAE. You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson.
A long difficult journey has come to a screeching halt for many migrants and refugees trudging across Europe in search of a better life.
Barriers, like this new razorwire fence along Hungary's border with Serbia are now in place as politicians debate how to handle the mass influx of
people from Syria and elsewhere.
People will now only be able to enter through two assigned entry points. Hungarian officials say anyone caught trying to climb the fence or
get around it could face three years in prison.
Well, still, many people have been walking along the barrier to try to find a way through. And CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman
is on the Serbian side of that border. How are people reacting there, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're very disappointed, they're very impatient, Becky. Right here we're on the
border. On the other side of this gate is of course Hungary, but many of the people who have come here, and they're camped out. They've set up
tents. They're just lying around waiting for the possibility to cross this border, but since midnight tonight, in fact the first one man I spoke with
here arrived just 10 minutes after midnight, that they've been camped out here and the numbers are growing by the minute as they try to hope to find
a way through this gate.
On the other side, of course, what you are seeing are Hungarian police. No one is getting through at the moment. And you know, when you
speak to the people here, and there are hundreds, well over 1,000 I suspect at this point -- you know, they've come from Afghanistan. They've come
from Kurdistan and Iraq, other parts of Iraq from Syria. And they say that they've spent their entire life's fortunes to get here and they simply
cannot go back and don't quite understand why they're not being allowed to go forward because of course none of them want to actually stop in Hungary,
they want to go to Sweden, to Germany, to Austria and elsewhere. They don't want to stop in Hungary, because they know that in Hungary the
welcome will not be very warm. They want to move on.
But at this point, the gate is shut. And so they wait -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Well, we are, as you speak, looking at pictures, once again, very young kids hanging out there in those crowds of people who
simply want to get through into Europe.
How are authorities coping?
WEDEMAN: Well, on the Hungarian side they're coping very sort of in a harsh, rather rough way. They're making it clear that they're not going to
let anybody over. Anybody who tries to climb the fence and get in will be charged with illegally entering the country, could spend as much as 10
years in prison and have their property confiscated, although as you can see they have no property.
Really, now on the Serbian side, they have not put any impediments in the way of people to get here. Their attitude is that these aren't
criminals in the word of one -- the words of one senior government official, that these people are simply desperately in need to get to safer
ground. And so the Serbians have facilitated the arrival of people here. We have local and European aid groups providing food and water, but the
question is, all right, they've gotten here and now what? And certainly everybody you speak with here says we can't go back. So what are we going
to do -- Becky.
[11:05:20] ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman there on the Serbian side of the border.
And I have to report, I'm afraid, that there has been yet another tragedy at sea for a group of migrants trying to reach Europe. At least,
22 people were killed when a boat heading for the Greek island of Kos capsized off the coast of Turkey. 249 people have been rescued.
Well, Mexico's foreign minister is expected to meet with top officials in Egypt today to demand answers about a deadly attack on a group of
Mexican tourists. Claudia Ruiz Massieu flew to Cairo late on Monday accompanied by some of the victims' relatives. Egypt's interior ministry
says security forces mistakenly fired on tourists in the desert believing they were militants.
Well, she says at least two Mexicans are among the 12 people killed. Six other Mexican tourists are still unaccounted for.
Ian Lee is live in Cairo. What are we hearing from Authorities about the victims first in this, Ian?
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we have an update now just got it a little while ago, but the government now saying
that 7:00 -- or rather eight foreigners were killed in the airstrike, four of them Egyptians, and seven foreigners were wounded in the attack. Now,
the government isn't giving the nationalities of those people who were killed and wounded, but it is safe to say that these are Mexican nationals
are the ones that were involved in this incident.
Now the government originally said that this tour group didn't have the proper permits to be in the area that was prohibited, offlimits, but
shortly afterwards we were hearing from the tour guide's union and colleagues that they, in fact, did have permits. Well, today, the Egyptian
government came out and said, well, they did have permits but they weren't the right permits.
So, we've seen the government change their story a little bit about exactly -- about that technicality.
But there are some -- there is some criticism and questions from here in Cairo. Mainly, why didn't the government verify the target before
attacking? These people were on the side of the road -- a little off the road. They were taking a lunch, a picnic, when this strike took place.
These are questions that -- answers that the Mexican government wants to hear when the foreign minister does arrive. We're hearing that that.
Their plane will land in about -- oh, about seven hours from now, a little after midnight local time, Becky.
ANDERSON: And just to provide some context for this and perhaps for our viewers who may not be as clear on the details of what happened as we
may be, just remind us where this was in Egypt and why it would be that Egyptian security forces would be active in that region.
LEE: So, this happened in the western desert, which is -- shares a border with Libya. It's very long, over 1,000 kilometers and porous. It
is known for smugglers, also militants have used it. The Egyptian government was saying at the time that this incident took place that they
were in pursuit of ISIS militants. They were in coordination with the Egyptian army and the Egyptian police and that's when they mistaken these
tourists as being those militants they were chasing.
And this area is known to have militant activity. Just last month, a Croatian man was kidnapped and beheaded by ISIS militants in the western
desert. And so this incident, this accident that has the Egyptian government is saying happened out in that same -- roughly that same area.
But it would be very difficult -- and this is another point that has been raised -- is that traveling out there -- and I've experienced this
myself. You do go through a number of security checkpoints along the road. They were 350 kilometers from Cairo when the incident took place. There
are numerous checkpoints by the police that basically when you are stopped. They check your paperwork. They check your permits and they won't let you
go unless you have the proper paperwork.
So, that is one of the questions that also has been raised is if the government is saying that they didn't have the right paperwork, how did
they get past all those checkpoints going that deep into the western desert.
And the western desert does attract a lot of tourists. It is a hotspot for tourists to go to. A very scenic, rugged beauty. But also a
very lawless area. And the Egyptian government has been fighting militants that are for at least a year now.
ANDERSON: Ian Lee is in -- excuse me -- Ian Lee is in Cairo for you. Thank you, Ian.
Still to come tonight, business could soon be booming in Iran. We'll take a look at which sectors stand to profit most from what is the easing
of crippling economic sanctions at some point.
Also, as Syria continues to be pummeled by civil war, the United States and Russia offering very different solutions. We'll discuss those
up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back. It is 12 minutes past 7:00 here in the UAE.
Russia is increasing its military presence in Syria and may now be building a forward operating base near the city of Latakia.
Now that's according to an increasingly concerned U.S. government.
These satellite images taken by the private company Stratfor (ph) earlier this month seem to back up those claims.
You can see where they've highlighted new construction of what's said to be a Russian base.
Matthew Chance has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By the day, Russian denials of involvement in this brutal conflict appear
to be eroding. Kremlin now says if it weren`t for Moscow helping the Syrian government, this carnage would worsen and the humanitarian crisis
intensifying.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We`ve been providing and we`ll be providing all necessary military technical
assistance and we`ll call on other countries to join us. If Russia hadn`t been supporting Russia, the situation there will be worse than in Libya and
we would see more refugees.
CHANCE: But it's the level of that military support which continues to raise concerns. The Kremlin is rejecting allegations it's already engaged
in combat operations, alongside the Syrian military.
But U.S. officials say Russia appears to be dramatically increasing its military footprint in Syria, bypassing NATO airspace restrictions to
fly in weapons and supplies. And recent satellite images of a government- held Latakia air base in Syria appear to confirm it is being expanded. The Pentagon saying the movement by Russia into Latakia suggests that it
intends to establish some sort of forward air operating base there.
But U.S. officials admit the real intentions of the Kremlin are as yet unclear -- to build an anti-ISIS coalition, to support its Syrian ally, or
simply to send a message to the west that Russia is back.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:15:06] ANDERSON: Well, as you just saw in Matthew report, both Russian and the United States have become entangled in Syria's complex
conflict. Moscow has been fortifying Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's position for a long time sending arms and trainers. But images on Syrian
TV of tanks like this one have the American government increasingly worried over the possible new Russian base near the Syrian city of Latakia. You
can see that it would be just north of Russia's main muscle on the ground. Its naval base in Tartus. And that's its strategic toe hold in the
Mediterranean.
Well, they're both close to Mr. Assad's seat of power, Damascus, as you can see.
Meanwhile, the American Secretary of State John Kerry wants Russia to back off and the embattled president gone. But U.S. forces are indirectly
helping support him by fighting one threat to his power, which is ISIS.
Well, for more on the dynamics of play here, Nick Paton Walsh joining us live from Lebanon and Barabar Starr is standing by for us at the
Pentagon in Washington.
Nick, let me start with you. And you've covered the Syrian conflict extensively and have been reporting from and about Russia for years.
What's you're analysis of these latest images, firstly?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it does appear to show potentially longer-term infrastructure in place here. If
the runways are being built up, helipads put in place, that suggests the desire, as Matthew mentioned, to be able to bring material in here without
any sense of outside impediment.
Now the location they've chosen is particularly important, because is in in the coastal enclave, but to its north. The coastal enclave was
always around Tartus where many felt if Damascus got pressured by rebels, that the regime would fall back to that area.
Here, they have potentially a substantial military base that can continue to bring in weapons and keep that area in regime hands.
But to its north of Latakia, there is a very fast moving part of the rebel forces called Jaesh al-Fattah (ph). They have elements of al Qaeda,
the Nusra Front in them. But they have had a lot of success in threatening the outskirts of Latakia.
So potentially that is why the Russians have chosen to put themselves there. They could project power, certainly fly in more advanced more
advanced weaponry. And bear in mind, too, a few months potentially or so, some of the cash frozen by sanctions against Iran could be freed up under
the nuclear deal -- could be unfrozen under the nuclear deal, that might find its way into Bashar al-Assad's hand and might enable him to spend some
more Russian weaponry.
So, a lot of things in play here, but the geography is particularly important given its close to where one of the more contested front lines
and regime territory is, Becky.
ANDERSON: All right.
And Nick, stand by.
Barbara, I want to come to you. Moscow has made no secret of its support for Assad. What is Washington's calculation at this point? And how
will these images change strategy on Syria, if at all?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that's the question, Becky, if at all.
What the U.S. is saying is if the Russians want to join the coalition to fight ISIS, they are welcome to. That the U.S. wants anybody it can get
basically to help fight ISIS.
But clearly that's not what the U.S. really thinks the Russians are up to here. As Nick and Matthew were saying, the U.S. worry is that the
Russians essentially are putting all of this into Syria to try and prop up Assad who by all accounts is in very deep trouble.
Propping up Assad is exactly what the U.S. doesn't want, what President Obama is so critical of, because they feel that will prolong the
war, prolong the violence. And this massive refuge flow that is coming out of Syria, the U.S. view is most of the refugees are trying to escape Assad
and his barrel bombing of civilian populations.
So, you know, they don't really think that Moscow is here to fight ISIS, to fight terrorism, they think that Moscow is entering Syria to fight
Assad. And that's not what they want to see happen.
ANDERSON: Stand by.
Nick, we know that publicly and diplomatically, as I said, Russia has given Mr. Assad its unwavering support. An article, though, in a British
newspaper suggests the support wasn't always so strong. Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who served as a senior negotiator, told The
Guardian about discussions with UN security council members in 2012. And he says, and I quote, "the Russian ambassador Vitaly Cherkin (ph), laid out
a three point plan, which included a proposal for Assad to cede power at some point after peace talks had started between the regime and the
opposition."
The article seems to suggest that Russia was more flexible than it let on. Nick, could Syria's civil war have been avoided?
WALSH; It's a very different time back in 2012 where the emphasis was on Assad leaving power and the Russians saying, OK, maybe that can happen
elegantly at a later time, which is basically what that article suggests they maybe can offer it as a concession. Well, that may have not
necessarily cut the mustard right then at all with anybody.
Remember, Russia has also signed on to the Geneva One and Two peace agreements, which stipulate there has to be a transitional government
pretty much suggesting Assad would step down from his post.
But it goes back to the broader issue, could this have been solved earlier? And I think many now look at the gross complexity of Syria. You
know, every time the regime looks like it's on its back foot, like it's losing wind, like it's no longer able to defend its key territories
somebody new comes in to prop them up. In the past we've seen Hezbollah from Lebanon, then Iran sent people in, now we've got the Russians adding
extra weaponry, too.
They always bring new elements into the fight here. And I bet that means that the usual trajectory for a war where both sides get tired and
eventually agree they want to talk and find a political solution isn't coming to the fore here in the Syrian war. And Assad has become this
totemic figure really the rebels want to see gone. Nobody backing him wants to make that key concession. So the ship continues to sail forward
into the night, so to speak, this extraordinarily dark and tragic war just getting worse every single month. And any potential solution seeming
increasingly unlikely, Becky.
ANDERSON: Barbara, Nick's latest article published on CNN's digital page describes the massive paradox for Washington. And Nick says even if
the U.S. were to persuade Russia, Iran and China to turn their backs on Assad, there is no obvious successor and the war won't stop overnight.
Nick also says that the war won't stop either if Assad stays.
So, at this point in 2015 some 1,600 days after the beginning of this conflict, what is the solution so far as Washington is concerned?
STARR: Well, I think Nick's point is well taken. It's getting more complex by the day, the week, the month. This is not the war that is was
when it all began, because now of course you have ISIS, you have al Qaeda, you have countless militia movements involved. Even if Assad was to go,
what would happen in that vacuum of power? What would happen to various people in Syria who are still there struggling of various different
minorities and different sects?
You know, ISIS very strong in the north and the east of Syria still, thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of refugees on the run into
Europe, thousands, tens of thousands of people already displaced. What do you do with those populations? This is why the U.S. had been calling for
an orderly political transition. It's that implosion of the regime that I think nobody knows what the next step would be if that were to happen,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Fascinating.
Well, we will continue to discuss this. For the time being, though, Nick in Beirut for us tonight. and Barbara, as ever in Washington, thank
you.
And as I just mentioned, Nick's coverage of the civil war in Syria continues online on the website. His latest article looking at the options
available for ending the conflict, from removing Bashar al-Assad by force to propping him up.
One thing, though, is clear. Some kind of solution is more urgent than ever as more than half the country's population has become displaced.
We are talking 11 odd million people.
For all that and more, head online to CNN.com. That is a very good read.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Coming up, Donald Trump and his Republicans rivals are getting set for
their second on stage sparring match. We'll have a preview of Wednesday's U.S. presidential debate hosted by CNN.
First up, though, would you want to park your car in your living room? Well, that is a perk that's driving sales at one high rise luxury building
in Singapore. More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[11:25:52] JOHN DEFTERIOS, EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: It's one of the highest per capita GDP rates, Singapore is strategically positioned as a
luxury hotspot in Asia. To get a piece of this market. Residential building Hamilton Scott's (ph) decided to aim for the sky.
UNIDENITIFIED MALE: And basically the way we conceived of that parking lot in the sky was that, you know, you would park your beloved sort
of toy, the car that you paid $1 million for. And it became part of that living room ensemble whereby it was almost a piece of furniture from the
living room. You could admire it like a piece of art work.
DEFTERIOS: A somewhat simple process. Residents drive their cars into the basement and park it on top of a movable metal plate. Then
entering a code, or giving it a fingerprint, sets it all into motion.
The car moves into the elevator shaft. It will find its way to one of the 56 units on 30 floors, sliding into place each apartment's sky garage
can house two cars.
It's a feature that's all about the car and not necessarily about convenience since residents can not ride in their cars up to their
apartment.
Built right before the financial crisis of 2008, the building found itself moving from a peak property market to a struggling one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found out Singapore is really the central hub for the whole issue and now he (inaudible) is really moving towards
(inaudible). So this is some way we need to find these iconic building in a way branding of our group name, The (inaudible) as well as we're
developing our business.
DEFTERIOS: In 2013, Thailand based Rainwood Group took over managing the property, giving it a minor facelift adding amenities like free
breakfast every day to help boost its profile.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a bit odd that we were to have a luxury market that's under performing. Singapore has always been compared with
Hong Kong. And there are lots of parallels with Hong Kong. It's trading below half of Hong Kong's real estate prices in the luxury market.
So, it's a combination of factors, but the key central would be government policy and a kind of a very focused glut of supply centered
around luxury markets.
DEFTERIOS: Today, Hamilton Scott's finds itself as 70 percent occupancy with a standard 256 square meter three bedroom luxury apartment
starting at a price of $10 million, an automotive showpiece trying to drive Singapore's luxury properties back to the top.
John Defterios, One Square Meter, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World. Our top stories for you this hour.
Mexico's foreign minister is in Egypt today to demand answers about a deadly attack on a group of Mexican tourists. Egypt says its security
forces fired on them believing that they were militants. The government now says eight foreigners are among the 12 people killed in that attack.
Migrants and refugees trying to reach western Europe now face a new obstacle. Hungary says anyone caught trying to scale this new border fence
could get three years in prison.
Well, off the coast of Turkey meanwhile, 22 migrants were killed when the boat they were in capsized while on its way to Greece.
North Korea has issued a new warning in a statement, a North Korean atomic energy official said the country is ready to use nuclear weapons to
deal with any U.S. hostility. Now the statement also claims that North Korea's main nuclear facility at Yongbyon is now fully operational.
Michael Turnbull has wrapped up his first day in office after being sworn in as Australia's new prime minister. The former communications
minister defeated Tony Abbott in a leadership contest on Monday and said he was, quote, filled with optimism about his new role.
There's been a third day of clashes at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque. Witnesses say Israeli police clashed with Palestinian youths who threw
rocks and barricaded themselves inside the facility.
The U.S. and the UN have called for restraint at the site revered by both Muslims and Jews who call the complex the Temple Mount.
CNN's Oren Liebermann has more for you from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're here at one of the gates to al Aqsa in the old city of Jerusalem and you can see the
police presence behind me. This is for security reasons. Police are checking IDs of people that go in, of worshipers that want to pray at al
Aqsa, but that has very much added to the tension in the old city of Jerusalem. We saw clashes this morning. And it's the third straight day
of clashes in the old city.
Each day, those clashes have started in virtually the same way between Israel and police and Palestinian protesters. Police say they learned
there were a number of Arab youths barricading themselves inside al Aqsa with fireworks and stones. Police say they moved in early in the morning
to clear those out, but that sparked the clashes and those clashes spilled out onto the streets of the old city.
We saw them here, we saw them at another gate to al Aqsa. And that's happened here the last three days adding to this growing tension here, this
heightened tension in the old city.
Now it is the Jewish New Year. And we've learned from police that along with tourists, there have been a number of Jews going up to pray at
al Aqsa. Muslims view that as a provocation. And that is what set off this flashpoint. That is what set off this tension here and led to these
clashes.
Palestinian leaders have called it, quote, an attack as police have moved in to al Aqsa, one of the holiest sites in the world for Muslims
known as al Haram al-Sharif, the Noble Sanctuary and the holiest site in the world for Jews, the Temple Mount. And that gets at the sensitivity of
this and the sensitivity, the tension of these clashes. Once again, let's take a look behind me here. You can see police, you can see standing here
you can feel the tension of what's happening here as police are checking all the IDs, restricting access. Again, a third straight day here. The
question will this happen again tomorrow. If not, how soon will it happen again?
Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I just want to take you back to the border of Serbia and Hungary. We've got some new pictures coming in to us here at CNN.
Migrants and refugees as we've been discussing this hour, trying to reach western Europe. Well, they now face what is a new obstacle. Hungary
has said that anybody trying to scale what is a new border fence, and you can see that behind these refugees, could get three years in prison.
Clearly, the atmosphere very, very tense. We were also reporting just earlier on that migrants, 22, were killed when the boat that they were in
capsized on its way to Greece from Turkey.
These pictures coming to you, then, live from Serbian-Hungarian border. New pictures in to CNN. You're watching Connect the World with
me, Becky Anderson and what is continuation of a story that we've been on now for weeks.
And it's the very latest and clearly very angry. Many of these men, women and children, let me tell you, as we've been reporting on this story
there are lots and lots of kids in amongst this crowd and they are very angry about the fact that this long journey that they have made, some from
Syria, others from Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, has been stopped at this border on the fringe of western Europe.
Well, Republicans in the U.S. Senate could try again today to sink the Iran nuclear agreement. But just like last week, it's expected that
Democrats will block a resolution of disapproval from going to a final vote.
Now House Republicans have also failed to shoot down the deal that imposes curbs on Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
Iranians are already looking forward to what is, I assume, will be a massive influx of cash that could, of course, flow in fairly soon.
Frederik Pleiten is live in Tehran with more on that part of the story -- Fred.
[11:36:20] FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Becky.
Yeah, there certainly is a lot of economic optimism here in Iran these days. And there's many people who are asking the question not if a lot of
capital will flow into this country, but when exactly that is going to happen.
Now, it's interesting, because there are various sectors that are looking forward to a lot of investment coming in. You have the
manufacturing sector, of course the hydrocarbon sector, but also the tech startups. And I want to show you what they are going through right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Times are busy at Shaipor (ph), Iran's first website for classified ads.
The firm says the amount of users increased fifteen-fold in just the past year. CEO and founder, Reza Ababian (ph), says since the nuclear agreement,
many potential investors have been calling.
REZA ABABIAN (ph), CEO & FOUNDER, SHAIPOR (ph): Everyone is young, or you know, close to 60 percent of the population is over 30 years old or
around 30 years old. And it's young people tech savvy, they like to learn new things and adopt the new technologies. So because of all these things
it makes a very attractive market.
PLEITGEN: Economic optimism is the gripping Iran these days. While it's fledgling tech firms are looking for start-up funding, more
traditional industries like the automakers are badly in need of investment to modernize their production lines. And its financial sector is waiting
for foreign capital to come in. The going, still pretty slow at the Tehran Stock Exchange.
(on camera): As you can see the trading floor is somewhat old school here. And so far, since the nuclear agreement, Iran's stock exchange has
declined considerably, but financial analysts believe that in the long run sanctions relief will do a whole lot to boost Iran's financial sector.
(voice-over): With massive oil and grass reserves, a well educated population, and a market with more than 80 million consumers, Iran seems
poised for big economic growth when sanctions are lifted.
The question is how fast that growth will materialize, says Ramin Radie (ph) of the investment firm Turquoise Partners.
RAMIN RADIE (ph), CEO, TURQUOISE PARTNERS: I can't predict what will happen within the next year. But I can guarantee that within the next five
to 10 years Iran will be one of the fastest growing economies in the world given the potentials.
PLEITGEN: Investors will need patience. Despite a massive increase in traffic, Shaipor (ph), for example, isn't making money yet.
ABABIAN (ph): We have been in the business for three years now, since our launch. And we still have no revenue. So we are trying to, you know,
create the culture in Iran, buying and selling second-hand goods that exist. The culture exists. People like to buy new stuff.
PLEITGEN: A lot of pioneering work is necessary to bring Iran's economy up to speed. And the hope that the momentum brought on by the
nuclear agreement won't be reversed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: And of course, Becky, we also have to keep in mind that so far the sanctions haven't actually been lifted here yet, so while you do
have a lot of delegations coming in, and in fact some more coming in just this week, it's not exactly clear when exactly that big investment is going
to be able to come in here.
And there are also some who say that the political scene here in Iran also has to do some reforms to make it more attractive for companies to
invest here. But certainly there is a very, very big potential in almost all sectors of the Iranian economy and certainly a lot of people yearning
for foreign direct investment, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, there are clearly risks. And they do exist, but it is a new market for many, and there will be money to be made.
Thank you.
Fred is in Tehran for you tonight.
Well, it's a safe bet that the Iran nuclear deal will come up during CNN's debate between the U.S. Republican presidential contenders. Our
chief Washington correspondent Jack Tapper will be the moderator for you on that.
Right now, let's go to CNN's Athena Jones in Simi Valley in California where the big event will take place on Wednesday.
And what will the candidates be saying about this Iran deal? Do we expect it to be a big part of the debate?
[11:40:24] ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Becky.
Well, I don't know about a big part of the debate, because there's so much ground and so many topics they're going to want to try to cover, the
moderators I'm talking about, but certainly the Iran deal is likely to come up. It is after all been a big topic of discussion for months now.
And we've already heard from a lot of Republican candidates blasting the deal. Folks like Lindsey Graham saying it's a disaster. Donald Trump
has called it a disaster. Ted Cruz has said he would tear up the deal, the nuclear deal with Iran on day one.
But what's interesting here is that even though you have something like Donald Trump saying that deal was a disaster, that he would
renegotiate it and make a deal that's 100 times better, he's saying he wouldn't tear it up. He'd have to sit down and renegotiate. You know, I'm
a businessman. I'm a dealmaker. I like to buy bad contracts, bad deals and improve upon them.
Likewise, Jeb Bush has also criticized the Iran deal, but he said it doesn't make sense to say you're going to come in on day one and rip it to
shreds. You've got to sit down, talk to your allies, find a way to make it better.
So, those are the kinds of points I expect them to make if given a chance when the Iran deal comes up tomorrow night, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, this is assuming that it -- or passes, of course, because one of these candidates will be vying for office at some point.
You are at the place where the debate will be held tomorrow night. Athena, can you show us around?
JONES: I will.
I've been calling this the coolest debate set ever. And I think a lot of our viewers will agree.
Let me show you a look at it. This is the Air Force One that Ronald Reagan, President Ronald Reagan flew in. So, CNN has built this stage.
They've spent several weeks now building this entire platform. It's three stories high so that it could be right beside this plane.
This plane, of course, is going to be the backdrop for the candidates.
Look here you can see this row of clear podiums, that is where each of the candidates will be standing. They're only going to be a few inches
apart. Donald Trump is going to be in the very middle, because he is leading in the polls. He'll be flanked by Ben Carson and Jeb Bush.
And then take a look at the rest of the area. You can see it's a rather intimate setup here. No more than 500 people will be here in the
audience. They've been invited by the Reagan Library, by the Republican National Committee. And a few of them will be folks that were invited by
the campaigns.
But it's a very intimate setup. And the candidates will be close to each other and close to the audience.
In the first debate, a little over a month ago, that was held in a huge stadium, an arena where they play professional basketball. There were
thousands of people, a lot of energy for the candidates to draw from.
Here, we're not going to hear the same ooh and has when any one of them has a zinger, because it's a much smaller audience. So that can
certainly affect how they go about attacking each other. It's going to be really, really interesting, Becky.
ANDERSON: And if I know our colleagues, they'll be working through the night to make sure this is absolutely perfect for what is going to be
as we've been touting, the second sparring match amongst the presidential candidate hopefuls.
Just how important are these debates? And how well watched are they by the domestic public?
JONES: Well, they're very, very important. To give you a sense of how well watched they are, the first debate on Fox drew 24 million viewers,
that's 24 million people tuning in to watch that debate.
This debate could certainly compare. And that 24 million number, it's huge. It's more than twice the total population of the first four states
to vote in the election in the primaries next year. So that gives you some perspective. And they are incredibly important.
If you look at a candidate like Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor, he was leading in the polls. He was at the top of the pack in Iowa, a
state that was very important to him. He was leading in the national polls. Now he has sunk a great deal. He's lost eight points in the most
recent poll out today from the New York Times and CBS News. And part of that has to do with the fact that he was relatively quiet during the first
debate. He didn't make a strong impression on voters. And so it's very, very important for a lot of these candidates to try to make a strong
impression that can hopefully give them a boost in the polls so that they can compete with the folks at the top of the polls -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. All right. We'll crack on. And viewers, don't forget to tune in to CNN for the Republican debate. You may have to
stay up late to catch it live. It airs at 2:00 a.m. here in the UAE. You'll have to work out what the time will be wherever you are watching.
You can see the whole broadcast again 11:00 p.m. Thursday UAE time. That is only on CNN, of course.
And live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. Coming up, will you be watching? We'll take a look at how that 2016 presidential race is
already breaking records.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:47:35] ANDERSON: Let me get you back to the Serbian-Hungarian border where migrants have massed as they try to reach Western Europe.
Approximately 1,000 gathering between two border crossings on the Serbian side of the Serbian-Hungary border near the town of (inaudible) Serbia as
the border remains closed and they face a new obstacle.
Hungary says anyone caught trying to scale this new border fence will get three years in prison.
You can see security there. Obviously the atmosphere is tense. There are kids in amongst that crowd. More on that as we get it.
You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World. It is 748 here in the UAE. He said he'd be back and now actor and politician Arnold
Schwarzenegger is replacing Donald Trump as the new host of the TV show the Celebrity Apprentice.
Republican Presidential candidate Trump took to Twitter to congratulate Arnie saying the former California government would no doubt
raise lots of money for charity.
Well, the show was put on hold after Trump launched his presidential bid. The new season will air some time in 2016.
For more, let's bring in CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter who is in New York for you tonight.
We're going to talk a little bit more about these debates, but firstly how do you expect Arnie to do?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: I think he has a really rare chance to reinvent this TV show. You know, Trump was the only host, ever
since 2004, the only host of the Apprentice.
Now, Arnold can come in, hopefully rejuvenate the franchise, give it new life, and of course a new catch phrase, and we all know Trump's was
"you're fired." So many for Arnold it'll be you're terminated or something like that.
They've got awhile to figure it out. The show is not going to premiere for a year so they can figure it out.
But you think about the revolving door this signifies. A former California governor taking over a reality show, which it was hosted by a
guy who is now trying to run for president now trying to become president.
It really goes to show the blurring of the lines between politics and entertainment in the U.S.
ANDERSON: Yeah, all right.
Let's talk about the debate and what's going on in this Republican context.
We talked a lot about Mr. Trump there on the right. What of Trump's rivals? Carly Fiorina took a swipe at him in her latest campaign ad. I
want our viewers to have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ladies, look at this face. And look at all of your faces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:50:14] ANDERSON: Well, that was in response to some disparaging comments that Trump made about her appearance recently. I'm talking about
Carly Fiorina here.
Firstly, how effective has that ad been? It certainly seems to be doing very well on social media.
STELTER: It sure does, and on television as well, getting lots of attention and maybe setting up a very interesting conversation that we will
see on stage between Fiorina and Trump on Wednesday night.
Fiorina, there was uncertainty about whether she would be on the debate stage, because of her poll numbers. CNN's most recent adjustment to
the criteria assures that she and 10 others will all be on the stage together. So there will be an opportunity for Trump and her to be face-to-
face and we'll see what they say to each other.
But I'm sure Trump is planning some sort of comment. You know, they both know they're going into this with this story continuing to percolate.
So you would expect that they've been trying to plan some sort of comment.
ANDERSON: All right.
Very briefly, you've heard reports that Jeb Bush's supporters plan on spending something like $24 billion, I think, on ads. Big money being
spent by everybody?
STELTER: Absolutely. And even though we are still so many months -- and actually more than a year from the general election date, these primary
race we see more and more spending essentially in every single campaign cycle it is a sort of a one-way direction.
However, Trump is the exception here. Trump says, you know, he's financing his own campaign. He's not dependent on campaign ads and donors
like other candidates. That has created a really interesting conversation that we don't normally see in primary races about the influence of money on
elections.
ANDERSON: Brian, thank you.
STELTER: Well, every since 1960 when viewers crowded around what were pretty old fashioned looking TV sets to watch John F. Kennedy square off
with Richard Nixon, debates have been one of the most highly anticipated parts of U.S. presidential campaigns. We thought we'd take a look at some
of the more memorable moments over the years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIIFIED MALE: There is no Soviet domination of eastern Europe. I'm sorry...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Raise your hand now if you won't make that pledge tonight.
Mr. Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The United States should move...
JOHN F. KENNEDY: What is the party...
RONALD REAGAN: I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.
RICK PERRY: The third agency of government I would do away with the Education, the -- Commerce. And let's see. I can't. The third one I
can't -- sorry. Oops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what our next question is about.
UNIDENITIFIED MALE: Hello Democratic candidates. As president, what will you do to ensure that my son will live a full and happy life?
GEORGE W. BUSH: It's not only what's your philosophy and what your position on issues, but can you get things done. And I believe I can.
ADMIRAL STOCKDALE: Who am I? Why am I here?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: Senator Clinton tried to spend $1 million on the Woodstock concert museum. Now my friends, I wasn't there.
I was tied up at the time.
MITT ROMNEY: Rick, I'll tell you what. 10,000 bucks? $10,000 bet?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You turned down my volume...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am paying for this microphone, Mr...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Question for the governor.
HILLARY CLINTON, FRM. SECRETARY OF STATE: I don't think I'm that bad
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You're likable enough, Hillary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You can (inaudible) the latest political news at CNN.com of course. There are special reports and analysis, including this look at the
candidate's first ever jobs as they compete for one of the most powerful positions in the world. Good stuff.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. It is, what, five to 8:00 here. We're nearly done. Take a very short break, but coming up a
lucky escape for two kayakers off the coast of the United States. You have to see this. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:56:37] ANDERSON: Well, in your Parting Shots this evening, we take a look at a lucky escape for two kayakers in the United States. So,
they were paddling near Monterrey, which is off the coast of California as you know when this happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENITIFIED MALE: He's huge.
I got him. I got him on video.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was a humpback whale jumping out of the water and landing right next to the them. They weren't directly hit, you'll be
pleased to hear, but they were thrown overboard by the force of the animal.
The man and woman appeared above water a few seconds later.
Isn't that remarkable?
You can always follow the stories that the team is working on throughout the day, or the video that we've been watching that we found on
social media.
That's our Facebook page. Facebook.com/CNNConnect. You can get in touch on Twitter if you are a regular viewer you'll know exactly how you
can do that. It's very easy @BeckyCNN. That is @BeckyCNN.
Well, that was Connect the World from the team here in Abu Dhabi and those working with us around the world. Thank you for watching. CNN of
course continues after this very short break from us. It's a very good evening.
END
