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UN Aid Convoy Leaves Damascus; Pope Visits Ciudad Juarez; UAE Looking to Diversify Relationship with India; Canadian Oil Producers Hit Hard by Falling Prices; Explosion in Ankara. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired February 17, 2016 - 11:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:00:09] FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This one is going to go to one of the Damascus suburbs. It's called Madaya, it's a

place that the UN says it hasn't delivered aid to in about two years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Well, aid is finally on the way to the besieged towns in Syria where some have starved to death. Coming up, an exclusive

interview with the UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and a live report from our correspondent traveling with the convoy delivering much

needed relief.

Also ahead this hour, a failed revolution, rival governments and now the rise of ISIS. This hour, how can Libya pull out of the sinkhole of chaos?

And the great oil crash. How pressure is mounting on crude producers as petrol economies feel the pain from Calgary to Caracas.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.

ANDERSON: Just after 8:00 in the evening here in Abu Dhabi.

We begin tonight with promising developments unfolding right now in Syria, despite needed -- desperately needed food and medical supplies, they are

finally reaching some civilians trapped by war. Aid convoys rolled out of Damascus today heading for several towns under siege.

Now, CNN confirms that one convoy has now entered a Damascus suburb while other trucks are still en route to their destinations.

Well, our Frederik Pleitgen is traveling with an aid convoy that is headed for Madaya, a town where people have literally been starving to death.

Fred joins us now on the line.

Fred, describe the journey, where you are and what you are expecting to find when you get there.

PLEITGEN: Yeah, hi, Becky.

Actually, the convoy that I'm with is at this point stopped at a checkpoint I would say we're about 13 or 14 kilometers outside of Madaya, so about

nine miles outside of Madaya.

The vehicles here are being checked at this checkpoint.

And we were moving along fairly quickly. And it is a very large convoy that I'm traveling with.

I would say it's between 50 and 60 vehicles. Some of them are from the United Nations, others are from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. There are

some very big trucks. Of course what they have loaded here is medical supplies, first and foremost food supplies to bring to the population there

in Madaya. And as you know, Madaya is one of these high priority areas for the United Nations. They definitely want to get aid in there, because of

the horrible pictures that we've seeing over the past couple of months of these people starving in that town.

So, it certainly is a priority convoy for the United Nations as are the other ones that are traveling today, not just the areas besieged by the

government but to areas besieged by the rebels as well. For instance, two towns in the northwest of Syria, their convoys have headed to as well,

Becky.

ANDERSON: What's being taken in, Fred? And what's the likelihood of those who may need immediate attention getting an opportunity to get out of

Madaya as these convoys leave for later?

PLEITGEN: I mean, (inaudible) because what the United Nations does it it packages everything into portions. I was in one of the distribution

centers only a couple days ago. And if you look at these truck, they are stacked with boxes that

are full of high energy food for the people that need it so badly. Things like chickpeas, things like beans. The other things that are fairly easy

to package and then will last for a long time. One of these boxes is supposed to last a family of five people for about one month. And judging

by the size of the convoy vehicle, they certainly are trying to get as much aid as possible in as fast as possible.

The other thing is of course medical supplies that they are trying to get in as well. I've seen the United Nations talk about medicines that are

badly needed for people who are malnourished, for instance, but also for general illnesses as well.

And at this point, Becky, I can tell you that right now our convoy is set to start moving again. So we're actually starting to move towards Madaya

once again at this point in time. Slowly, but it looks like things are going forward again.

ANDERSON; Good stuff. And Fred on the story of course. And we'll stay with this on CNN.

Fred, just finally, what chance of evacuating those who will need immediate attention?

PLEITGEN: You know, that's a very good question. And certainly at this point in time, the UN hasn't committed to being able to evacuate anybody

out of these towns. But I did see just a couple of minutes ago, however, was an ambulance that appeared to be heading in the same direction. So,

there could possibly be people who might get evacuated. But at this point, it's unclear.

It's also unclear how long the United Nations is going to be able to stay in Madaya. The last time they went in, they were in there for hours, for

five, six, seven, eight hours. Of course, also trying to help people who needed it, who needed medical attention immediately, getting them to see

doctors inside if they can't get them out.

So, we'll have to wait and see how long long the UN will be able to stay on the ground there, how long they are going to be in there and then wait and

see how much they can provide and if possibly some people could be evacuated because we know from groups that are inside places like Madaya,

that there are people who are in bad need of medical evacuations.

[11:05:27] ANDERSON: Sure. Frederick Pleitgen with the convoy on its way to Madaya. Fred, thank you.

And Fred spoke earlier with the UN special envoy who negotiated these humanitarian deliveries in an exclusive interview. Staffan de Mistura said

the next few days, and indeed hours, are critical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, the delivery of aid to besieged areas is very, very important. What do you think will happen,

what do you hope will happen, and how important is this?

STAFFAN DE MISTURA, UN SPECIAL ENVOY TO SYRIA: Let's start with the last point. It is not important. It is essentially, crucial for two reasons.

First, because there are now more than 400,000 people living in besieged areas, 400,000 Syrias, besieged both by the government, most of it, but

also by ISIL. Deir ez-Zor 200,000 of them. And by the opposition.

Secondly because the people have been literally starving. And when they are not starving, they are very close to it, even in Deir ez-Zor they're

starting suffering.

And three, because this is a test. It is a test on what was decided in Munich. In Munich, it was clearly a commitment by everyone to ensure that

this would be happening.

PLEITGEN: And what do all parties have to show, then, especially in this first test of allowing aid into these areas?

DE MISTURA: First of all, the size of it. Are we being able to actually reach as many people as it is in that, which is at least in the next few

days, hours, at least six to seven locations, which include both besieged by the government and by the opposition.

Secondly, whether there will be business as usual in the bad way. In other words, many hiccups, many controls, many bureaucratic reasons, many

stoppages or will it be a different approach.

I would call it a Munich approach. That will be the test.

PLEITGEN: How important do you think this is for the process going forward?

DE MISTURA: Very important. First because frankly the Syrian people want to see whether all what has been discussed in Vienna, in Munich, in Geneva

eventually again does make a difference to their life immediately.

Secondly, to the international community are they meeting in Munich and deciding and committing themselves and then nothing new happens to them,

the the Syrian people.

And three, because it's true that the bottom line is going to be the cessation of hostilities. The people are not besieged by weather, they're

besieged by human beings who are fighting a horrible war. Therefore, the so-called cessation of hostilities is crucial.

But in order to reach lives to the moment of the cessation of hostilities and the end of this conflict you need to be able to be fed and receive

medicines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Yeah, Staffan de Mistura speaking to Fred Pleitgen in an exclusive interview earlier.

Well, despite the cease-fire talk in Syria, Turkey is making it clear it will not stop shelling Kurdish fighters in Syria in response to cross

border attacks. The president, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says -- also say that Turkey will never allow the creation of a Kurdish stronghold in

northern Syria. Kurdish forces are believed to be taking advantage of Russian airstrikes to seize territory near the Turkey border.

The U.S. relies on those forces to fight ISIS, but today Mr. Erdogan said the U.S. must choose between Turkey or the Kurds.

Well, Arwa Damon is following this part of the story for us from Istanbul. A very pointed message for the United States. Could this drive a wedge

between the key NATO allies do you think, Arwa?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very much so, especially given how strongly Turkey feels about the Syrian Kurdish fighting force,

the YPG, that it says and is in fact, an offshoot of the PKK that has been deemed a terrorist organization not just by Turkey but by Europe and

America as well, the PKK being the Kurdish separatists that have been battling against the Turkish state for decades now that also side cease-

fire fall apart between the Turkish government and the PKK over the summer that has resulted in some very fierce fighting, hundreds of lives lost in

Turkey's southeastern portion.

Now, the YPG has, especially in the last few months, made some significant advances, and ones that are quite concerning to Turkey, because the

territory that it is moving into is right along the Turkey-Syria border, which is why Turkey has been launching numerous artillery strikes into

these various areas. And also why it continues to issue very harsh warnings that these strikes will not stop unless the YPG advance does.

And, yes, it puts Turkey and the United States relationship in a very awkward position, because these very same forces are the ones that receive

the bulk of the U.S. support, the bulk of the support when it comes to coalition airstrikes and it would seem not just from what Turkey is saying

but from some of what we're hearing from the Arab opposition, the rebel fighters trying to hold on to parts of northern Syria that they also

believe that the YPG, the Kirds, are trying to take advantage of the situation on the ground and move in and gain as much territory as they

possibly can.

But for Turkey this is a nonstarter, what President Erdogan was saying was that he would not allow another Qandil deal to be established right along

the Turkish border. The Qandil of course reference to the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq that are the PKK's current stronghold, Becky.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Arwa.

All right, well, the tug of war over territory in the South China Sea is ramping up again. China's defense ministry now says it has had air and sea

defenses on the disputed Parasol Islands for years. That in response to claims from the U.S. and Taiwan that China has deployed surface-to-air

missiles in the region.

CNN's Ivan Watson reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The hotly contested debate over who controls the South China Sea just got hotter with Pentagon and

Taiwanese defense officials saying that China appears to have deployed new weapon systems to an island in the sea, which has competing claims of

ownership not just from China but also from Vietnam and from Taiwan.

New satellite imagery from a company called ISIS shows what appears to be the deployment of surface-to-air missile batteries along one of the beaches

here.

Now, China has controlled this island for more than 50 years. The question is does this count as militarization? Beijing insists that this is purely

a measure of self-defense.

HONG LEI, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (through translator): Our deployment of defense facilities in our own territory is appropriate and

reasonable. It's aimed at improving our national defense capabilities and has nothing to do with so-called militarization.

WATSON: Part of why this is so contentious is that at least six governments have competing simultaneous claims to different parts of this

body of water through which at least 30 percent of the world's cargo is believed to travel.

China claims territory all the way down to here to practically the coast of the Philippines, including this area, an archipelago known as the Spratly

Island. And when you take a close look at what activities China has had here, that is an explainer for why there's so much alarm.

This is the Fiery Cross Reef photographed in 2005. Look at how it's been transformed by a very impressive Chinese land reclamation project. They

have put in a deep water port as well as an airstrip creating an entire artificial manmade

island.

Now the Philippines is claiming this territory as its own economic exclusion zone. It's taking China to court, but China is so far refusing

the jurisdiction of that it court at The Hague.

In the meantime, you have Washington stepping in with so-called freedom of navigation operations. So the U.S. has been sending warplanes and U.S.

navy ships to challenge China's claims to these very waters, which is ratcheting up

tensions since Beijing is calling these operations destabilizing to peace and security in this region.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Still to come tonight. Pope Francis heads to Mexico's border with the United

States as he wraps up his tour of the country. We'll be live in Juarez.

And five years on from the uprising in Libya, which toppled Moammar Gadhafi, I'll be asking what did it achieve? The UN's special

representative to the country joins me live to try and answer that question.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:16:52] ANDERSON: Well, today marks the fifth year anniversary of the Libyan uprising in 2011. Despite the instability gripping the country,

people took to the streets of Tripoli to celebrate the occasion. The protests, which started in 2011, eventually led to the overthrow of Moammar

Gadhafi, of course.

Well, you're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back to the the show.

Despite the popular movement, few Libyans could have predicted the outcome of their revolution as the country faces serious challenges.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: 42 years at the helm, Libya's so-called brother leader began to lose his grip on power. The uprising against Moammar Gadhafi was seen by

many as the climax of the Arab Spring. But half a decade later, it's not clear what it actually achieved.

Chaos and lawlessness have come to dominate the oil-rich North African nation and Gadhafi's fall, partly brought about by western intervention,

has left a power vacuum with two rival governments competing for control.

The Islamic-dominated General National Congress sets in the capital Tripoli while the internationally recognized government has being driven to the

country's far east.

But there's a third power at play: ISIS or Daesh. The terror group has capitalized on insecurity in Libya and has gained a foothold there. U.S.

officials fear there may be as many as 6,000 ISIS fighters in the country and the group has targeted oil fields, an attempt to establish financial

and territorial security as it loses ground in Iraq and in Syria.

But it's also the proximity to mainland Europe that has many worried.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: That country has resources. The last thing in the world you want is a false caliphate with access to billions of

dollars of oil revenue.

ANDERSON: Both the U.S. and the UK are considering a further military option in the country.

Amid the gloom, some signs of hope. United Nations-backed talks have taken over a year, but have finally managed to get the two rival factions to

agree on a unity government.

Details of what it will look like are still being ironed out. But the UN's newly appointed envoy to Libya, Martin tweeted about the agreement this

week saying Libya's journey to peace has finally started.

Has it? Maybe. Many Libyans, though, will be asking why it's taken so long.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Martin Kobler, the UN special representative in Libya joins us now from Cairo. Thank you, sir.

Why has this journey to what you hope will be peace taken so long to get going?

MARTIN KOBLER, UN SPECIAL ENVOY TO LIBYA: Well, I fully share the impatience of the people of Libya and the impatience of international

community that has taken so long.

I think the international community after 2011 abandoned the country. And this was a mistake. I think we all should recognize it today. One cannot

have airstrikes and then leave the Libyan people alone with the fallout and say, listen, this is the revolution now. Now you deal with your problems

yourself. That's why it's important now to establish this government of national unity and to really to repair the mistakes of the past.

[11:20:13] ANDERSON: All right. Let's be honest, sir. The unity government doesn't really control Libya's warring factions. In an

interview with a German newspaper, you said yourself it is the power bases large and small that perpetuate the chaos within the country.

Why, then, so much emphasis on this GNA, this unity government, when we know the real situation is as chaotic as you describe?

KOBLER: Well, I'm not so pessimistic as you say. There are several power centers there. The land is really in chaos and anarchy. There are pro

forma two governments which are there, but they also do not cater for the basic needs of the country.

There is a political and military vacuum. And one has to start with the first step and this government of national unity is the first step to bring

the country together and to end fragmentation.

There is no other solution than to patiently, with strategic patience, backed with insistence now to bring this government of national unity

ahead.

ANDERSON: And Libyans, of course, are running out of patience and some might say this is not the only solution at this point.

There's no agreement on a choice of ministers or even who they will represent. With respect, sir, will you concede that in the end it's going

to be factions of the Islamic movement, including al Qaeda, who will end up being the power brokers in Libya at this rate?

KOBLER: Well, this must be very clear. There is no dialogue with Daesh, al Qaeda, Ansar al-Sharia and terrorist organizations. This must be a

military fight of the Libyans against terrorist organizations. There will be no agreement

with Daesh. Daesh has to be limited.

They are expanding now making use of the difficult situation of the vacuum.

However, it's necessary to reunite east and west also the political Islam in the west together with those in the east in order to form a Libyan army

fighting the Daesh. I think this is the really urgent thing to do now and the government of

national unity is the only way out.

Only a legitimate government can also request an extension from the weapons embargo from the United Nations in order to fight the Islamists.

ANDERSON: Those I have spoken to recently just feel like that is almost pie in the sky at this point, that these two rival governments will come

together.

Both the U.S. and the UK are considering more military action in Libya, sir. Here's what President Obama said on Monday, and I quote, we are

working with our other coalition partners to make sure that as we see opportunities to

prevent ISIS from digging in in Libya, we take them.

That sounds like a threat. Do you see the need for military intervention by the U.S. and western nations? And if if that were the case, who would

they be coordinating with on the ground?

KOBLER: Well, the United Nations is not on the agenda of the United Nations to discuss military intervention here. And one shouldn't do the

second step before the first. The first step is now to find a Libyan securities track. The fight against the Islamic terrorists must be a

Libyan fight and we must have a government, they must have a government of national unity if then at a later stage this government decides to request

foreign assistance in the military field, it might do so as a govern sovereign government.

But the first priority is to have a government in place. This government must be faced into Tripoli, they must be seated in Tripoli. There must be

a rapid solution to form the Libyan security forces because they need ground troops in order to fight the Daesh.

ANDERSON: Time, though, sir, is running out. And let's get back to one of the questions I asked you, then. They cannot agree at present even on

which posts might be created, a choice of ministers or indeed who they would represent.

Give us some sort of sense of what you have set as a timeframe for all of this. The average Libyan who might be watching this broadcast will be fed

up with almost empty words. They don't believe that those who are in parliament, either of those parliaments, are representing their needs.

There is no grand bargain with Libyans and their governments any longer.

KOBLER: I totally agree that I think 95 percent of the Libyan population are

in favor of the Libyan political agreement. They are in favor of a government of national unity which really caters for the basic needs and

brings them security. However, there are politicians who still resist.

I don't quite agree with you that there's no agreement now on the government. Yes, there is an agreement on the government. The presidency

council spent two weeks now in Morocco in order to submit a list to the house of representatives. This vote will take place on Monday. And there

is an agreement of the cabinet list of 13 members and this will be submitted to the parliament on Monday.

ANDERSON: And you're confident that will be accepted? And let's remember this is a process that's going on in Morocco because it can't go on in

Libya at present.

KOBLER: You are totally right. That's why I always insist that the government has to be in Tripoli. This is the seat of the institutions, and

negotiations outside the country they do not bring any improvement for the population inside.

The house of representatives now has the duty and the Libyan poltical agreement which they accepted to endorse this government in its entirety.

There was an important meeting at the Munich security conference last week with the president of the parliament in Tarbouk and Secretary Kerry and Mr.

Steinmeier (ph) and Ms. Mogarini (ph) and several other ministers who told the president of the parliament very clearly that the international

community expects now not another ping-pong game between those who submit the government and the parliament but to decide on it.

And it's really timely. Once again, the Libyan people expect progress and they expect it fast.

ANDERSON: Martin Kobler, pleasure having you on. Good luck, sir, we thank you.

Live from Abu Dhabi this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Coming up, after decades of sanctions, Iran -- I'm sorry, let's do

something else for you.

African Startup is next. And we're going to get to Uganda where one woman's growing fitness business is more than just a gym. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMIR DAFTARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The first thing you need to know about this woman is that she's as tough as they come.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Mildred Apenyo (ph). And I'm the boss lady at (inaudible) Africa.

DAFTARI: Emphasis on boss.

The owner of Uganda's first women-only gym finds her strength in empowering others.

UNIDENIIFED FEMALE: In whatever way that we are able, we'd like to positively influence the way women experience life.

DAFTARI: It sounded like a stretch in 2014. Mildred was a copy editor with

no start-up experience. But what she did have was a passion to change the trend of assaults against women in Kampala.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It came from a point of such intense feeling. You know, there was so much rage involved in the beginning. I was like, is

this where I live? Is this how my society operates?

DAFTARI: She answered her own question with an idea for not just the gym but a personal safety class.

[11:30:07] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We happened upon this stage. And we told them we have no money. We have a goal. We have a vision and can we do a

cost and profit sharing. And they said, yes.

Matima (ph) still has a package. She had just paid for it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first year was really tough. And we realized that we'd have to create other sources of revenue as we built this thing we

believed in.

DAFTARI: Mildred sold shirts and workout gear to help build her brand.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the boss start (inaudible) you've got to trust your trainers, got to trust your training. When they realize you're here

to stay, then it continues growing on. (inaudible) has been amazing for us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely more than just a gym. In the past four months that I've been coming here, I feel like my social life has improved.

DAFTARI: Fit Click Africa also focuses on self-defense and psychological wellness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like the biggest kind of emotional self- defense that a woman can have is female friends. Just have female friends.

DAFTARI: The Fit Click family is growing. Mildred has two Uganda locations with plans to focus on universities next where she can share her

message of fitness and personal safety.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I made a promise to somebody I really care about. So nine years, in nine years we'll have a presence in every single university

in sub-Saharan Africa.

DAFTARI: An ambitious goal, but Mildred believes there's a generation of women who will help her carry the weight.

Amir Daftari, CNN, Kampala.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[11:34:58] BECKY ANDERSON: Pope Francis wrapping up his tour of Mexico with a trip to the country's border with the United States. He's currently

on his way to Juarez where there he will speak in Antares (ph) prison and celebrate mass just a few meters from the border.

Well, CNN's Polo Sandoval is standing for us there with more. Just how significant is this visit by the pope to Juarez, Polo?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it is very significant, particularly when you consider his agenda that he's been touching on really

the last -- since Friday, since he arrived in Mexico. Obviously the narco violence is something that he's touched on and of course immigration as

well. It is a pillar that is crucial for the papacy of this pontiff. He repeatedly touches on the migrant, the issue of the migrant and here it

will really reach that critical point when he celebrates mass in this old fairground that's now been converted into a massive, large outdoor venue.

At least 215,000 people expected here. And what's interesting, Becky, is that the most symbolic moment will come when he arrives here and he will

essentially break away from the Alti (ph) area and then head to a temporary memorial to migrants. It's set right between the altar that you see behind

me and the U.S.-Mexico border.

He will pray there for the migrants that made their way across the border and those who sadly did not. And of course as you may imagine, that is

something that is going to renew focus on this issue of immigration, something that's very important for the people here in Mexico, very

important to the pontiff and then of course for the political scene in the United States, an issue that's highly debated by presidential candidates

both in the Republican and Democratic side.

ANDERSON: And we've been as you have been speaking looking at pictures of the pope during this trip. And he always looks so calm and collected.

That, though, wasn't the case after what might be described as a mishap. Tell us what happened.

SANDOVAL: Absolutely, Becky. In fact, that was the one moment that we saw that endearing smile leave the face of the pontiff. It was when he was in

Morelia, Mexico celebrating in a stadium with thousands of followers. Of course, this is a pontiff that often likes to break away from his security

detail so we can get closer to those faithful followers. And at one point, one of those followers grabbed him by the arm, pulled him, and was very

closer to falling on top of a child that was sitting in a wheelchair there. The frustration very visible on the face of the Holy Father, even asking

these people for patience.

And as a result, you can expect, of course, quite intense security here in Juarez, not only because there are hundreds of thousands of people here,

but also because of the reputation of the city of Juarez, or I don't have to remind you this was a very a -- considered one of the most violence

places in the world during the height of a violent cartel turf war in 2010. Since then, it is on a slow and steady path to peace, and that's something

that's very reflective in the pope's first stop, which will be the state prison.

He will get there as soon as he arrives in Juarez in about 20 minutes or so, Becky.

SANDOVAL: Good stuff. All right, Polo is in Juarez in Mexico for you. Thank you.

Well, a federal judge in the U.S. is ordering Apple to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Investigators have been unable to figure out the passcode on that phone, which is the only way to access the encrypted device.

But Apple's CEO Tim Cook says the company will contest the judge's order to protect the security of its customers.

Well, the December 2 shootings killed 14 people, you'll remember, in San Bernardino in California. Let's get more now on the judge's ruling and

Apple's response.

U.S. justice correspondent Evan Perez joining me from Washington.

I just want to clear one thing up from the outset here, is it clear whether Apple can help even if they had wanted to? Industry insiders reportedly

say that these phones are engineered not to be broken in to.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, right now, Apple says that the software -- that the method to break into the cell phone doesn't exist. The

FBI says, and this judge agrees, that Apple can create software that would allow them to bypass this locking mechanism.

The iPhones come with this security setting, essentially, that if you guess the password incorrectly 10 times, it automatically erases the data. And

that's what the FBI is trying to avoid.

Apple says that really what the FBI is asking for is a back door that would affect not only this one phone that belonged to a terrorist, but also

potentially affect the security of you and me and every one of its customers.

Here's a statement that Tim Cook the CEO issued overnight. He says, quote, the United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented

step which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has

implications far beyond the legal case at hand.

And there's no doubt that this is a fight that Apple and the FBI and technology companies have been waiting for for some time. This clash

between security and -- national security and privacy and we'll see where this goes.

We expect that this is something that's going to end up being fought all the way to the Supreme Court, Becky.

ANDERSON: That's interesting. So by conceding to the FBI, Apple argues it would be limiting the ability of companies to guarantee data security in

the future, which I guess is an argument, absolutely.

How much support, then, is there for that argument given this case in type?

PEREZ: Well, we have to think about the times we're living in, right. This is post Edward Snowden. Snowden's documents that were leaked NSA

documents show that tech companies in the United States were working hand and glove with the NSA on government surveillance programs. And so Apple

and a lot of these big tech companies have been fearful that this would affect their business especially overseas. So, this is a business decision

that when Apple announced its new operating system, it made clear it advertised that not even law enforcement would be able to get into it. And

this is something that has spread the issue of encryption, the availability of encryption has spread.

So this is a clash that really we knew was coming. The FBI has chosen a very

difficult case for Apple to defend itself. We're talking about 14 people dead. We're talking about an attack that happened in the United States.

And in this case, it's a cell phone that's actually owned by the county government, which is was employer of one of these terrorists, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Evan Perez on the story for you.

Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Coming up, we'll take a look at the effort to stabilize falling oil -- let

me do that again. I put my teeth in. We're going to take a look at the efforts to stabilize falling oil prices.

You try and say that at half past 8:00. Anyway, did oil producers agree to a

production freeze? Details are just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Quarter to 9:00 here in the UAE. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching Connect the World. welcome back.

Well, Iran is resisting a plan to freeze oil production to shore up prices and a meeting between top oil producing nations ended without a commitment

from Tehran.

Saudi Arabia, Russia, qatar and Venezuela said they would sign on on Tuesday, but with the condition other producers follow suit. Iran is

standing firm because it pledged to increase output after losing marketshare due to years of economic sanctions. But Tehran welcomed the

effort to stabilize the market perhaps not unsurprisingly.

And those oil producing countries are really feeling the pinch from record low oil prices.

We have got two reports tonight. Paula Newton looking at oil sands going bust in Canada. Maggie is looking at the impact low prices are having on

Venezuela.

Let's start in Canada for you tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You may not see oil rigs or wells or pipelines, but in this city the financial heart of Canada's oil

patch each blow to the price of oil has slashed thousands of jobs, billions in investment, and now barrel after barrel of production.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More buyers, more sellers.

NEWTON: The aftermath is already showing up in (Larry Graham's) auction yard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE : It is a 360 hoe. And it's between $400,000 and $500,000 new.

NEWTON: As production is cut, heavy equipment, drilling equipment, oil patch service vehicles and trucks, trucks, and more trucks are being sold

off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They've got to get rid of it so auctions are the quickest and fastest answer by far to do that.

NEWTON: While global oil production has barely budged, Canada's production is showing the first signs of buckling. One recent Canadian study found

drilling was down nearly 50% this year alone.

MARTIN KING, FIRST ENERGY CAPITAL: Our cost structure is still definitely higher than in the U.S. And certainly the oil sands are making no money on

any barrels being produced.

NEWTON: But the Saudis will get what they want.

KING: The Saudi's will get what they want in the end.

NEWTON: Saudi Arabia strategy flood the market with cheap oil to drive down North American production. In Canada it's working. The reasons each barrel

of oil here especially from Canada's oil sands costs more to produce and is sold to basically one customer.

NAHEED NENSHI, CALGARY MAYOR: Our only customer has become our biggest competitor. And so whatever Saudis and others are attempting to do to

theshale production in the U.S., we are kind of the unwilling victim of all of this.

NEWTON: Calgary's mayor says his city and his country needs a new energy strategy, including building Canadian pipelines to exported oil to new

customers. Here he makes the point on a recent appearance on a Canadian comedy show.

NENSHI: How safe and clean it is. So I'm just going to put it into the end of the pipeline here in Alberta. And here i just take it out and it comes

out as money, wow.

NEWTON: Making this reality will take years. In the meantime, Larry is limbering up for the equipment auction this week. Is there anything about

this one that feels a bit different to you right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It may be before it's done the worst one they've ever had.

NEWTON: With decades in the business, (Larry) says his auctions will help people hang on and survive the oil bust as they wait and hope for another

oil boom.

Paula Newton, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, a story now of two countries looking to diversify their relationship in part by strengthening oil ties. John Defterios spoke with

the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates about the growing relationship between India and the UAE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:50:07] ANWAR MOHAMMED GANGASH, UAE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: I think we have great faith in India's economy and the size of the economy and the

liberalization of the economy and the restructuring of the economy. So it is a stretch target, I agree, but I think it is achievable.

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Now, about 300,000 barrels a day, so at the core of this relationship is a bilateral trade in energy.

But that can go much higher, I would imagine, as India grows.

GANGASH: Yes. That can go much higher. And there are many, many other areas to explore also in the oil sector. Among them, of course, the issue

of strategic reserves, greater sales of oil to India, downstreaming, et cetera.

So, this is definitely an area of many, many areas and what I would say a very diversified relationship.

DEFTERIOS: How do you manage this fact that India has maintained relations with Iran during the sanctions. Doesn't it get politically tricky when

India has maintain those relations with Iran and the Gulf states have taken a much more tepid approach about this opening that we see today?

GANGASH: What we are moving towards in India is a frank and transparent dialogue where we understand India through direct dialogue and they

understand our views through direct dialogue. And this includes also our reservations on Iran's regional policy in the region. We're speeding and

they are speeding and we are very, very confident that our understanding of India's concerns and challenges is much, much better and much more crisp

and transparent and we feel the same way.

DEFTERIOS: You have a very defined foreign policy on the Silk Road now going all the way to China. How does Iran fit into that strategy? Will

you haven engagement going forward and try to tackle the military expansion or the foreign policy influence of Iran in the region?

GANGASH: I think the natural rhythm of relationship with Iran should be a relationship of two

neighboring countries. Not only ours, but Iran in the Arab world.

I think what is undermining that is basically Iran's regional policy and its interference in

the Arab world.

We will be one of the most countries that will be supportive of Iran acting as a normal state that is non-interfering of its neighbors and respecting

their sovereignty. That's the way it should be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Interesting.

OK, live from Abu Dhabi this is Connect the World. We're going to take a short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: I'm going to get you some news just coming in to CNN Center now. We're hearing reports of a powerful explosion in the Turkish capital of

Ankara. Turkish broadcaster NTV reporting that the target was apparently a military dormitory.

Let's get my CNN correspondent and colleague Arwa Damon on the line for you.

Arwa, what do we know of the details of this explosion at this point?

DAMON: This just happened. It's being described so far as an explosion. And according to CNN Turks reporting this happened in an area that houses

military personnel. There are ambulances on the ground. There are believed to be wounded. The images coming out on CNN Turk showing some of

the ambulances on the scene.

The sadly familiar scenes that we do see after these kinds of explosions. Again, not clear if this was some sort of an accident at this stage, not

clear if this was a deliberate attack, but Ankara has been hit in the past back in October. It saw a double suicide bombing that was the deadliest

attack in Turkey's modern day history. We're seeing some pretty dramatic images coming out on Turkish television showing those ambulances, those

emergency personnel on the scene.

Right now the cause of the explosion is being investigated. It seems that the explosion happened as a military vehicle was crossing by. Again, this

is based on what CNN Turk is reporting at this stage, Becky.

This happening just a short while ago in the capital of a country that has been on edge for quite some time now.

ANDERSON: OK, and Arwa as we sit on these pictures for our viewer's sake, just remind us domestic terrorism, international terrorism, there will be

an investigation clearly starting at some stage. At this point it seems like there is -- the first responders, the emergency vehicles, no idea

about casualties at this point.

But just explain just what sort of concerns the country has and what sort of problems its facing so far as far as terrorism is concerned.

DAMON: Turkey, sadly, has been no stranger to violence, especially over the last year beginning with the bombings that happened in Suruc over the

summer followed by the double suicide bombing in Ankara. And then of course there was the Sultan Ahmt (ph)

attack that happened in January that was targeting German tourists.

Now, Turkey has blamed all of these on terrorist organizations, on ISIS. However, Turkey is not just battling an ISIS-led branch of terrorism. It

has also been fighting what it considers to be another terrorist organization and that is the Kurdish separatist group the PKK in

the southeastern portion of the country that have also drawn Turkey to launch more cross border artillery attacks from Turkey into Syria as it

tries to stop one of the PKK affiliates, the YPG, from making further gains inside Syria.

So, Turkey faces domestic terrorism, it faces international terrorism. And it is a country that really has been on edge for quite some time now trying

to struggle with all these various different security challenges.

ANDERSON: We're going to take a short break. Arwa, I'm sure back with you at the top of the

hour as she gets more on the pictures we're seeing, the aftermath of an explosion possibly at a military dormitory in the capital of Ankara.

For the time being, Arwa, thank you. We're going to leave you tonight, but of course CNN continues. Taking a short break, back after this.

END