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The Case Of The Vanishing Prime Minister; Hariri's Party Says It Still Considers Him Prime Minister; Trump's Visit In China; Donald Trump Heaps Praise On Xi Jinping; Professor Suspected Being Linked To The Kremlin. Aired 11-12p ET
Aired November 09, 2017 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:12] This is CNN Breaking News.
BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Well we begin with breaking news about a world more bizarre than ever. The case of a vanishing Prime
Minister. Lebanon, a country now so dysfunctional that even after its prime minister resigned, his own political Party just in the last few
minutes announcing that it still considers him the prime mister. This is in the other day, it may look like any other politician stepping aside, but
Remember Hariri went to Saudi Arabia, a whole set of country to tell the world he was leaving his post as prime minister. It's all pretty weird and
he's been pretty hard to pin down ever since. CNN Ben Wedeman in the Lebanese capital Beirut to break down what is a remarkable situation.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Remarkable Becky and very confusing. And now it does appear that certainly the rest of the
Lebanese government does consider Hariri remains the Prime Minister. That is what the President of the republic Michelle said and the speaker of the
Lebanese parliament (inaudible). And we're getting confusing signals from the Prime Minister's movement itself. The future movement. And there's
still no clarity as in this will, prime minister, depending how you look at it, will return to the country. Now, this comes at just -- we just heard a
few minutes ago that Saudi Arabia has called upon its people, its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible. That comes from a
spokesman for the Saudi foreign ministry. This isn't the first time that Saudi citizens have been advised to leave Lebanon in the past, because of
political uncertainty. Similar calls have come. But if you look at the totality of events in terms of crisis in Lebanon and some of the statements
from senior Saudi officials, definitely this might not be the best time for Saudis to remain in Lebanon. But despite about all of that, it does appear
that many Lebanese who are so accustomed to one crisis after another are merely getting on with their lives.
ANDERSON: It does feel this is a country held hostage to history, can you just provide some wider context on this for us.
WEDEMAN: Well, it's important to keep in mind that Lebanon is a very small country, a country where many of the regional powers as well as the super
powers have basically funded and fought proxy wars using Lebanese blood and wealth. And so for many Lebanese, they another round of foreign
interference in their affairs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri surprise resignation Saturday on a Saudi finance news channel from the Saudi capital set off yet another
crisis here. Underscoring once more just how much this small country on the Mediterranean is hostage to the machination of others. Hariri who is
closely align with Saudi Arabia and also is dual Lebanese-Saudi citizens accused Iran of interfering in Lebanese affairs. It's not at all clear
when he'll return home. His resignation was followed by a statement by a Saudi minister that Riyadh considers Lebanon's government at war with Saudi
Arabia due to the presence of pro-Iranian Hezbollah ministers in the cabinet. This latest twist has taken even Lebanese by surprise says
University lecturer and blogger (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A broken war torn country with no strong constitutions. Saying Lebanon is launching a war on Saudi Arabia is completely baffling to
most people who live here.
WEDEMAN: Equally baffling for many as the Saudi demand that Hezbollah, not to mention military force, be ejected from the government.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hezbollah represent a large part of the Lebanese people, says Ali, a pensioner out for his morning constitutional. They're
represented in parliament and it's natural they should be part of the government.
[10:05:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you say to half of the country who supports Hezbollah? Do we want to see half the country fighting half the
country? That is called civil war.
WEDEMAN: The Lebanese already had their civil war from 1975 to 1990 generously fueled by outside forces. Indeed the Lebanese had to deal with
invaders and interferes since the beginning of recorded history says, political satirist, (inaudible). Been there. Done that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't bother me because it's not just the Saudis. It's everybody. Iranians, American everybody.
WEDEMAN: The more this change in Lebanon, the more they stay the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: And tomorrow we understand that Hezbollah is going to make a speech in which he will comment on current affairs, the current crisis. So
stay tuned Becky.
ANDERSON: We absolutely will sir. Ben Wedeman on the case in Beirut. Ben, thank you.
On the campaign trail, China a big punching bag. Donald Trump blasting Beijing constantly over unfair in the way it trades stealing jobs and
amount to, quote, rapping the American economy. That hot talk has all but disappeared in the lavish trappings of Beijing's golden hall. We've got a
very different President Trump. President Xi Jinping rolling out the red carpet for him. CNN Jeff Zeleny is with the President. He has the details
from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Trump receiving regal welcome in China with new signs the flattery from President
Xi Jinping may be working. Softening his once stern stance on trade.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't blame China.
(APPLAUSE)
After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? I give China great
credit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Those words a far cry from his rhetoric on the campaign trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: China's taking our jobs, our money, our base, our manufacturing. We can't continue to allow China to rape our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: On the edge of China square, inside the great hall of the people today, Mr. Trump business practices instead pointing a finger at his
predecessors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I do blame past administrations for allowing this out of control trade deficit to take place and to grow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: The two leader met for hours during the President's two-day visit to Beijing. Mr. Trump called for a vibrant yet fair trading relationship
and announced pledges of 250 billion in American business agreements here. Yet North Korea's nuclear ambitions dominated the talks on the most
consequential stop of the president 13 days Asia tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Together we have in our power to finally liberate this region and the world from this very serious nuclear menace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: President Xi said China was committed to denuclearizing the Korean peninsula but stopped short of saying what else he would do to squeeze Kim
Jong-un economically. Mr. Trump became the first president since George H.W. Bush, not to insist that Chinese president take questions from the
press at a joint news conference, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that President Trump did discuss human rights with his Chinese counterpart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REX TILLERSON, SECRETARY OF STATE: The President also committed to promote exchanges and understanding between our peoples and had a frank exchange of
views on human rights issues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: President Trump's first state visit to China was intentionally filled with personal touches. To a dinner with his host he brought along
this video of his 6-year-old granddaughter Arabella speaking mandarin. President Xi praise her skills with an a plus.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Jeff reporting Trump just tweeting in the months and years ahead I look forward to building a stronger relations between the United States
and China. End tweet. CNN Kaitlan Collins traveling alongside President Trump. She joins us now live from Beijing. A U.S. President who we might
have thought just a year ago when we considered what he was saying about his great foe, the second super power, we might be surprised to have seen
this. What's behind this narrative? What's the U.S. strategy on this trip?
[10:10:07] KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly we saw the President really touting the chemistry that he feels he has with
Chinese President Xi Jinping during this trip. Lots of pageantry. Lots of flattery. Lots of praise. They really rolled out all the stops during
this visit. But this could be because the President really truly realizes that he needs China's help if he is going to have them exert more pressure
on North Korea. Those were his two main goals for this trip here in Beijing as he wraps these two days up. It was to get them to fully
implement those United Nations sanctions on North Korea. Clearly North Korea took the priority as you just saw from my colleague Jeff Zeleny's
reporting. The President softened his stance towards China on that trade imbalance saying not only does he not blame China, he praised them for
doing so and instead blamed past United States administrations. We really saw that President Xi was running the show here after they delivered the
two joint statements today where neither of them took any questions from reporters. It's not such a surprise from China, but it was quite a
surprise from the President. And when I asked the press secretary Sarah Sanders why they weren't taking any questions, she said the Chinese
insisted that they take none.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, that the trip and that is the situation so far. For the time being, Kaitlan thank you for that. Even in China
President Trump can't escape the Russia investigation. Pressure mounting on President Trump's fired national security, one Michael Flynn. Remember
him? CNN's Michelle Kosinski is live in Washington with more. Michelle?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT: CNN is now told by multiple sources who are familiar with this that Flynn has expressed
concern about the potential legal exposure now of his son Michael Flynn Jr. who like his father is under scrutiny by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Flynn's concern over this could factor into decisions about how to respond to Mueller ongoing investigation into Russian is meddling in the 2016
campaign. As well as business dealings of key Trump campaign advisers, Becky.
ANDERSON: What last legal questions the special counsel focusing on regarding Flynn?
KOSINSKI: Well, two witnesses who have themselves been interviewed by Special Counsel told CNN Jim Sciutto that questions regarding Flynn are
focused on his and his son's business dealings, including their firm's reporting of income from work overseas. This the foreign agent's
registration act that requires people who are acting as agents for foreign entities to publicly disclose their relationships with those entities and
any financial compensation they get for that work. Flynn Jr. serves as his father's chief of staff and top aide and he was actively involved, in his
father's consulting and lobbying work at their firm, Flynn Intel Group. That included joining his father on overseas trip including one to Moscow
in December 2015 that is when Flynn dined with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a black tie gala for Russia today television network. Flynn
senior is also under scrutiny for undisclosed lobbying during the campaign on behalf of the Turkish government. Flynn's alleged participation and
discussion about an idea forcibly removing Turkish cleric who has been living in exile in Pennsylvania, this according to sources. In the past we
should say a spokesman for Flynn has denied that such discussions happened.
ANDERSON: So Michelle, what happens next in this investigation?
KOSINSKI: Well, Flynn's business dealings have been the subject of federal investigations since back in November. Even before Mueller was appointed
as special prosecutor. It's not clear that either of the Flynn's are going to face any charges once the investigation complete. At least at this
point. Flynn's attorney didn't respond to request for comment. Flynn Jr. lawyer decline comment although Flynn Jr. just tweeted just this past
Sunday, quote, the disappointment on your faces when I don't go to jail will be worth all your harassment. Becky?
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Michelle always a pleasure. Thank you. Meanwhile a key person tied to the Russia investigation is nowhere to be found. This
man could be the professor, the possible link between Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign. Can we see him? If you haven't seen him, Nic Robertson
has him in this report that he just filed.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
[10:15:04] NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CNN CORRESPONDENT: Professor Joseph Mifsud fitting the description of foreign contact one in
the FBI's affidavit against candidate Trump former policy adviser George Papadopoulos has disappeared, laying low. He was last seen around Rome
Link University where he was working three days after the affidavit was unsealed. The FBI affidavit alleges in the spring of 2016 Mifsud told
Papadopoulos that the Russians, had thousands of e-mails relating to Clinton. The day before he disappeared, Mifsud told the Italian magazine
Papadopoulos claim was baloney. I absolutely exclude the fact that I spoke of secrets regarding Hillary Clinton.
Yet it appears to fly directly in the face of what a former associate of his told CNN. That they bragged to him that the Russians had a bunch of
stuff on Hillary right around the same time that Mifsud was meeting with Papadopoulos mid-April last year. The associate says that Mifsud had
appeared to enjoy being the center of attention. Indeed Mifsud has been getting a lot of attention from the Russians for several years. The
Russian ambassador to London in 2014 whom he introduced Papadopoulos to days after he'd become an adviser to Trump.
Mifsud was a participant, attending conferees in Russia, occasionally giving speaking roles often reserved for low qualified delegates. It was
following an engagement in Moscow, April of last year that Papadopoulos alleges Mifsud told him the Russians had dirt on Hillary. The FBI
affidavit states the Russian government and its security and intelligence services frequently make use of nongovernmental intermediaries to achieve
their foreign policy objectives.
That description of nongovernmental intermediary does appear to fit Mifsud. His former associate says that Mifsud's proclivity for self-aggrandizement,
name dropping, passing on pretty much anything he was told could had led him to the used as a go between.
Until he hit the headlines las week, his career had been unremarkable in the extreme with a checkered professional track record. However Mifsud
credential were enough to him to be offered a teaching position at the University of Sterling in Scotland. Since being dragged into the lime
light as a controversial link to possible Russian malfeasance, he is become an object of ridicule in Russia, one host calling a retired bottom feeder
diplomat. Such character assassination is suspicious and further cloud's Mifsud's already shaky reputation. Nic Robertson, CNN.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Still ahead tonight, another political blow for the British Prime Minister. What prompted Theresa May's call, for a second resignation
in her cabinet in just a week? That is up next taking a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:21:10] ANDERSON: Well President Trump isn't the only world leader with a heap of problems. Britain's Prime Minister has had a rough few days.
Theresa May has just appointed a new international development secretary after Priti Patel was forced from her post. It was the second in cabinet
resignation in just a week. Patel admitted she had secret meetings with Israeli officials while on holiday. That came on top of a series of sexual
misconduct accusations and then another crisis. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson under fire after diplomatic blunder involving a British citizen
imprisoned in Iran. As to the meetings Patel had, she had floated an idea that would contradict Britain's long standing policy on the Middle East.
CNN's Diana Magnay has the details from London for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rarely has the Nairobi throw flight path been so avidly trapped. Rare for a government minister to get this type of
escort for the short trip to number 10 Downing Street. So why, you ask, does this one? Because Priti Patel, until just a few hours ago,
international development secretary, appears to have been less than transparent about a series of meetings she held with Israeli officials
while she was on holiday in Israel last summer. Controversial because the foreign office in number 10 like to know when their ministers meet when
meeting with other country's senior officials, in this instance Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their down time.
When the Israeli leader came to visit Prime Minister Theresa May last week it seems she still haven't been inform. Didn't know Patel had floated the
idea of sending aide to the Israeli defense forces to support humanitarian operations. Impossible for Britain given at it views Israel's occupation
of the heights as illegal. It was only on Monday that Patel issued an apology for failing to follow the usual protocol having told Theresa May
that he'd actually held 12 separate meetings in Israel which might seem like official business on her family holiday. Two days later there had in
fact been more meetings at which point Mrs. May felt that she needed to summon Priti Patel back.
In an exchange of letters accepting Patel's resignation the Prime Minister said as you know, the U.K. and Israel are close allies right we should work
closely together, but that must be done formally and through official channel. Theresa May' government has the sacking of Patel a rare assertion
of authority over a cabinet that is in short supply. Dianna Magnay CNN, London.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: CNN Dana Stewart following all the developments from 10 Downing Street. If you didn't know better and you might say that politics in
Britain is broken. Certainly since the Brexit vote. It seems we've had a drip, drip of bad news. Just how damaged is Mrs. May and her minority
government?
ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER: Well, it's not looking good. If you look at this, she is lost two cabinet ministers in a week. That just looks
careless, doesn't it? Also she was already facing a lot of pressure before any of this happened. Both from inside Downing Street with her cabinet
over the direction she is taken with Brexit, from the opposition parties and also from Brussels where negotiations resume today. A few moments ago
we did see the replacement for Priti Patel. She was just leaving having been promoted to international development secretary from a fairly minor
role in the work and pension department. So we'll be seeing whether that is enough to steady the ship here at Downing Street.
[10:25:12] ANDERSON: Ana Stewart outside number 10. Thank you. Coming up, a bizarre and tumultuous week in the Middle East, from missiles
launched to a very strange and sudden resignation of Lebanon's Prime Minister. We'll break all of that down for you. Up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:30:15] BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Well, it has been a momentous week in the Middle East. A Prime Minister has resigned but no
one really knows what happened. A young crown prince has unleashed an anti-corruption campaign in Saudi Arabia. Unprecedented. Houthi rebels in
Yemen have lobbed missiles at Saudi Arabia prompting Riyadh to lob rhetorical fire bombs at Iran and its allies. Do you follow? One man is
following all that is colleague John Defterios. You've got some new reports, John.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: We're getting clarity on the number being investigated due to the corruption and the depth of the
embezzlement itself. We've been working on an official number into the last 35-40 minutes of 49 detained. Now the Attorney General's office said
they brought in officially 208 individuals. They released seven already. So the official number as of today is 201. There were some very big
numbers tossed about 24 hours ago suggesting that the embezzlement could be in the range of $800 billion. There's suggesting that it is widespread but
we are looking at around $100 billion tonight. Not $800 billion, but $100 billion.
ANDERSON: Which is an awful lot of money.
DEFTERIOS: Still a lot of money. They're saying it stretches back decades. The thing that stood out is they're suggesting that the
investigation started three years ago. It's been a long week. Its day five since the announcement early Sunday morning. I think locally the
reason that is interesting is because it predates King Salman in the thrown. It is the time of King Abdlah who passed away in 2015 and the
crown prince before him. Quite fascinating that they've been probing this for a while. They came down like a hammer with the crown prince in the
position right now. We have a scale that it's been going back for decades.
ANDERSON: I interviewed the foreign minister a couple days ago. And the Attorney General have said this is only the beginning of this. This would
get wider. That was a couple days ago. We have seen the numbers are wider and deeper than we first initially thought. And this campaign now not
limited to Saudi Arabia. What more do we know?
DEFTERIOS: This is something we found out last night. Significant in sense that they decided to request the central bank of the United Arab
Emirates to start scanning the accounts of the original 17 that have been in the Ritz Carlton hotel plus two other high profile members of the ruling
family. Just limited to the 19. The UAE made it very clear, because of its independence they're not going to freeze those accounts, but they will
scan the accounts on behalf of the central bank. I think it's also very important again in a regional context to suggest, why did they come to the
UAE, the UAE is involved in the embargo against Qatar and involved in, the battle of Yemen. A very trusted partner they're getting the temperament to
see outside of Saudi Arabia, what is out there with those 19 major investors? The prince is one of those at $17 billion. Going back to the
$800 billion, it seemed high when they crossed yesterday and I will tell you why. Bank deposits in the country officially at the end of 2016 were
$430 billion. About $450 billion in 2017. It's extra ordinary to think they would freeze up the whole banking system. I think for the
international community watching tonight they would say this is $100 billion, it is a $650 billion economy is perhaps manageable.
ANDERSON: If you want to look at this positively, and with some optimism and with some sort of confidence, you would say look, flagged widely by the
young crown prince back in the summer and he spoke on Arabic speaking TV saying he was going to go after those who were indulging in the assets of
the country. This is the year of elite indulgence is over. But you talk about the international community. I mean, we have seen the impact
certainly on the local markets here. Those who believe this cleanup is overdue will be I'm sure supportive of this. But how concerned will the
international community be about doing business in the country going forward?
DEFTERIOS: It's a crucial question. There's two ways to see it. The reining agency put out a report today on the very subject. They said near
term political uncertainty, obviously this is rattling the cage and people don't nowhere we're going next, how deep it will be. The Attorney
General's statement earlier in the week was suggesting this is the end of phase one without answering how much longer it's going to be. As an
international observer that we are, an international investor, they had 3,000 of them in Riyadh when we were at the investment conference
suggesting how many different phases are there going to be, but Fitch was suggesting we've all known and I've been covering the country for 20 years
and we've all known about the corruption in Saudi Arabia.
[10:35:16] Even journalist in Saudi Arabia are saying we never reported on it. It's actually the right time to really shake things up, get to the
bottom of it, suggest the ruling family, members of the ruling family are not immune from it a well. Let's cleanup once and for all. I think they
need benchmarks. $100 million is something that can be managed. The $650 billion economy is large. It back dates decade, but it can be cleaned up.
$800 billion that will be a very different story.
ANDERSON: As we say that story has been knocked back with the announcement by the Attorney General. In juts how many people are involved in this
probe, now 208, seven as you say have been released and so we're looking at 201 individuals, asset to the tune of $100 billion. We know finally, John
that this anti-corruption commission is very much wrapped up in the vision for Saudi going forward and how it diversifies and modernizes its economy
while we acknowledge now it seems that this idea of this anti-corruption probe has been going on for some time. Just remind us of the context of
2030, this vision for the country going forward and why it's important to this young crown prince in his early 30's to ensure that a younger
generation is determined that what they do in the country, they will benefit from effectively.
DEFTERIOS: I look at it as three key pillars to the 2030 plan. The vision 2030 was launched 18 months ago. Its economic reform to diversify away
from oil. He was the second leg of that is a more moderate interpretation of Islam which he announced at the summit as well. One of those key
announcement was allow women to drive and Jun 2018 you are in Jeddah when he made the announcement. But the third leg he is suggesting is not
business as usual in the past. We've been trying to reform since the 1970s. We never live up to the promise. We plan to live up to the
promise. But the third leg is that, is that everybody's going to be held accountable in the future. Now, outside observers are saying this is a
power grab, he knocked out some key players in the ruling family, but they're suggesting now we're going to let it go through the due process and
the court of law. It's a good test for Saudi Arabia to be candid to see if the legal system holds up to the challenge.
ANDERSON: John Defterios is in the house for you. We have been consumed by this reporting, haven't we?
DEFTERIOS: Seems like a long week.
ANDERSON: Saturday night local time. I don't think John's had been to bed since then. I certainly haven't. Thank you John.
Earlier in the show we were talking about Lebanon and the political crisis there. Part and parcel of the news that we've been covering over the past
three or four days or five day serve. The country is a battleground for a proxy standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia. But they aren't just butting
heads over Lebanon, those two. They are also divided over Yemen, a country right here in the gulf that is two years into what is a bloody civil war.
Devastating, struggling with devastating cholera not to mention famine. Earlier this week the U.N. calls for the Saudi led coalition to immediately
lift the blockade. One is preventing humanitarian aid from entering the country, something I pressed the Saudi foreign minister on just days ago.
This is what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADEL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI ARABIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The coalitions looking that mechanisms that will make the inspections regime in Yemen more
efficient while at the same time increasing the capacity to bring in humanitarian supplies into Yemen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Let's dig a little deeper on this. The ruler (inaudible) with me, she is the deputy editor of the financial times joins us from CNN in
London. This could be a very wide ranging discussion let's talk about your -- just your analysis of the past four or five days in what has developed
since the weekend when we saw the announcement of an anti-corruption commission, the arrest of so many high profile characters, a ballistic
missile launch on Riyadh from Yemen and the resignation of the Lebanese Prime Minister there on Saudi backed TV. Your analysis briefly. If you
will.
ROULA KHALAL, DEPUTY EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES: Becky, thank you. You might have missed couple of other events, but essentially the way I see it is
there are various elements that all points in one direction that are not necessarily link.
[10:40:01] What I mean by that is that you have a young leader in Saudi Arabia who is consolidating power. What happens internally with the anti-
corruption purge, if part of this is consolidation of power? Now you also have a young leader Saudi Arabia who wants to assert his authority in the
region and therefore has decided that he will stand up to Saudi Arabia. Now, Saudi Arabia has been standing up to Iran, but not as aggressively as
they want too it now. The victim in all of this appears to be Lebanon. Because --
ANDERSON: Right. Ok. Roula in your most recent article about Saudi Arabia's ambitious forms, you said and I quote, what King Salman is
building with one hand he could be destroying with the other. I guess you're talking there about what he is building so far as sort of foreign
policy, this muscular approach to Iran on the one hand with what he is trying to build so far as this modern and diverse economy on the other. I
hear this from both these critics and to be honest his supporters. Who say, you know, while we may support what he is doing, is it too much too
fast? Let me provide sort of devil's advocate on this one as it were to account the balance. If he doesn't get on with it, the alternative is as
ever in this country, there'll be sort of drip feed of ideas, you know, back to consensus politics and nothing will change.
KHALAL: I understand that argument. And I think definitely Saudi Arabia does need drastic change. Saudi Arabia needs transformation. There are
elements of the crown prince's policies that are handled properly. That, for instance, would be on the social front where I think he is taking
matters step by step, introducing entertainment, for instance, and then saying women will drive, but they will drive next year. So he appears to
be mindful of the potential backlash, but also of Saudi society. Now, let's take on the other, hand that is going on with Iran. Declaration t we
want to get tough with Iran needs to be followed by elements and factors that allows Saudi Arabia to be tough with Iran, so today for instance.
ANDERSON: Who what -- keep going, give examples. What do they do?
KHALAL: Two examples. One would be in terms of foreign policy and I think the other one would be in terms of the economy. So I was telling you about
foreign policy. Getting tough with Iran is also necessary in the region. It is perfectly understand ae that Saudi Arabia needs to stand up to Iran.
But you have to think it through. You have to think of what are the elements that I have in order to be able to stand up to Iran. How do I go
about it? So today Lebanon is in the midst of a crisis. It doesn't even know where its Prime Minister is. Whether the Prime Minister can return.
It doesn't seem to have been real preparation within Lebanon for what is about to unfold and no one knows what it is. Let's take the economic
front. On the one hand, there are very important, very serious domestic reforms that the crown prince want to implement and has started. The
necessary diversification from oil. Cutting waste, trimming subsidies. All of these measures are important. But then if you round up a whole
bunch of very big businessmen in Saudi Arabia without transparency, without accountability, what message are you sending to investors?
ANDERSON: Ok. I hear what you say. You trust your investment in Saudi Arabia?
I hear what you're saying. And also you will hear from the Attorney General that this probe has been on going behind the scenes, because quite
frankly they didn't want to reveal that it was going on and they say that due process will be revealed. There will be accountability. And the legal
process will be followed. So we are yet to see how this develops. You are making some very good points. It's a pleasure having you on. Thank you.
Live from Abu Dhabi. This Connect the World, coming up, an Egyptian wonders is resurrected we'll go inside a stunning recreation of an ancient
pharaoh's tomb. That is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:47:29] ANDERSON: Indiana Jones dashing and handsome and almost always about three seconds from death. But of course searching for ancient
treasure isn't often as they (inaudible) as it is in the movie, in fact in some ways, its way more cool, because it's totally real. Brilliant minds
to connect us to a past we all share in what is a truly beautiful piece here. Nick Glass quite literally enlightens us.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
NICK GLASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The magic is seeing this with candlelight. A man with an obsession to document the tomb of an ancient Egyptian
pharaoh, Seti the first.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tomb actually tells us how the people from 3 1/2 thousand years ago, think different things, how different philosophy the
way they thought can be read through the evidence that is on the walls of these tombs and if we can really build a dialogue that, crosses time and
use technology to help that, I think that is an incredibly exciting moment.
GLASS: Just a room, you think. But what a room. The hall of beauties. What just as astonishing is that this is, in fact, a facsimile? A precise
re-creation in a museum in Switzerland of how the room look exactly 200 years ago when the tomb was discovered. Adam's specialist art company has
made tomb facsimiles before. They scan the tomb in 2009 and made a replica now installed as tourist attraction in Egypt. The same methods we use for
Seti's tombs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're now making high resolution molds using 3d printing technologies from laser scan data that have never involved any
contact at all.
GLASS: No contact at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Zero contact at any point in any of the operation.
GLASS: The Seti replica was milled in an art shop in Madrid and a fine flexible skin added. The facsimile was assembled in panels. Set's tomb
was discovered in 1817 by an Italian circus strongman and an adventurer known as the great Belzoni. The vivid decoration entrance him and as a
record of series of water colors was painted. Soon whole sections of the wall were hacked off as trophies. This fragment ended up in the British
museum. This original relief of the goddess (inaudible) with her feather head dress is from a museum in Florence. The only way you can tell she is
the real thing is she is under, protective glass. The copies aren't.
[10:50:43] This is what Set's tomb looks like now as virtual reality. Still absolutely extraordinary, multiple rooms and a decent of over 130
meters into the rock. Still the longest and deepest tomb in the Valley of the Kings now damaged. Once decorated but now patchy and in places almost
entirely bleached of color. For this exhibition, they've made facsimiles of several rooms from Set's tomb as they are now. It is the first Egyptian
trained in the new digital technology use from making the facsimiles. She sent four months scanning the tomb last year. What was it like?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being in the tomb the first time was insane. It was just magical. It was closed and nobody could have seen it for about 40
years. And then all of a sudden I get to go inside it. I was, like, what? You know, it was one of those, like, dream comes true sort of. When I
entered here the first time, I was, like, I feel like I'm in the tomb. The only difference is there's not enough dust. It's just the same feeling.
GLASS: But arguably the high point of this exhibition is the regeneration of the hall of beauties, with color back in his cheeks just as he was found
way back in 1817.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is resurrection.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In a way it is. Without becoming Disney land or whatever in a scientific and well-informed way, the facsimile can prove
this, what we said, this added value can show more than what you can see in the tomb.
GLASS: They still resume scanning other rooms in Seti's tomb early next year. The long term aim is to make a facsimile of it all in places in the
Valley of the Kings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to remember the Egyptians didn't want the tombs to change. They made them to last for eternity. Never to be visited.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Up next, amazing, huh? A cultural cornerstone right in our own back yard. That is next.
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[10:55:33] ANDERSON: We are now parting shots this evening, a moment to reflect on what surely is set to be a cultural cornerstone. Earlier this
week we gave you a first look inside the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Ten years in the making and so impressive. It really is a work of art. This was me,
one of just a very lucky few to go take it all in at the official ground inauguration. Surrounded by royals and top dignitaries last night. Like
French President Emmanuel Macron. The museum a 30 year partnership with France, that aims to bring cultures together and show humanity in a new
light. I have to say this absolutely remarkable. It's well worth a visit. I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team working
with me here and those working with us around the world as ever, very good evening. Thanks for watching. Same time. Same place. Sunday. This is
the end of our working week.
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