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E.U. Receives Conflicting Letters From U.K. Government; White House No Longer Hosting G7 At Trump's Resort; Protesters Block Off Streets, Fire Petrol Bombs; Thousands March Against Corruption, Tax Hikes; Esper: Ceasefire Generally Seems To Be Holding In Syria; South Africa Advance To Semifinals With Win Over Japan; Meghan Markle: Not Many People Have Asked If I'm OK. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 20, 2019 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALISON KOSIK, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Alison Kosik, I'm sitting in for Becky Anderson. This

weekend's events were intended to bring some clarity to the chaos of Brexit with less than two weeks to go until the deadline, but instead, it's even

more confusing.

After Parliament failed to pass his Brexit deals Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent a letter to the European Union, asking for a delay past

October 31st. He was legally obligated to do that, although he didn't sign the request. But Mr. Johnson did sign and send a separate letter urging

Europe not to grant an extension and that's got many in Britain and elsewhere furious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MCDONNELL, SHADOW FINANCE MINISTER: Not really. Because he's also sent another letter which seems to be -- well, actually, he may well be in

contempt of Parliament or the courts themselves because he's clearly trying to undermine the first letter, and not signing the letter too.

He's behaving a bit like a spoiled brat. The Parliament made a decision. He should abide by it. And this idea that you send another letter

contradicting the first, I think that defies in the face of what Parliament and the courts have decided.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Mr. Johnson's cabinet meeting is today to discuss the government's plans if the U.K. does leave without a deal on October 31st. Anna Stewart

has been following all the Brexit twists and turns for us, and she joins us now live from London. There is a lot to keep -- to keep track here. So

we've got two letters, you know, one saying one thing and not signing it, another saying another. Bottom line, is Brexit too late or not?

ANNA STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: Yes, that is the big question. You know what, Alison? It isn't a straightforward answer here. You're

right. We have this letter. This is the one that Boris Johnson was obliged by law to send to the E.U. This ask for a Brexit extension.

But you'll note here, the Prime Minister of the U.K. is down there, but there is no signature in the middle. However, we have this second letter.

Dear Donald -- that's President Tusk's first name and it's signed by with a signature Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister.

Now, this is the one that's got everybody hot under the collar. Why in the first letter he did request an E.U. extent -- sorry -- a Brexit extension

from the E.U., and this one and I'll bring it up for you, he says that any delay to Brexit would be corrosive.

He says while it is open to the E.U. to exceed the request mandated by Parliament, also offer an alternative extension period, I have made clear

since becoming Prime Minister and make clear to Parliament again today my view and the government's position that a further extension would damage

the interests of the U.K. and our E.U. partners and the relationship between us.

So essentially saying to the E.U. maybe you shouldn't grant us the extension I have had to be forced to request. Now, this brings up all

sorts of questions to that I will address. Firstly, the EU, they have the power to grant an extension or not. They don't have to do so immediate.

They've got essentially until October 31st to make that call. They may give the Prime Minister a window of time without making any answers and we

can try and hammer through his deal.

Secondly, as you heard there from John McDonald, the sound bite you play just now, lots of his opponents' question whether or not the Prime Minister

is breaking the law. He did request extension as obliged by law, but has he frustrated the process by writing this second letter?

All very confusing. There is a court sitting tomorrow. But honestly, super Saturday yesterday, the first Saturday where we've had a parliament

sitting since 1982 has just ended up being super confusing and with lots and lots of people scratching their heads today. Alison?

KOSIK: Meantime, hundreds of thousands of people turned out for an anti- Brexit March yesterday. Are you expecting to see more of the same today?

STEWART: Not today, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see more of those protests in the days to come. That protest was absolutely huge. I would

say there was some nasty parts of the protest just a few bad apples perhaps, but insults were thrown at politicians leaving parliament. It all

got a little bit aggressive in some situations yesterday.

It's important to remember that while in London, we get these huge remain protest. Elsewhere in the country, there are big areas that voted to leave

the E.U. And should Brexit be frustrated much further, I wouldn't be surprised if we also see some major protests on the other side. Everyone

very hot under the collar and very frustrated I think by the whole process. Alison?

[10:05:34]

KOSIK: Yes. I think there could be Brexit fatigue really, really building at this point. Anna Stewart live from London, thanks so much. An abrupt

and rare reversal by the U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House will not be using the President's private Florida property for next year's G7

summit.

The administration had argued Trump National Golf Resort in Doral was cheaper than other options and this summit would be run without profit.

But after relentless backlash from both sides of the political aisle, the White House changed course. Kristen Holmes joins me live from just outside

the White House. Good morning to you, Kristen.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Alison. Well, that's exactly right, and it's a rare reversal for President Trump. And I want to

know one thing, it wasn't that the White House came out and said this, President Trump himself did. He said in a series of tweet and of course,

he spent the entire day tweeting yesterday attacking members of his own party, attacking members of other parties.

And then he said that he thought that he could save money by doing it at Doral, but that he was attacked by Democrats. He blamed the media and said

that now they were looking at other options, including Camp David.

There are a lot of very interesting factors in this. So let's start with the Doral portion of it and his backtrack. We know that it was not just

Democrats and the media who are raising their antenna over this. Republicans came out and, on the record, on camera, we're saying that this

was a bad idea. That even if it wasn't illegal, that the optics especially given this timing with the impeachment inquiry, were terrible.

Now, Mick Mulvaney, the Acting White House Chief of Staff who was the one who originally said that this foreign leaders' summit was going to be at

Doral, he was just interviewed and they asked him, what was it -- what was it about Mr. Trump that made him change his mind.

And this is really interesting. He said that President Trump was shocked at all of the backlash. He really didn't think that there was going to be

so much pushback, saying essentially, that President Trump still views himself as in the hospitality business, and that he wanted to put on a

show. And this, of course, got pushed back from the interviewer saying, well, he is the President of the United States.

But it's interesting here that if President Trump really did not know that announcing that this big global summit would be at his own property, not

know that that would cause so much backlash.

KOSIK: That's quite amazing. I was not realized that the reason -- the reason behind it for him to sort of turn was for optics. Since when does

the President worry about optics, Kristen?

HOLMES: Yes. Well, that's a great question. We know that this is not something that he normally cares about. Actually, in fact, when the Acting

Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney announced that it was going to be at Doral, he said that President Trump knows there's going to be some pushback, but he's

just going to go ahead and forge through it anyway.

So right there, the fact that he didn't is pretty shocking. But I want to know one other thing about those tweets and about where we stand now, as we

kind of move forward through this impeachment inquiry.

Obviously, last week during this entire press conference talking about Doral, it's also the same time that the Acting Chief of Staff did say in a

stunning admission that there was a quid pro quo. That in fact, the White House had withheld aid from Ukraine because it wanted them to investigate

into Democrats.

So something that as we move forward into this impeachment inquiry, I thought, we're really keeping an eye on because that was another thing that

these Republicans were really shocked by. They said, they couldn't believe that he got out there and said it. And they said this, of course, has

caused for great concern.

And in these tweets, when President Trump announces that it will no longer be a Doral, he also mentions Camp David. And the reason why that is so

interesting is because it completely undermines his Acting Chief of Staff who on the podium when he announced Doral, basically slams Camp David,

which of course is where President Obama had held his big Leaders' Summit back in 2012 saying that it was too small and it was too remote.

But we are sense learning as of this morning that before this impeachment inquiry, that Acting Chief of Staff, he was on thin ice and they decided to

turn their attention to the big stuff and let that go for now.

KOSIK: Yes, it just never ends the news coming out of the White House. All right, Kristen Holmes, thanks so much for all the latest out of the

White House. And joining me now CNN Political Analyst and "Washington Post" Columnist Josh Rogin.

Good morning, Josh.

JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Alison.

KOSIK: I tell you what, I was shocked. Not every day you get a clear reversal from the White House. I'm talking about where the G7 in June is

going to be held. Kristen talks about what propelled the President to go ahead and pull the idea, optics. I'll ask the same question to you. How

shocked are you that they were concerned about optics?

[10:10:17]

ROGIN: Right. Well, I think this is an accumulation of the impeachment drama, the Syria drama, and now the corrupt -- the corruption accusation

surrounding the G7. And all together, it has amounted in just enough pressure to make the White House care about how it looks.

And I think, especially when you saw Mitch McConnell's op-ed in the Washington Post just on Friday which argued against Trump's Syria

withdrawal, you see that the Republican Party even in the Senate is cracking and they're starting to feel more comfortable with challenging the

president in public.

And so, in that environment, for the moment, the White House is sensitive to that. That's not -- it doesn't mean it'll stay that way. It doesn't

mean that they've turned a corner or anything like that. It's just right at this moment they need to keep Republicans on sight as much as possible.

KOSIK: All right, let's get a little bit deeper into the impeachment inquiry. So this week, we are going to see another round of major closed-

door testimony from various people. Where do things stand with the President's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, though, who's saying that, you

know, he's refusing all cooperation with the impeachment investigation, but for some reason, seems to wind up talking with reporters on a daily basis.

Can he be compelled to testify?

ROGIN: Right. Well, it remains to be seen whether or not Congress is willing to use the power at its disposal to actually compel Rudy to

testify. Right now, they haven't seemed to go that far. Right now, all of the officials that have testified have done so either under subpoena will -

- or were willing to testify. We haven't seen any major confrontations.

We're going to see U.S. Ambassador -- well, (INAUDIBLE) but he's a -- has the title of ambassador Bill Taylor testify on Tuesday. That's a huge

deal. He's the one who texted that it was crazy to hold military assistance in exchange for political favors.

As for Rudy, he's got a bigger problem. His associates are getting arrested one by one by one. And his major concern right now should be the

case brewing in Southern District of New York, which is a federal criminal investigation, and according to CNN reporting, a counterintelligence

investigation.

So he's got two big problems but the testimony is not the biggest one. And, you know, seeing that he fired his lawyer, he doesn't seem to have a

strategy. And why he keeps talking to reporters, nobody could figure that out. It seems crazy, but personally, I'm all for that.

KOSIK: Well, now the mouthpiece for the White House -- White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. We're learning that he faced internal efforts by

Jared Kushner and others to oust him even before the Democrats moved forward with their impeachment inquiry.

The White House is standing with, you know, with its line saying things haven't changed with Mulvaney, but it really feels like he's on thin ice.

Do you see him staying with the administration?

ROGIN: I do. I think that basically what happens is you have these factions inside the White House that are always either leaking on each

other or throwing the other one under the bus when the heat gets too high. And, you know, Mick Mulvaney made a huge mistake last week by admitting a

quid pro quo and then trying to walk it back.

And of course, after that, there's going to be other factions saying, oh, well, I guess we got to get rid of Mick Mulvaney. But, you know, that

doesn't mean that he's going to go anytime soon for two good reasons. One, there's nobody else really prime to take that job, you know.

And, you know, two, he's still got a big role to play because he was a key figure in this whole Ukraine mess. And if he's outside the tent, that's

more dangerous for the president. And they have more control over him and more influence over him if he's still there. So it's really in their

interest to keep him on-site and keep him in that job, meanwhile, leaking about him all the time.

KOSIK: OK, Josh Rogin, fantastic to get your analysis on everything Trump.

ROGIN: Anytime.

KOSIK: All right, we've just gotten some powerful reaction from one of the Democratic contenders for U.S. president to comments Mr. Trump made on

Turkey's invasion of northern Syria. Pete Buttigieg is an Afghanistan war veteran. And he reacted to President Trump's assertion that for many

years, Turkey had a "legitimate problem with terrorists in northeast Syria where Kurds are living," and Turkey had to have it "cleaned out." Here's

what Buddha just told Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Those kinds of phrases have the darkest rhymes in world history. We don't talk about cleaning out

people, especially when there is an ethnic minority that has faced atrocities and appears to be facing crimes against humanity and atrocities

perhaps beginning right now.

Look, the security concerns of Turkey can be taken seriously without green lighting the kind of thing that this President has allowed. But the real

consequence of this isn't just what's happening to Kurds or what's happening in Syria, it's what's happening to the United States of America.

Because when American presidents -- when an American President talks like that, when an American president pulls the rug out from under people who

trusted us with their lives, that's going to have implications for American interests all over the world.

Any place in the world, where we need someone to trust us to go out on a limb to fight alongside our troops, it's going to be harder, and that could

last for decades, and will make America less safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:15:38]

KOSIK: Stay with us. We'll be speaking with the U.S. representative for the Syrian Democratic Council. That's coming up in about 15 minutes.

The Streets of Hong Kong were packed for another day of violent demonstrations. Officials had banned Sunday's March, but tens of thousands

still rallied, some throwing petrol bombs and vandalizing shops. Riot police fired tear gas at the crowds. Our Anna Coren was in the middle of

the chaotic scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the 20th consecutive weekend of protest here in Hong Kong. And as you can see, these

protesters, the frontline protesters are setting up barricades here on Nathan Road, one of the busiest roads here in Hong Kong.

They're getting anything and throwing things together for these make-shift barricades. As you can see, petrol bombs and fire (INAUDIBLE) to these

barricades. And it looks like -- look what they do with their place. There are still protesters who set fire. What a ferocious fire to

barricades in front of us.

Now we know that the police are 500 meters in that direction. They fired multiple rounds of tear gas. The water kettle used to disperse the crowd,

pushing everybody down here to (INAUDIBLE). Now, this began as a very peaceful protest. Tens of thousands if not over 100,000 people turn out

for an unlawful assembly.

The police had denied the March as had the court which was trying to be organized by the civil human rights front, the same group that organize the

two million people launched back in June. Well, the march was denied, the protest is turned out regardless. And they say that this is their rise.

This is their civil liberty come out onto the streets and protest. They are calling for an independent inquiries to police brutality. They want

the Hong Kong Police force to be disbanded. And of course, they now want universal suffrage. That has become the main goal really of these

protests.

But we've heard from the city's chief executive Carrie Lam who said that is never going to happen. We also heard from the Chinese President Xi Jinping

who said any act of separatism will be crushed. The group of people here, this is an act of defiance, four months into these protests and they are

turning out in their thousands with make-shift weapons, their metal pipes, their hammers, their sledgehammers.

They are smashing up shops that is seen as pro-China. They have vandalized the train stations that seems to be the eyes of the Hong Kong government.

They're taking to the streets and they say they will continue to take to the streets until the government listens. Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. After the break, angry protests role on in Lebanon. And now one of the most influential groups is making

its voice heard. We're live in Beirut next. And will bring you a live update on the situation in Syria. What both sides have to say about the

tumultuous ceasefire.

[10:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANY MORTADA, ACTIVIST, LEBANON (through translator): We are continuing with the movement even if we have to escalate. We will remain part of the

movement until the last breath. This at the end has become like our job because there are no jobs in the country. Our job has become to demand our

rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Demonstrations across Lebanon roll into the fourth day. These were the scenes on Saturday night, at times it looked more like a celebration.

Tens of thousands of protesters want the current government to resign over the country's economic crisis. Saturday evening, the finance minister

declared no new taxes will be imposed upon citizens, but overnight, four ministers resigned from the government, and those largely peaceful

demonstrations have continued on Sunday.

Our Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman has been following these protests for the past few days. He is live for us in Beirut. Good morning

to you, Ben. And one of the unique aspects of leadership in Lebanon is its coalition of government of national unity, you know, represent various

political and religious groups in the country. But how is it holding up against the pressure from these protests?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, really, Alison, it's not holding up at all. What we've seen is they've had to step back on

that WhatsApp tax, which was the spark to these protests, although not the fundamental cause to them. Now, as we heard, Ali Hassan Khalil, the

finance minister say, no new taxes on citizens. And the entire austerity budget, it was declared just a few months ago -- that was being worked on a

few months ago after the government declared an emergency -- economic emergency, that's all out the window.

In fact, why don't we put a camera out the window right now. One of the reasons why we're not found in the square is that there's so many people

there that we just cannot get a signal for our equipment. But what we are seeing is that this is really people's power in action. They're -- the

government has stepped back once, twice, three times, but that is only -- it hasn't even met the minimal demands of these protests.

And you mentioned the nature of the coalition government here in Lebanon, it does represent theoretically sectarian groups, political parties, but

speak to anybody down there and they'll say, well, who they -- what they really represent are their selfish interests, the interests -- the narrow

interests of the business and political elite, which has people here will tell you abandon them years ago, and therefore, this is why people are out.

Now we know that it's just about 24 1/2 hours until Prime Minister Saad Hariri's ultimatum to his government partners to put aside their

differences and make a concrete proposals and measures to solve the problems of Lebanon.

The clock is ticking and the numbers in the streets -- and it's important to stress, Alison, these protests are not just in Beirut, there in various

parts of Beirut. And basically, all of the major cities and towns of Lebanon, from Tripoli in the north to Tyre in the south, and their

protesters represent every sectarian group in this country.

And they want not just a change of government, they want a fundamental change in how this country is run and who runs it. Alison?

KOSIK: Those are some strong demands. You know, you look at what's happening in the streets there, those incredible pictures. You know, these

-- as you said, these protests are over tax hikes and corruption. Is there even a sense among these people that their voices will have an impact for

those demands?

WEDEMAN: We've seen it already. They -- these -- they are having an impact. And the longer these protests go on, the country will essentially

become paralyzed. Tomorrow, for instance, many universities will be closed, banks will be closed. That's after Friday, they were closed, as

well. So we are looking at what looks like an open-ended popular revolt against the status quo writ large.

And the government, as I said, it keeps on retreating and retreating and retreating. But it's not quite clear how far back they can go. Keep in

mind that Lebanon has more than $80 billion in foreign debt. It has about 150 percent that it spends as opposed to what it makes every year. It's

got one of the -- one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios on earth.

And demand as they might, the people in the streets, the money is running out. The country is nearly bankrupted. The economy is at an essential

standstill. But now we have this standoff between the people in the street and the people in power. Alison?

KOSIK: And you make a good point there. You've got this country so deep in debt, and you've got the government kind of throwing out those austerity

measures that it had planned on putting into place. What's Plan B then? They've still got that load of debt.

WEDEMAN: Well, Plan B, according to this tweet put out by the finance minister last night was to somehow start focusing on the banking sector.

Because of course, the finance sector in Lebanon has since the end of the Civil War in 1990 been really the focus of the Lebanese government's

development efforts.

It hasn't put much into manufacturing or anything like that. Lebanon has always been a banking center in the Middle East. But that has benefited a

really small number of people and left many others trying to find work however they can.

You speak to most young Lebanese, they say that we're desperate at this point to get out of the country because in Lebanon, if you're graduating

from college, even with an engineering degree, a medical degree, it's very hard to get a job.

So, at least in theory, it appears that the government is going to start focusing on the money, the banks. But it's a good question if that's going

to be feasible given that most Lebanese political leaders also either owned banks are major stockholders in Lebanon's banks have been incestuous and

this is going to be a hard knot to untie.

KOSIK: Ben Wedeman, so great talking with you. Thanks so much for that fantastic context and those incredible pictures. Ben Wedeman reporting

live from Beirut. In just a moment on CONNECT THE WORLD, we'll answer the who, what, where and why of the crisis in Syria with live updates from the

Turkish Syrian border, and Washington.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:32:44]

KOSIK: The U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has made a surprise stop in Afghanistan. It's his first visit with service members stationed in the

Mideast.

Secretary Esper is on a week-long trip with stops in the Mideast, Asia, and Europe. Speaking in a press gaggle before landing, he said the U.S. troop

withdrawal from Syria will take weeks not days.

As we update you on the crisis in Syria, a word of warning to our viewers. Some may find the video and images disturbing. Turkey is rejecting claims

its forces are committing war crimes in Syria. After a report from Amnesty International was published, saying civilians have been attacked.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops are still on their way out. The U.S. secretary of defense says American troops will regroup in western Iraq before

redeploying. And says the American brokered ceasefire appears to be holding.

That's after a different U.S. official said Turkish backed forces broke the ceasefire on Friday. Turkey, again denying the allegations. Civilians

continue to flee the area with Turkey's president warning his offensive will pick back up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): If it works, it works. If it doesn't, the minute 120 hours expire, we will

continue from where we left and keep crushing the heads of the terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, joins me now live from the Turkish-Syrian border. Hello to you. What's the latest?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alison, you know, you've heard these different reports on whether this ceasefire is actually

holding or not. Just to give you an idea where we are, we're not far from that town of Ras al-Ain. That is where much of the fighting had been

concentrated before this pause in fighting went into effect.

And since that ceasefire happened, and what we've been hearing is just sporadic gunfire from time to time. But both sides, Alison, continued to

accuse each other of breaches. On the Turkish side, the Turkish Ministry of Defense, say that they've recorded 22 violations of the ceasefire. And

just this morning, they reported that one of their soldiers was killed in an attack on a surveillance patrol in the town of Tal Abyad.

[10:35:04]

KARADSHEH: Now, we're also hearing the same accusations from the Syrian Kurdish fighters and they're calling on the United States to push Turkey to

abide by the agreement. Now, as you mentioned, the Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, saying that for the most part, it is holding.

You know, it's always fragile when it comes to these ceasefires in Syria when you have so many different players on the ground. And it's very

difficult to monitor these ceasefires and enforce them. But at the end of the day, the most important thing when it comes to this ceasefire, we

should keep in mind is why Turkey paused its operation?

For them, they want all the Syrian Kurdish fighters to withdraw during that 120-hour deadline from all of the areas of that designated safe zone. And

so far, we've not really seen evidence of any sort of mass withdrawal taking place from any part of that safe zone, but in the past couple of

hours, we've heard from the Turkish Ministry of Defense, we've also heard from a Syrian Kurdish volunteer group on the ground in that town of -- in

Ras al-Ain, they're saying that a convoy managed to get into that town, they have managed to evacuate wounded civilians, fighters, they've taken

out dead bodies too.

It's unclear at this point how many fighters remain inside that town. The Turkish Ministry of Defense, says 55 vehicles went in, 86 or so left the

town. So, we'll have to wait and see how many other fighters remain in there and whether we'll be seeing this happening in other parts of this

designated safe zone.

Turkey is saying that -- you know, these accusations that it's obstructing in any way the evacuation of these Syrian Kurdish fighters is not true, the

ministry of defense even posted photos showing the convoy leaving.

The message from Turkish officials is very clear. By Tuesday night -- Tuesday evening, that is when the 120-hours come to an end. All Syrian

Kurdish fighters must evacuate these areas by its borders or as we heard from President Erdogan that operation will resume and it's going to be even

more aggressive, Alison.

KOSIK: OK, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, thanks so much.

And officials around the world blame the spike of violence in Syria on America's sudden change in policy, namely, the Trump administration's

decision to withdraw. A choice the U.S. president is still touting as a good thing along with believing the ceasefire is holding.

But in reality, the U.S. withdrawal has allowed Turkey's president to exact his long-planned offensive in the region, forcing Kurdish Syrians to align

themselves with the Syrian regime and Russia for survival. It's all adding up to a complicated and dangerous decision.

For more on what all this means for the Kurds, I'm joined now by Sinam Mohamad, U.S. representative for the Syrian Democratic Council, the

political arm of SDF. Thanks so much for joining us today.

SINAM MOHAMAD, UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE, SYRIAN DEMOCRATIVE COUNCIL: Thank you so much for having me.

KOSIK: So, Sinam, with the -- with the SDF -- from the SDF's perspective, is the ceasefire deal holding up? And will the SDF pull out of the

proposed safe zone?

MOHAMAD: You know, as you know when this ceasefire -- I mean, agreement has been declared, the SDF, they were committed to this agreement and they

agreed to have the -- stop the fighting in between the two cities which is Ras al-Ain and Tel Aviv, and we committed to this one.

But unfortunately, Erdogan and the Turkish government, and the other groups who are backed by Turkey, they didn't mean stop fighting. They still

shelling the people there. They still -- I mean, with the artillery, with the airspace, and so, they use everything to kill the people in this video

there.

So, since that just yesterday, we have 17 civilians be killed in the city. Now, in the city, they are many civilian, many injured people. They've

been besieged in the city, they are not able to get out of the city just yesterday. The International Red Crescent and the Kurdish Red Crescent,

with the Arab Red Crescent, they could be able to get inside the city and get some of the -- many of the injured people. And they are about 37

injured people and there is with seven people have been killed there because they couldn't allow us to enter the city and evacuated the injured

people.

So, the result now, still there are many people are trapped inside, many civilians, and many injured people. The government, the Turkish

government, they didn't stop the fighting. Until now, they are shelling and they are not committed to the agreement.

[10:40:05]

MOHAMAD: We would -- we committed to the agreement in order to stop this - - the bloodshed of the Syrian people. Unfortunately, Erdogan, it seems that he is not satisfied with this and he would like to occupy Syrian

territories, and he wanted to make actually ethnic cleansing, a changing of the demography of this area. Replacing there with the other people who are

not from this region, who are actually radical Muslims, a very radical jihadist group by Turkey.

So, he wanted to replace these people who are the original people, they are living on their -- you know, on their lands, and they -- he wanted to

displace them and get another people just the same scenario that happened in Afrin in 2018.

So, that time, he said, OK, Afrin, I'm going to be attacked the terrorists there. But now, if you go to Afrin, now, Afrin, it is not anymore safe

haven. Afrin now, it has been really a very catastrophic human -- I mean, rights violation. Is going on kidnapping, killing, raping the women, and

changing the demography of the Afrin.

So, the same thing scenario he is going to -- I mean, implemented in this area and this region, which is very dangerous going on. So, he wanted to -

- I mean, solve the problem of the refugees who is talking about in Turkey, and created another problem, displaced people now from the region.

So, since that war -- I mean, started, we have now 300,000 displaced people from the villages and the cities on the border of Turkey.

KOSIK: Sinam, yes, I mean, the situation and dire to say the least. Moving this forward a little bit though, Tuesday, Presidents, Erdogan and

Putin, they are going to be meeting on Tuesday. What are you hoping that comes out of this meeting? And also, how dangerous is it now that you've

got Russia and Turkey orchestrating what happens next, and the U.S. no longer has any influence on what's going to happen?

MOHAMAD: Yes, unfortunately, I mean, the U.S. withdrawal from the border or from Syria, the decision, it was not in the right time. I mean, we know

that U.S. will not be staying there forever. We know that they will be withdrawing one day, but that's the time when Erdogan is threatening our

people. And we -- at the same time that he is gathering all his troops on the border, that decision of withdrawal from the U.S. has come out which is

unfortunately, it's -- I mean, very mixed with it -- a very a great disasters, actually it happened there.

So, now when they declare to the ceasefire within 120 hours, actually they made it 120 hours to the same date that Erdogan is going to meet Putin in

Sochi. So, we are waiting now what will come out from their meeting there together. And he always -- he said, if I didn't come to any solution with

the Syrian deployed -- I mean, army in the region and with the Russia, that time I will go on my plan.

KOSIK: OK.

MOHAMAD: And his plan is very obvious, he want to make a safe zone as he call it safe zone. And on the all over the border which is about 450

kilometers and 30 kilometers deep. That time, we will be creating a demography changing and a lot of people displaced.

KOSIK: OK, yes. All right, Sinam Mohamad thanks so much for your time.

MOHAMAD: Thank you.

KOSIK: And when we come back, we'll take a look at how a hacker could disrupt your life just by using the information you share online.

And we're down to the final four at the Rugby World Cup. We'll fill you in on the Japan-South Africa result. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:46]

Japan's dream run at the Rugby World Cup came to an end today as the team fell to South Africa, 26-3. The Springboks advanced to the last four

meeting Wales next weekend, while the host are left to reflect on what could have been.

Christina MacFarlane talked to the home fans afterwards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: it's been a magical run for Japan at this Rugby World Cup, which sadly ended here tonight at the

Tokyo stadium against the South African team, in which is too big and too strong for the Brave Blossoms.

The South Africa semifinal clash against Wales awaits next Sunday. And on four main show tonight, few will bet against the mighty Springboks going

all the way for the first time since 2007.

In the other semifinal clash, the defending champions, New Zealand against the 2003 champions, England. But whatever happens for the remainder of the

tournament is Japan's performances on and off the pitch that will live long in the memory. Christina MacFarlane, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Prince William just wrap up a whirlwind tour of Pakistan, the visit included meeting Pakistan's legendary cricket player and now Prime Minister

Imran Khan, who was a dear friend to the late Princess Diana.

He spoke exclusively to CNN royal correspondent Max Foster about what it meant to spend time with the duke of Cambridge.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: When Imran Khan was a cricketer, he was married to Jemima Khan and she was family friends with the royals.

Prince William remembers a time when he was about 11 and Imran Khan visited them in the U.K. And Imran described this moment where he said he's going

to be a prime minister one day.

So, it was a real moment of reckoning now as they meet in Islamabad for the first time since that auspicious conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IMRAN KHAN, PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN: I would have said that, but then, I just started my political party. And I assume that it would be very

easy, and I would -- here's my party and I would go out, and people would vote for me. Little did I realize what I would go through to get here.

FOSTER: So, it's an interesting moment to have Prince William, now visit you in the prime ministerial residence, having lived up your promise, but

also, marking that period of time which has been extraordinary for you.

KHAN: God, it's a lifetime. I'm in the struggle of becoming a prime minister in a country when, unfortunately, we had -- I had to fight two

mafias. The political parties were not headed by what would-be politicians. They were political mafias. Both the heads of both parties

are now in jail.

FOSTER: Obviously, you were great friends with Princess Diana as well, and she had -- you hosted her on her visits here. So, was that a moment for

you, as well, to see her son coming in and meeting his wife, as well?

KHAN: I was telling Prince William that I was in the outbacks -- my constituency, which is Mianwali, which is really considered an outback

here. It's really quite wild there. And I was during my constituency when I heard of the accident. And I can tell you that the impact it had on the

people shocked me.

I mean, there was a brutal peasants. I would -- I wouldn't even have thought they'd know of Princess Diana. But the -- when they heard of the

accident and her death, it was just I was amazed that how her -- Princess Diana had penetrated even in these rural constituencies.

FOSTER: How did he respond to that?

KHAN: No, I think it was important for him to know how much she was loved in this country.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: This world tour is being covered very positively in the Pakistani media. And members of government, members of the community I've spoken to

say it's gone down really well. For them, it's been about showing this country as a safe place to visit, a safe place to do business with.

And all this imagery from the tour has really reinforced that. So, it's gone down pretty well across the board, I have to say. Max Foster, CNN,

Lahore, Pakistan.

[10:54:53]

KOSIK: Meantime, the newest royal couple, the duke and duchess of Sussex will be taking some time off -- some family time off in the U.K. and the

U.S. towards the end of the year, that's according to a source.

It comes as the duchess of Sussex gave a rare look into her personal life, saying being a new mom in the global spotlight is not easy. For a

documentary, Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, which is out today, she answered the question, how are you doing?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Look, any woman, when they're -- especially when they're pregnant, you're really vulnerable, and so that was

made really challenging. And then, when you have a newborn, you know.

TOM BRADY, PRESENTER, NEWS AT TEN: It's a long time ago, but I remember, you know.

MARKLE: Yes, but, you know, and especially as a woman it's really -- it's a lot. So, you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to

be a newlywed. It's -- yes, well, I guess, and also thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I'm OK. But it's a very real thing

to be going through behind the scenes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thanks for watching.

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END