Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Palestinians Call New Agreement A "Betrayal"; Demonstrators Released From Detention Say They Were Tortured; Israel & UAE Establish "Full Normalization Of Relations"; U.S. Rejects Russia's Offer To Help With COVID-19 Vaccine; South Korea Installs Virus Blocking Bust Stops. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired August 14, 2020 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: I am Hala Gorani. Welcome. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. Now there are three the United Arab Emirates has become the third

nation to establish four diplomatic relations with Israel.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a surprise deal around this time yesterday at the White House. He called it a truly historic moment and

suggested other Arab Nations will follow the UAE'S lead. The reality, though, could be somewhat different.

One of the main planks of the deal is the suspension of Israeli annexation in the West Bank. But annexation plans were already on hold, so people are

saying potentially this was not much of a sacrifice on Israel's part. And Israel/UAE relations have quietly warmed for several years now, driven by

business interests and a common enemy in Iran.

This new deal makes the relationship official, and that is a win for Israel embedded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: This is the greatest advancement stored peace between Israel and the world in the last 26 years

and it marks third form of peace between with Israel and the Arab nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well Palestinians are blasting the UAE, calling the deal a betrayal, a stab in the back. These are the pictures Alaska Mosque in

Jerusalem a spokesperson for his President Mohammed Abbas said no nation has the right to negotiate Palestinian affairs and there is concern among

Palestinians that we do not support for the cause to wane even more than it has if the Arab Nations follow suit.

Now what about the UAE and all of this? The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the country says his country supports a two-state solution and is hopeful

that both sides will return to negotiations. Anwar Gargash spoke to Abu Dhabi Managing Editor Becky Anderson. She asked him to explain the timing

of this deal.

ANWAR BIN MOHAMMED GARGASH, UAE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: There is never a right moment, but at the same time, if we really get this

commitment, it will be right like diffusing the time bomb on a two-state solution. As I said, ultimately a solution is in the hands of the

Palestinians, in the hands of the Israelis and we urge them to go back to the negotiating table. We know that prospects are dim right now, but we

hope that through this, we can actually achieve something.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the timing coming as it does just a couple of months before the U.S. elections. So will be those who say

that the UAE and Israel have effectively gifted Donald Trump an opportunity at this point to sell this as he has done today in announcing the

normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE as a triumph for his administration. To which you say what, sir?

GARGASH: This is not going to happen tomorrow. It's not going to end by end of November. So, we're really saying that this is something that can either

be seen today as a still shot or as a reel. And I would say this is a reel. This is something that's moving.

And as such, I think that we do have a clear, clear idea that this is not something that was done because of this or that calculation. You know today

for the UAE to take this decision, it's a very warm, and I would say also strong, decision.

ANDERSON: The Israelis have said that they are suspending annexation at this point, not stopping annexation. What do you understand to be the

situation? Is this just a short-term freeze? And if so, what happens next?

GARGASH: Again, in my opinion, Becky, this is not a forever suspension. But I don't see it as a short term. I think the whole issue of establishing

relations with Israel is a process. Israel has a vested interest that this process is a successful one. And I think also for Israel to try and build

confidence with moderate Arab countries such as the UAE would be a good thing.

We have more time for a two-state solution. We need to use that time wisely in order for us to kick-start that process again and try and get you know

the sort of peace wagon back on track.

ANDERSON: What is your message to the Palestinians who have already said that this deal is a reward for occupation? What is your message? And what

pressure will you put on the Palestinians to ensure that these negotiations now work on both sides?

GARGHASH: The Palestinians and Israelis are the only ones who will decide where this will go and what a lasting peace will look like?

[11:05:00]

GARGHASH: We are committed to seeing an independent Palestinian speed with Jerusalem as the Capital of that. That is our political commitment.

The purpose of the UAE is very clear. We saw that the issue of more normal relations with Israel is a fact. We've seen other Arab Gulf countries

sought this without a really tangible result. So we really come to said let's do it, but let's make sure we have a tangible result, and now it is

up to the parties really to try to use that test part in order to reengage and order to reengage and order for us to push this forward.

GORANI: All right, now is Anwar Garghash who is the Former Foreign Minister for the UAE. Let's get have both - we'll both get the Israeli perspective

and the Palestinian perspective one after the other. I'm going to start with the Israeli reaction to this. My next guest is a country's Communities

Minister and the Member of the Likud Party Tzachi Hanegbi joins me now live.

So first of all suspension of annexation plans, what does that mean? How long will the suspension last, because the Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu of Israel is saying it's still on the table even though we heard something different from the U.S. President at the White House yesterday?

TZACHI HANEGBI, ISRAELI COMMUNITIES MINISTER: Yes, thank you Hala. Of course we were asked by the President of the United States to put the

initiative as part of the Trump plan, an annexation of the various parts, Judea and Samaria to put it on hold. So it's a temporary suspension.

Of Course if we will start negotiation with the Palestinian authority, we will try to reach an agreement that will prevent any unilateral initiative.

So what we are hoping for, I would say Israel is eager to start negotiations with the Palestinians.

GORANI: Alright. And so what were those negotiations look like? Because the Palestinians are saying they don't really have a hand to play here. That

they, effectively, in terms of autonomy or control of whatever territory they hope will be a future Palestinian state is slowly being taken away

from them. How do they negotiate, in your opinion?

HANEGBI: Well, for several years, we had a very effective negotiation, and then it was unfortunately stopped by the Palestinian authority back in

April 2014. So it's been more than six years now that we did not have any real dialogue. And we would like them to come back to the table.

In the meantime, we are trying to make a lot of effort to build a relationship with Arab states, and as you have mentioned yesterday, we had

great news for the first time after 26 years, and? An Arab country a very special and important Arab country, the UAE, made a decision not to wait

until the end of time or till the Palestinians will be ready to negotiate with us, the Israelis. And they made a very courageous decision and we're

hoping that other Arab countries will follow them.

GORANI: Is this just sort of a way to officialize a refreshment that has really been happening for many years? There have been reports that the Head

of Mossad has been making secret trips to the UAE now for several months in the lead-up to this deal. Is this simply a way to kind of like officialize

this relationship that was bound to reach this stage at some point?

HANEGBI: Well, you can define it as some kind of officializing it, but the main issue is that you cannot really have peace between people if

everything is kept under the radar. Because we need tourism, we need investments, we need trade, we need embassies and we need public operation.

We need to build trust between the people, not only between those who come and go, you know, like a mistress. So the decision of the leaders of the

Arab - United Arab Emirates was to stop making things hidden. They are ready to come forward and to live in peace with Israel. That's an amazing

change.

GORANI: How much of this was the Prime Minister trying to essentially score diplomatic PR crew he is under huge pressure at home. Annexation was

not really and immediate future plans of the government, right?

So to score a cue by say Israel made some sort of sacrifice by suspending annexation when it was their plan all along not to go ahead with it.

[11:10:00]

GORANI: Is that an accurate representation or description of what happened?

HANEGBI: I don't think it's very accurate. The truth is that the policy, the strategy of Prime Minister Netanyahu, since he became Prime Minister

back in 2009, for 11 years now, is to try and bring Arab leaders, Muslim leaders into working together with Israel in the open.

So he had a very unprecedented trip to Oman. Then we had the trip in Israel with the President of Sudan, both Arab countries Muslim countries. But this

is the first time that the United States was, I would say, making this happen, was encouraging Arab states to come forward.

Of course, the issue of annexation was all the time on the table, because we had a vacuum, as I told you for 6 years nothing was happening, and we

said if there is not a negotiation, we will take unilateral steps. But now when the United States came to us and told us, look, there is no way we can

promote this idea of peace agreement with another Arab country.

If you'll go forward with the annexation plan, please put it on hold. We were happy to do it because we believe the best way to promote peace in the

Middle East is by negotiation and not unilateral steps.

GORANI: All right, thank you very much Tzachi Hanegbi, is a Minister in the Netanyahu government and Likud party member. Thank you for joining us,

that's Israeli prospective.

Now, the Palestinian leaders, for them, this new agreement is nothing short of a stab in the back. PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi summed

it up in this tweet responding to the UAE Crown Prince, may you never experience the agony of having your country stolen. May you never feel the

pain of living in captivity under occupation, and may you never be sold out by your, "Friends".

Hanan Ashrawi joins me now live from Ramallah in the West Bank. Were you able Hanan Ashrawi to hear Tzachi Hanegbi and what he told us on CNN? If

so, what is your reaction?

HANAN ASHRAWI, PLO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER: Yes, Hala Thank you very much. I mean this is really very disingenuous and it's also so verbal

acrobatics. Since 1967, Israel has been annexing land, has been expanding settlements, has been stealing land and resources and has been acting

unilaterally and outside the law an order to end not just the two-state solution but the chances of peace. So trying to say that there was a

vacuum, not also we decided to act unilaterally.

Even the basis that tops that begun though they said no unilateral actions, said no annexation, no expansions and no settlements at all and - that

occupation must come to an end, the thing is, they want to have their cake and eat it, too. They want to continue to expand to steel land and they

want to create greater Israel on all of historical Palestine, and at the same time they want to be rewarded to be delayed that overt expression of

this expansion.

When clearly they've been doing it de facto, and Netanyahu comes out and says look, we're going to expand, we're going to expand, so everybody

panics. Don't expand don't annex, don't annex when he is annexing effectively on the ground.

Number two, the agreement with the emirates, with the UAE, was basically an agreement of might be when personal interest for Trump and for Netanyahu,

and of course it constitutes a sellout of the Palestinian people because it maintains the occupation in place, it rewards the thief by saying, if you

delay your next heist, then you will get rewarded. So what's happening here --?

GORANI: Hanan, I - I got your point there in your answer, but I want to get this sound bite in from Jared Kushner who is the President's son-in-law and

one of his advisers and one of the officials who took credit for brokering this deal. He was speaking to Fox News. Listen to what he said and then

I'll get your reaction to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED KUSHNER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISOR: I would say over the last year, President Trump outlined a vision for peace, which was the first. It was a

180-page document, very detailed, and was the first realistic proposal that showed Israel that he understood their security needs and also showed the

Palestinian people that he had a pathway to make their lives better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: So Jared Kushner is saying Trump understands that there is a pathway to make the lives of Palestinians better. This is what the U.S.

President is saying. What's your reaction?

[11:15:00]

ASHRAWI: Well, I'm sure he's very proud of having handed a 180-page document that gives Palestine and that accommodates the most extreme

Israeli governments and that attempts to legalize settlements and annexation and work plans and even to ignore the affect of the occupation

itself.

So this document in many ways is a total negation of the most basic requirements peace. It's a document that tells Israel you can annex at will

and we will help you reorganize the Palestinian people into population centers entirely under Israeli control while you steal the land that is not

heavily populated, or you have - lands for areas that are populated.

And then you can call it a two-state solution. But this two-state solution is really sedate it's ridiculous, because there is no way you can pull

these separated populations centers a state when Israel has control over the lands and space and under the guise of security. It's just a delusion

with the occupation and therefore it does not --.

GORANI: I get it. What would you like to see happen now, because the reality is, Abu Masin, Mohammed Abbas I mean, I think there is some

consensus that he's lost the trust, that he's past the time that he can really be an effective interlocutor. What needs to happen on the

Palestinian side?

ASHRAWI: Look, this is another way of always attempting to rationalize the failure at making peace or at even respecting, a minimal respect, for

international law in the requirements for peace. So they find one person and they blame. This happened before with Yasar Arafat with Obama, you

remember, Hala, and it happens every time the Israelis destroy the chances of this.

Every time the Americans join in this settlement of colonial enterprise, we are told it's the Palestinian people's fault. And they find all sorts of

disingenuous ways of attempting to blame the victim. What happens is not change of leadership.

GORANI: I'm sorry I just want to jump in. This isn't about assigning blame. I'm just asking you as someone whose lifelong mission has been to promote

and advocate the Palestinian cause for statehood what needs to happen to better your position and not whose fault it is, what needs to happen from

the leadership side that you can control on your side?

ASHRAWI: On our side. Yes, I think one thing that's very open, very simple; we can say from the beginning we did protection for Palestine,

accountability for Israel. Israel is an occupying power, so what we need is to be able to curb the violations and the expansion of Israel on the land

and the total location, of course, of this settlement of colonial regime of the Palestinian people.

And then we will work internally. We need, of course, to concentrate on healing internally, we need to have new elections, of course, we need to be

able to restructure and reorganize our political system and institutions. All these things need doing, but we are doing it under occupation.

We are doing it when we have no freedom of movement, no control over our land or resources. We are totally hemmed in. Gaza is a big prison and

that's being at that regularly. And the West Bank has been stolen and - Jerusalem has been annexed.

So we're trying our best to be able to maintain the Palestinian people's resilience to engage with an international solidarity movement within

public opinion that is rising now to maintain a relationship with the international committee.

And at the same time to reach out to all the multilateral institutions in order to ensure that there is applicability - a real application of

international law and international humanitarian law to stop this total operation and injustice for the occupation. But you cannot reward Israel

because it was what it was going to do, anyway.

GORANI: Hanan Ashrawi, thank you very much for joining us from Ramallah. And we really appreciate having you on the program. Later on CNN, you'll

hear from one of the architects of this plan and we referenced him. Jared Kushner is speaking to my colleague Christiane Amanpour. That is at 7:00 pm

London time.

Coming up American health experts are preparing a new backup plan in their vaccine research. We'll tell you what Dr. Anthony Fauci is saying about

that.

[11:20:00]

GORANI: And also protests in Belarus the arrest of thousand reports of abuse. The government says it is ready to talk. We'll see if they are being

truthful and if this is likely to happen. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Well, thousands of people have reported that are being detained in Belarus, several thousand of them now released. They have of nearly 7000

arrested this week in a wave of protest and now we're hearing from some of the people who have been released from custody. They're describing horrific

conditions, even torture. You see some of the images coming to us from Minsk, food and water being withheld and people being beaten to the point

of broken bones.

The Belarusian Foreign Minister says the government is ready for "Constructive and dialogue over the country's disputed Presidential

election. The opposition also wants dialogue but it also wants a transfer of power. It is saying this entire process was rigged in favor of the

President. Fred Pleitgen is in Minsk where large number of people has turned out to protest today, rather courageously one might add considering

these stories that people released from custody have been telling, Fred.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right, Hala. The people who have come out here certainly very

courageous considering some of the repression that we've seen over the past couple days, people who told us that they were being beaten in custody,

women forced is to strip down, forced to kneel down in front of their captors and people also being humiliated on state TV.

You can really see now that the opposition really seems to have scored a victory. I just want to set the scene for you real quick because we're in

front of the parliament building here in Minsk. And this is an area where it would have been impossible for the opposition to get to, but they did

mount a very large almost ad hoc march, that came here to the parliament building.

And the main scene that happened just a couple minutes ago, is that the riot police that you see back there they came out, and of course we've seen

massive beatings by the riot police in the past couple days. They then laid down their shields and were embraced by some of the protesters.

And you could really feel quite a positive vibe here right now, but of course, at the same time, as you noted the opposition is saying that they

are demanding change and they will continue to demand change. Here's what we saw.

The Belarusian opposition is coming out in full force, thousands of people lining the streets at the Capital Minsk, peacefully calling for change

while hoping things don't take a turn for the worst.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He should go away otherwise it will be a scene of war in our country. It's very scary because Belarusians are very peaceful

people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:25:00]

PLEITGEN: The protestors answer to a recent government crackdown, holding up flowers as more response and support. Despite the repression, despite

the use of stun grenades, tear gas, the mass arrests and the beatings, the opposition is still coming out.

Their action now is more decentralized with marches like one seemingly popping up out of nowhere to avoid security forces. Belarusian Police and

army units beat down crowds protesting the recent presidential election, detaining thousands.

State TV parading and humiliating some of those arrested on air. Many remain missing, possibly incarcerated here, the central detention facility

where hundreds have been waiting outside hoping for any information about the fate of their loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to understand that people are being beaten up, tortured. From the moment when they are detained in the streets then they

are taken to the local police station. They're being beaten there, and then they bring them either to here after maybe a day or two, and the beatings

and tortures, they continue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Strongman Alexandra Lukashenko who has ruled Belarus for around 26 years claimed he won last Sunday's election cornering 80 percent of the

vote. His opponent opposition icon Svetlana Tikhanouskaya has since had to flee the country.

The U.S. and EU have heavily criticized the election and at night in Minsk many people are coming out and also saying they believe the vote was rigged

and they won't take it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Once you it's be hurts. When we nobody hears us, nobody sees us. Everybody will just - we don't exist here because we want

changes. We want just to try to live another way, not being afraid of the police.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: The opposition is demanding talks and a new transparent election and, they say, the demonstrations won't stop until change happens.

And Hala basically, all the people that we've been speaking to over the past couple days who are coming out and who continue to come out, they tell

us of course they're extremely afraid to do so, especially because of the things that we've seen here over the past couple days, some of the beatings

and the tensions as well.

But all of these people say they want an end to the violence and they certainly want those talks, and they want a new election, and they feel

that this could very well be their moment. And if they don't make change happen now, they're not sure it will ever happen at all, Hala.

GORANI: All right, Fred Pleitgen, thank you very much. The Palestinians say they've been betrayed by the new Israeli/UAE deal. A former state

department - negotiator said it is a stunning loss for them. I'll be speaking to him coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

GORANI: Well, the word historic has been getting quite a workout over the past 24 hours. It's being used to describe the deal between Israel and the

United Arab Emirates. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has agreed to suspend annexing parts of the West Bank an exchange for what

calls a historic opening with the UAE.

But the agreement is making Palestinian leaders very angry. Palestinian authority President Mohammed Abbas immediately slammed it as a betrayal of

the Palestinian cause. And we were all in the room where it happened Thursday, the announcement, that is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a truly historic moment. Not since the Israel/Jordan peace treaty was signed more than 25

years ago has so much progress been made towards peace in the Middle East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, President Trump enjoying the applause after that from his White House team. One by one by the way they praised him and his

negotiating skills. Well, some observers believe, just like the Israeli Prime Minister, the President may have viewed this deal as a legacy

achievement, or at least he hopes it will be viewed that way.

In the past President Trump insisted he was the only one that could achieve peace in the Middle East, and he's touting this agreement as proof that

he's doing that. His ally in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu, seems to agree.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU: I want to thank President Trump for his critical help in brokering this historic accord. And I want to thank him for his

revolutionary vision for peace, which is the most realistic and important formula for peace in the region. President Trump's Middle East plan served

as a basis for today's historic peace announcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, let's get some analysis now from CNN Global Analyst Aaron David Miller, who is also a Former U.S. State Department Middle East

negotiator. You say this is a big loss for the Palestinians. A lot of people in the region agree with you that the UAE is getting something out

this. Israel, Netanyahu is getting you know some sort of PR cue. He is under intense political pressure at home. And Donald Trump is touting this

as some big historic achievement, but the Palestinians aren't getting anything out of this.

AARON DAVID MILLER, CNN GLOBAL ANALYST: I think that's fair. If you are looking for a bright side, and I think it's not terribly bright, this will

postpone, suspend, perhaps even permanently delay what could have been the ultimate deal breaker with respect to any hope for a two-state solution.

That would be an Israeli effort.

We're now six weeks after annexation day, July 1, and after by the government of Israel to apply certainly law and sovereignty to a large

parts of the West Bank. I mean, the peace process is common to be the prospect of a two-state solution is remote at best.

But if you want to believe and if you want to keep hope alive, you would have a stake in preventing this annexation. But even that, frankly, is not

going to compensate for the fundamental change in the region in which Arab states are still bound to some degree to the power of the Palestinian

cause.

But it's a consequence of a rising Iran, Transnational Sunni and Jihadist terrorists, exhaustion and frustration with the Palestine issue and a

desire, perhaps above all, on the part of the Emiratis, to position themselves in Washington not just with Mr. Trump.

They read the polls and they know it's certainly conceivable that Joe Biden will be the next President. So I think it's a win-win-win, Israel, the U.S.

and the Emirates, and a clear loss by any standard for the Palestinian national movement, the Palestinian authority and the Palestinian people.

GORANI: Right. And one of the predictions is that this normalization of relations will lead to other Gulf States, other Arab nations perhaps doing

the same. Do you think that's a possibility, and if so, which states?

MILLER: I mean it's conceivable. The Emiratis are somewhat in an exceptional position. They don't have much of a domestic political. There

are few Palestinians. Their relations with Iran are tense to pragmatic. It's conceivable. I could see the Omanis following suit.

They hosted the Former Prime Minister Rabin in '94; they hosted the current Israeli President Mr. Netanyahu. I could see what Saudi - the Bahrainis

falling into line.

[11:35:00]

MILLER: Conceivable the Moroccans if they were looking to pick up points in Washington. Perhaps there, the biggest price of course would be the Saudis,

and I think that's still, I suspect, going to be an elusive goal. But Mohammed Bin Salman the ruthless and reckless Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

wanted to start to repair his image in Washington, I'm not sure that's possible after the killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi and the

Saudi disastrous policy in Yemen. He could conceivably at some point follow suit.

GORANI: Well, Mohammed Bin Salman's image may be tarnished but its back to business as usual. So it is a question of between the U.S. and Saudi

Arabia. So it is a question of whether or not Saudi Arabia wants to kind of position itself from a message perspective, right.

But what we're seeing here which is interesting is that really these fault lines, the Iran/Gulf tension - Trumps everything else even the Palestinian

cause. The UAE and Israel have been working on this friendship for quite some time. Their common enemy, Iran, is really their biggest concern here.

MILLER: I mean, I think that's right, and over the last several years, this narrow coincidence of interests based on an anti-Iranian posture has

essentially pushed both the Israelis and key Gulf States into the same box. In addition to that, I don't think you can rule out the reality that the

Israelis also offer, to some of these states, a degree of intelligence sharing, security cooperation and surveillance equipment.

That's the darker side. That is used to control and suppress their own populations in the Gulf. So the pragmatic reality is well here, but I

think, Hala, it really does reflect an extraordinary, stunning example of pragmatism over principal.

I mean, think about it, at a time when Israel over the last decade has been led by an effective but right wing Prime Minister, who is not serious

frankly I'm just reporting here. He would probably admit the same thing privately about resolving the Palestinian issue and is continuing Israeli

settlement practices in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

You have an expansion of Israeli diplomatic reach into Africa, Latin America, Asia and in the very region that had pledged itself not to push

normalization before there was a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue. That has gone the way of the dodo in favor of a much

more pragmatic untethering of Arab interests in key Arab states to the Palestinian cause. I don't think that's a headline, Hala. I think that's

going to end up being a trend line.

GORANI: All right, Aaron David Miller, thank you so much, as always. It's a pleasure speaking with you and hope to do it again sometime soon.

MILLER: Thank you, Hala. Take care.

GORANI: Let's get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right now. The Iranian Foreign Minister we've been speaking about

Iranian influence. Javad Zarif is in Beirut discussing how his country can help rebuild Beirut after the massive explosion at the port.

Zarif stressed that Lebanese should be the only ones making decisions about their future government. The government resigned last week. Also among the

stories we're following, North Korean state media report their leader Kim Jong-Un is refusing international aid for flood recovery efforts.

The International Red Cross says the devastating floods have claimed at least 22 lives, four people remain missing. More than 16,000 homes have

been destroyed. And Afghanistan has begun releasing Taliban prisoners as part of a deal to begin negotiations to end a decades-long conflict.

The first 80 of the 400 were released Thursday. Peace talks are expected to begin in Qatar within a week of the release of the last prisoners. Coming

up, Russia says the U.S. is showing deep mistrust by declining Moscow's offer to collaborate on a COVID-19 vaccine. We're live in Moscow with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:40:00]

GORANI: U.S. scientists are coming up with a new backup plan in their COVID-19 vaccine research. They're creating a Coronavirus strain to be used

in recent human challenge trials as a possible plan D.

But according to the nation's top Infectious Diseases Expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, it would likely be a last resort if other attempts fail. Dr. Fauci

is also warning that any attempts to achieve herd immunity to this virus would lead to massive death tolls.

Meanwhile, the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health says there is not going to be an October surprise Coronavirus vaccine. He adds

officials will not approve a vaccine before it is ready, even for votes.

And as the country suffers and waits for a national strategy, the U.S. President is attacking his Democratic rival Joe Biden who is taking a

different approach to the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Every single American should be wearing a mask when they're outside for the next three months at

a minimum. Every Governor should mandate - every Governor should mandate mandatory mask wearing.

TRUMP: Joe doesn't know too much. Unlike the Biden approach, our approach is guided by science.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, to be clear, the advice from the CDC, the World Health Organization and the White House's own task force is to wear masks. But

Donald Trump himself has spent months giving conflicting guidance on that, sometimes refusing to wear a mask altogether.

Concerns are mounting in the United States over what critics are calling a blatant attempt to suppress the vote in the U.S. On Thursday President

Donald Trump once again pushed false claims about mail-in voting, absentee ballot voting, after making this stunning admission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They want $25 billion - billion - for the post office. Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all

these millions and millions of ballots. Now, in the meantime, they aren't getting there.

By the way, those are just two items. But if they don't get those two items, that means you can't have universal mail-in voting because they're

not equipped to have it. If we don't make a deal, that means they don't get the money that means they can't have universal mail-in voting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: All right, an admission there, perhaps, that there was a link between this restructuring, this funding of voting. Both Mr. Trump and his

wife Melania have requested mail-in ballots for the election in Florida next week.

Russia is offering to help the U.S. which now has more than 5 million Coronavirus cases and 167,000 deaths. Officials in Moscow have told CNN

that they've offered what they call unprecedented cooperation with the U.S. to accelerate access to a potential vaccine.

[11:45:00]

GORANI: The U.S., though, didn't seem interested saying that "The U.S. is not currently open to Russian medical advances". Matthew Chance is live

from Moscow with more on this medical divide. Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hala, thank very much. That's why - especially the top line of this is that the Russians

have told me and that they have actually been in contact with Operation Warp Speed, which is this U.S. agency body that's been set up by the U.S.

authorities to kind of accelerate access to the U.S. public, technologies, vaccines, treatments for COVID-19.

And they've offered them, as you say, the unprecedented cooperation to sort of take on board the Russian work that they've done on their vaccines

became the first vaccine in the world to be approved earlier this week.

That's been essentially, though, rebuffed by the United States, pointing to Russian officials as a general sense of resentment of Russia in the United

States, of mistrust, rather, of Russia in the United States not their technologies. Their vaccine, they say, is not being adopted because of that

mistrust.

But there is a good deal of doing this and solid reason why there might be mistrust of the Russian vaccine. First of all, it hasn't been subjected to

the fullness of third phase human trials. These are the trials that usually mass testing which determine the overall effectiveness and safety for a

vaccine before it's released into the public, as it were.

That has just only started and certainly hasn't been completed yet. Also the critical data that's been gathered so far by Russian scientists in the

developments in phase I and II, for instance, of the human trials, that's not been published. It's not been made public.

So it's not possible at this stage to verify that the Russian vaccine which even though it's being administered to front line health workers and

teachers right now, whether it is safe or whether it is effective, so again good reason for that mistrust just underline it.

CNN has been told by one U.S. public health official this there is no way in hell, this official said, the U.S. will use this vaccine even on

monkeys, let alone humans. That really underlines the extent to which the United States is pushing back on in the sense that they could adopt this

Russian vaccine.

GORANI: All right, thank you, Matthew Chance, in Moscow. In other vaccine news, the British government says it has secured early access to 90 million

doses of two promising candidates. Both November if both the Novavax and Jansen vaccines prove to be safe and successful in clinical trials, it

could be available by the middle of next year. Don't get too excited for this autumn.

And this comes as the UK adds France to its list of quarantine countries after a surge of cases there. Beginning tomorrow Saturday, anyone arriving

from France must self-isolate for two weeks or risk a fine of up to $1200.

All right, there was more late drama in the Champions League Thursday. We'll have that after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: So it was an American who grabbed the football headlines yesterday in Europe. Don Riddell, tell us more.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Will do, Hala, thanks very much. If you think that Leipzig they have come out of nowhere to reach the semifinals of the

Champions League, then you're right.

[11:50:00]

RIDDELL: The German team was only founded 11 years ago, but on Thursday night they knocked out one of the most established teams on the continent

Athletico Madrid and they're playing the team with the deepest pockets --.

It was a dramatic evening with Leipzig taking the lead early in the second half Dannie Olmer (ph) on target with a header. Athletico by the way have

played in two of the last six Champions League finals and they would have rather fancied themselves to go close again.

The exciting young Portuguese star, Jawar Felix, had some good moments this season. He earned and then completed the penalty that brought Athletico

back into the game. It was also not over with just two minutes remaining, the ball fell to Leipzig's American mid-fielder Tyler Adams on the edge of

the area, he pulled the trigger and the ball was deflected into the back of the net.

This is a huge achievement for Leipzig. Let's see if they can do it again on Tuesday and they will take Neymar and Bapi and mighty BSG. Today's

quarter final in a few hours time is a mouth-watering clash between two European heavyweights.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have each won the European cup five times. Bayern have won their last 8 games in the competition while Barce are

making a four team's consecutive appearance in the quarter finals. Bayern are considered to be favorites but Barcelona is not too bothered about

that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARTURO VIDAL, BARCELONA MANAGER: Yes, I heard that, but I haven't paid it much attention because I know the people at Bayern, the players, and I

think what is being said isn't what the players think. Obviously they're really confident. They're not playing any old team in the Bundesliga. They

are playing against Barcelona, the best team in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: The Formula One season continues this weekend with a Spanish Gran Prix and after three consecutive wins by Lewis Hamilton a new challenger

has emerged in Max Verstappen. The young Dutch Driver has a long way to go. He is 30 points of the lead. But after winning the last race in Silverton,

he is now being compared to the great Michael Schumacher. Earlier he spoke with our Amanda Davies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Great to see you Max. Congratulations of course on last Sunday. How it is impacting? How are you feeling this

weekend?

MAX VERSTAPPEN, RED BULL F1 DRIVER: Yes, I mean, last week was of course very good, very happy with that win. It was, of course, very unexpected,

and of course during the race at one point we started to realize that there was a good chance, so very pleased.

This weekend I honestly don't know. It's very warm, but we are using again the harder compounds, so we have to just wait and see what's going to

happen.

DAVIES: Lewis has said that he is going to be keeping one eye on you in terms of the championship. How many eyes have you got on the championship

and how do you really rate your chances this season?

VERSTAPPEN: Well, I mean, so far we've had one race where we had the fastest car, but all the other ones we weren't, so we have to stay

realistic at the moment. I'm not going to talk about that, of course. We had a lot of consistent results.

Of course, that retirement does hurt us from the first race, which is, of course, not good. But we just keep pushing, basically, and try to get the

best result every possible weekend.

DAVIES: Have you, in your head, got a target of the year you want to finish top and finally claim that title?

VERSTAPPEN: I wanted to finish already my first season, but of course that was not possible.

DAVIES: Yes, of course very nice but I don't like to compare myself to anyone because I'm myself and I'm a different drive. Of course you know can

always get some similar attitudes or whatever or you can't get compared. But like from my side I never do that. I just want to be myself.

DAVIES: And I must ask you because we're now five weeks into the races as one campaign and the real focus on equality and diversity within Formula

One. How did you think the campaign has gone so far?

VERSTAPPEN: I think it's gone well in terms of how we are expressing it, but of course at the end of the day, it's about actions as well, so we just

keep showing our support because I think everybody is in support, which I think is very important, and time will tell, of course, what's going to

happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: That's Max Verstappen speaking to World Sports Amanda Davies. That's all we have time for just now, Hala back to you.

GORANI: All right, Don. I know you don't take the bus much because you live in Atlanta, but here in London we take the bus. And frankly, after reading

this story I am envious of people in Seoul because these bus stops that they have over there are virus blocking.

[11:55:00]

GORANI: They help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at each enclosed bus stop. Passengers must stand before an auto automated thermal imaging camera to

have their temperature taken. So there is that, if their temperature reads too high, the doors to the terminal just won't open.

The high tech shelters are equipped with ultraviolet light, air sterilizers and hand sanitizers. Travelers are advised to wear face masks and maintain

social distancing. One rider says it gives her more confidence about traveling during the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My temperature is checked upon entrance and I can feel certain about my health. I feel safe because I've had my condition checked

and because I know others have gone through the same process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, each bus stop also provides, as if that weren't enough, free Wi-Fi and free charging stations. These are like some five-star bus stop

shelters. I'm going to see you on the other side of this break. Don't go anywhere. I'm Hala Gorani and this is CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Hello, everyone, live from CNN London, I'm Hala Gorani. Tonight 1,000 deaths a day on average, with one state alone topping 600,000 cases

U.S. health officials warn the country must get a handle on Coronavirus.

And the UK's new COVID quarantine. We will speak to one traveler impacted in France. Plus, breakthrough or betrayal, the world is reacting to this

White House brokered deal that has normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

END