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A Winter Catastrophe In Texas, Leaving Texans Without Power And Suitable Drinking Water; Weather Across The Country Delaying Distribution Of The Coronavirus Vaccine. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 19, 2021 - 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)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome back to the program. I want to start with a powerful story that needs to be told. It is a story of our
time. Shocking allegations of gang rape emerging from detention camps in China's Xinjiang Region. The U.S. government accuses China with a mass
internment of up to 2 million members of mostly Muslim ethnic minority groups in the region.
In recent eight years (ph) is part of a policy the U.S. State Department says amounts to genocide. Beijing denies this claiming the camps are
actually vocational training centers aimed at creating jobs and stamping out Islamic extremism. Warning the following report has language that may
be disturbing to some of you.
CNN's Ivan Watson reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURSUNAY ZIYAWUDUN, REFUGEE, CHINA'S XINJIANG INTERNMENT CAMP: (Inaudible).
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): The traumatized survivor of a nine month nightmare. Tursunay Ziyawudun, a refugee from China's Xinjiang
region describes the torture and rape she says she endured during detention in a Chinese internment camp.
How is your health today after your experience in the camps?
ZIYAWUDUN (through translator): I was in a lot of pain and suffered bleeding. After I arrived in the U.S. I had to undergo surgery and my
uterus was removed. I've suffered a lot of damage.
WATSON (voiceover): Tursunay is an ethnic Uyghur. In March 2018 she says police in Xinjiang detained her at a so called vocational training center
for women.
ZIYAWUDUN (through translator): Because I lived in Kazakhstan for five years they wanted me to confess to say I was influenced by American
propaganda and foreign organizations.
WATSON (voiceover): During one interrogation Tursunay says guards beat and kicked her until she blacked out. In the camp, Tursunay says authorities
began forcibly implanting female detainees with contraceptive IUDs. After a botched procedure led to bleeding she says she was taken into a room.
ZIYAWUDUN (through translator): There were three guards, they inserted a stun baton inside me and twisted and shock me with it. I passed out.
WATSON (voiceover): On a separate occasion she says guards wearing masks once again took her from her cell.
ZIYAWUDUN (through translator): In the next room I heard another girl crying and screaming. I saw about five men going into that room. I thought
they were torturing her. Then I was gang raped. After that I realized what they also did her.
WATSON (voiceover): Tursunay first revealed these claims in an interview with the "BBC". The Chinese Government did not answer out questions about
the women named in this report. But Beijing did vehemently deny any human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
WENG WANBIN, CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGHN AFFAIRS (through translator): There has never been such a thing as systematic sexual abuse or
mistreatment against women. China is a country ruled by law.
WATSON (voiceover): There's strict state censorship in Xinjiang and police followed and harassed CNN Journalists when they last visited.
Tursunay claims she was held at a facility outside the city of Ghulja. CNN has also obtained rare testimony from another woman who says she worked in
a camp near the city of Urumqi.
QELBINUR SIDIK, FORMER XINJIANG INTERNMENT CAMP TEACHER: (through translator): The women all had their hair shaved off. They wore gray
uniforms with orange vests and printed numbers on them.
WATSON (voiceover): For 28 years Qelbinur Sidik worked as an elementary school teacher. In 2017 she says she was ordered to teach Mandarin at an
internment camp holding thousands of women. Speaking from relative safety in the Netherlands, Qelbinur says on her first day of work in the camp she
witnessed a disturbing sight.
SIDIK (through translator): Two soldiers were carrying a Uyghur girl out on a stretcher. There was no spark of life on her face. Later a female police
officer told me the girl died on her way to the hospital due to heavy bleeding.
WATSON (voiceover): Although Qelbinur did not know the cause of the woman's death, she says later that same female police officer told her male guards
routinely gang raped detainees at the camp. The officer also told her -
SIDIK (through translator): When they drank at night policemen told each other how they raped and tortured girls.
WATSON (voiceover): In previous reporting on China's mass internment policy in Xinjiang, CNN heard testimony from Gulbahar Jalilova, a citizen of
Kazakhstan who alleges that she endured sexual assault from a guard during prolonged detention in Xinjiang.
CNN can not independently verify the accounts of these women. China has attacked their creditability calling these women actors playing victims
from Xinjiang.
The Chinese government says no women are abused in the camps. What do you say to the Chinese government?
ZIYAWUDUN (through translator): I am a 43-year old woman. Do you think this is something I can be proud of sharing with the whole world? I would tell
them that I'm not afraid of them anymore because they already killed my soul.
WATSON (voiceover): She hopes her brave decision to speak out will encourage others to do the same. Ivan Watson, CNN Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We will continue to follow this story as it is important that the world hears it. All the world may be finagling coming together in the fight
against the pandemic. That's the narrative at least. Why does it matter so much? On the (ph) worldwide death toll from coronavirus is catastrophic
enough but tonight a stunning new number for the first time actually capturing the amount of life cut short by this devastating disease.
According to a new study published in "The Journal Nature" more than 20 million years of life have been lost to COVID-19. Researchers analyzed
deaths in 81 countries focusing on how premature they were. On average each person who died lost 16 years of life.
Overall nearly one-third of all life lost came from people below the age of 55. While the study gives new urgency to vaccines rollouts worldwide of
course that was a major focus today of a virtual meeting of G7 leaders and we have just learned they have pledged an additional $4 billion to vaccine
initiatives.
My special guest now to help us understand the challenges of vaccinating the world especially in the face of these highly contagious mutating
strains; Professor Sharon Peacock is a top expert on these variants. She's Executive Director of the COVID-19 Genomics U.K. Consortium and joining us
now. It's a pleasure to have you on.
More than 20 million years of life lost to COVID-19 according to a new study. Wow, what do you make of that?
PROFESSOR SHARON PEACOCK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COVID-19 GENOMICS UK CONSORTIUM: I think it's a tragedy of mega proportions and one that we must
work to stop now. But the good news is that we have the tools to be able to slow down the dreadful toll that this infection is having on the human
race.
ANDERSON: Well let's talk about that and let's start with these coronavirus mutations. From the moment you take a swab sample to when you start
analyzing it in the lab, how does it work? How do you identify a mutation?
PEACOCK: Yes, so somebody has their swab and if they are positive then their sample is processed in another laboratory that does sequencing. And
so we have to prepare the material for sequencing. We sequence the information and what comes out is like a handbook, a string of letters if
you like, of the genetic code for the virus.
From that we can see how much the virus that is infecting somebody has changed compared with the original virus that first emerged back in 2019.
And we're looking for points of difference in the particular viral genome, the message that really kind of changes the way that the virus may behave.
ANDERSON: How many variants, mutations have been identified by your Consortium?
PEACOCK: Well there are many hundreds of variants actually.
[11:10:00]
PEACOCK: So we need to in many ways try to normalize the idea of variants because genetic mutation is what pathogens do and this particular virus
mutates at around one or two times a month and that will happen when it's infecting a given individual. So we have to normalize the idea that viruses
mutate because this is what we expect. But there are particular variants that have arisen that are of concern because they have these particular
mutations in them that change the biology of the virus.
And by that I'm really interested in four features. One is whether the virus becomes more transmittable. The second is whether it can evade our
immunity. The third is whether it's more lethal. Or four is whether it interferes with our diagnostic test.
Actually the viruses that could do one or more of those are actually - could be counted on the fingers of one hand at the moment more or less.
ANDERSON: OK. Well let's talk about those that are the most worrying. You have spoken extensively about the new U.K. variant or the variant that was
first sequenced in the U.K. saying it has quote "Swept the country and is going to sweep the world in all probability."
Firstly, how much more transmissible is it? And how much more infectious? And secondly, is the U.K. variant in your mind the worrying?
PEACOCK: Well the variant we call B.1.1.7 has swept across the U.K. now so it's causing around 90 percent of all COVID-19 cases. It spread to at least
80 or more different countries and it's present in numerous in the United States. Though when we look at the properties of that virus it's around 50
percent more transmissible; the range goes from about 30 to 70 percent.
But it's reasonable to think that it's about 50 percent more transmissible than other viruses. But in addition there is mounting evidence that it
actually may be virulent, i.e it causes more severe disease. We are fortunate that there's no evidence that it escapes our immune response at
the moment. Although there are kind of very low number that have acquired an actual mutation that may.
But this variant is one that is - would be fully or susceptible, if you like, to full vaccination.
Your second question really was about the most worrying of variant. Well that would be, in my mind, the variant first detected in South Africa. So
that's called B.1.3.5.1 and it has a combination of mutations which make it more transmissible and can evade the immune response. Not fully, partially
at the moment. But for that combination; a virus that runs faster and that can get pass our immunity then that's one on the top of my list in terms of
concern right now.
ANDERSON: Right. And a study on the efficacy of AstraZeneca against that variant first identified in South African has worried authorities there
enough for them to have sent back their - (inaudible) sent back but moved on their AstraZeneca vaccines. And they are now working with Johnson &
Johnson. Which brings up my second question, just how concerned should we be about the efficacy of these vaccines that we currently have that have
been developed and are currently now going into people's arms against these new variants?
Can you be very specific for me?
PEACOCK: Yes. So the vaccines that we have available at the moment will be suitable for the overwhelming majority of disease that we have in the world
at the moment. So the variant first identified in South Africa is not widely distributed at the moment, at least not numerically. And so we
should rollout the vaccine that we have at the moment.
Now I would say that the vaccine was - the Oxford vaccine was not being used in South Africa after their (ph) results. But those results were based
on a relatively small population of people who are actually quite young. And if was difficult to see whether vaccination actually prevented severe
disease and death in that population because they weren't the population that was necessarily affected by that particular outcome.
And so I think we need more evidence actually for the efficacy of different vaccines against different variants. But we should sound a note of optimism
that the vaccines in use at the moment are likely to be very effective. And there's no mutant at the moment or variant at the moment that's fully
resistant to the vaccines in use at the moment. So one would expect them to have a very good or reasonable affect.
So I would say that I'm sounding a not of optimism here.
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: I just our viewers to be clear that we have to jump out of this interview because I am waiting for Joe Biden to address the Munich Security
Conference. So forgive me and I'm sure you'll respect the decision that we make. And in fact here he comes so let me just - I want to jump out this
interview. Thank you, so much for joining us. He's not speaking as of yet so I'll stay with you. But if he - but if he comes up then I will have to
jump out.
You spoke in interview hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (inaudible) about coronavirus mutations just a couple days ago and I just want our
viewers to have a listen to what you said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEACOCK: What we've observed is that sometimes the virus will actually make a big leap in its evolution particularly in people who got a simmering (ph)
infection. People who are immune compromised that can't shake off their infection as well as other people. And in the circumstance we see the virus
actually mutating at a faster rate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So how concerned should our viewers be about this?
PEACOCK: Well we think it likely that the variant that arose in the U.K. probably came from somebody who was -
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: All right, I'm going to stop you there. I knew that this was going happen just as you started again. Listen you and I will speak again.
Thank you so much. I am going to get to Joe Biden now who is speaking alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel and the French President, Emmanuel
Macron.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: -- earlier. So now as our first speaker in this program it is my privilege to welcome the 46th President of the United States. President Joe
Biden has truly been a loyal and longtime of the Munich Security Conference.
In 2019 Mr. President you said in this very place, in this very hall we will be back. Mr. President, thank you for keeping that promise. We welcome
you back to this stage and you have the floor. Thank you, so much.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, and it's great to be with Angela and Emmanuel. We just spent part of - from
Washington perspective (ph) morning to together. But I want to say hello to everyone and thank you, the Munich Conference, for hosting this special
session.
For decades, as you pointed out, I have participated in the Munich Security Conference as a U.S. Senator joining my colleagues from both sides of the
aisle to affirm the importance of the Transatlantic partnership. Three times as the Vice President of the United States including delivering the
first International Foreign Policy Address of the Obama/Biden administration in the first months we were in office.
And two years ago, as you pointed out, when I last spoke in Munich I was a private citizen. I was a professor not an elected official. But I said at
that time we will be back. And I am a man of my word. America is back. I speak today as President of the United States at the very start of my
administration and I am sending a clear message to the world. America is back.
The Transatlantic Alliance is back. And we are not looking backward, we are looking forward together. It comes down to this; the Transatlantic Alliance
is a strong foundation. The strong foundation on which our collective security and shared prosperity are built. The partnership between Europe
and the United States, in my view, is and must remain the cornerstone of all that we hope to accomplish in the 21st Century just as we did in the
20th Century.
The challenges which we face today are different. We're at an inflection point. When I spoke to you as a Senator and even as Vice President the
global dynamics has shifted. New crises demand out attention. We can not focus only on the competition among countries that threaten to divide the
world or only on global challenges that threaten to sick us all together if we fail to cooperate.
We must do both, working in (ph) lockstep with our allies and partners. So let me erase any lingering doubt. The United States will work closely with
our European Union partners and the capitals across the continent from Rome to Riga (ph) to meet the range of shared challenges we face.
We continue to support the goal of a Europe whole and free and at peace. The United States is fully committed -
[11:20:00]
-- to our NATO alliance and I welcome Europe's growing investment and (ph) the military capabilities that enable our shared defense. You know, to me
and to the United States and us, we'll keep Article - we'll keep faith in Article Five. It's a guarantee.
And attack on one is an attack on all. That is our unshakable vow. And the only time Article Five has been invoked was after the United States was
attacked on 9/11. You, our allies joined us to fight Al-Qaeda and the United States committed to consulting closely with our NATO allies and
partners on the way forward in Afghanistan.
My administration strongly supports the diplomatic process that's underway and to bring an end to this war that is closing out 20 years. We remain
committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again provides a base for terrorist attacks against the United States and our partners and our
interest. Our European partners have also stood with us to counter ISIS. Just this week NATO Defense Minister endorsed significant expanded training
and advisory mission in Iraq which will be vital to the ongoing fight against ISIS.
We cannot allow ISIS to reopen and regroup and threaten people in the Middle East and Europe and the United States and elsewhere. And while the
United States is undergoing a thorough review of our own force posture around the world I've ordered the halting and withdrawal of American troops
from Germany. I'm also lifting a cap imposed by the previous administration on the number of U.S. forces able to be based in Germany.
I know - I know the past few years have strained and tested our Transatlantic relationship. But the United States is determined to reengage
with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership. Earlier today, as was referenced, I participated in the first
meeting of the G7 Leaders where I spoke about the dire need to coordinate multilateral action to address COVID-19, the global economic crisis and the
accelerating climate crisis and so much else.
Achieving these goals is going to depend on a core strategic proposition and that is the United States must renew America's enduring advantages so
that we can meet today's challenges from a position of strength. That means building back better our economic foundations, reclaiming our place in
international institutions, lifting up our values at home and speaking out to defend them around the world.
Modernizing our military capabilities while leading with diplomacy, revitalizing America's network of alliances and partnerships that have made
the world safer for all people. You know I hope our fellow Democracies are going to join us in this vital work. Our partnerships have endured and
grown through the years because they are rooted in the richness of our shared Democratic values.
They're not transactional, they're not extractive. They're built on a vision of a future where every voice matters. Where the rights of all are
protected and the rule of law is upheld. None of this has fully succeeded in this - none of us has fully succeeded in this division we continue to
work toward it. And in so many places including in Europe and the United States Democratic progress is under assault.
I've known for - I have known many of you for a long, long time and you know that I speak my mind. So let me be very straight forward with you all.
We are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the future and direction of our world. We're at an inflection point between those who argue that
given all the challenges we face from the Fourth Industrial Revolution to a global pandemic, that autocracy is the best way forward they argue.
And those who understand that Democracy is essential; essential to meeting these challenges. Historians are going to examine and write about this
moment as an inflection point, as I said. And I believe that every ounce of my being that Democracy will and must prevail. We must demonstrate that
Democracy can still deliver for our people in this changed world. That, in my view, is our galvanizing mission.
[11:25:00]
Democracy doesn't happen by accident we have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it. We have to prove that our model isn't relic of
history. It's the single best way to revitalize the promise of our future. And if we work together with our Democratic partners with strength and
confidence I know we'll meet every challenge and outpace every challenger.
You know we must prepare together for long term strategic competition with China. How the United States, Europe and Asia work together to secure the
peace and defend our shared values and advance our prosperity across the Pacific will be among the most consequential efforts we undertake.
Competition with China is going to be stiff. That's what I expect and that's what I welcome because I believe in the global system, Europe and
the United States together with our allies and the Indo-Pacific work so hard to build over the last 70 years.
We can own the race for the future. But to do so we have to be clear eyed about historic investments and partnerships that this will require. We have
to protect - we have to protect for space, for innovation, for intellectual property and the creative genius that thrives with the free exchange of
ideas and (ph) open Democratic societies. We have to ensure that the benefits of growth are shared broadly and equitably not just by a few.
We have to push back against the Chinese government's economic abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the International Economic
System. Everyone must play by the same rules. U.S. and European companies are required to publicly disclose corporate governance (ph) - to corporate
governance (ph) structures and abide by rules to deter corruption and monopolistic practices.
Chinese companies should be held at the same standard. We must shape the rules that will govern the advance of technology and the norms of behavior
in cyberspace, artificial intelligence, biotechnology so that they are used to lift people up not used to pin them down. We must stand up for the
Democratic values that make it possible for us to accomplish any of this. Pushing back against those who would monopolize and normalize repression.
Know (ph) this is also - this is also how we're going to be able to meet the threat from Russia. When the Kremlin attacks our Democracies and
weaponizes corruption to try to undermine our system of governance. Russian leaders want people to think that our system is more corrupt or as corrupt
as theirs. But the world knows that isn't true including Russians own citizens.
Putin seeks to weaken European - the European Project and our NATO alliance. He wants to undermine the Transatlantic unity and our resolve
because it's so much easier for the Kremlin to bully and threaten individual states than it is to negotiate with the strong and closely
united Transatlantic community.
That's why - that's why I standing (ph) up for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine remains a vital concern for Europe and the
United States. That's why addressing recklessness, Russian recklessness and hacking into computer networks in the United States and across Europe and
the world has become critical to protecting our collective security. The challenges with Russia may be different than the ones with China but they
are just as real.
Is it not about pitting (ph) East against West, it's not about we want a conflict. We want a future where all nations are able to freely determine
their own path without a threat of violence or coercion. We can not and must not return to the reflective opposition and rigid blocks of the Cold
War. Competition must not lock out cooperation on issues that affect us all. For example, we must cooperate if we're going to defeat COVID-19
everywhere.
My first Presidential National Security Memorandum focused on surging health and humanitarian responses to defeat COVID-19 and to better prevent
and prepare for the next pandemic. Today I am announcing that the United States is making a $2 billion pledge to COVAX with the promise of an
additional $2 billion to urge others to step up as well.
[11:30:00]
And even as we fight to get out of the teeth of this pandemic, the resurgence of Ebola in Africa is a stark reminder that we must
simultaneously work to finally finance health security, strengthen global health systems and create early warning systems to prevent, detect and
respond to future biological threats, because they will keep coming.
We have to work together to strengthen and reform the world health organization. We need a U.N. system focused on biological threats that can
move quickly to trigger action.
Similarly, we can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change. This is a global existential crisis and we'll all suffer -- we'll
all suffer the consequences if we fail.
We have to rapidly accelerate our commitments to aggressively curb our emissions and to hold one another accountable for meeting our goals and
increasing our ambitions.
That's why as president I immediately rejoin the Paris Agreement. And as of today the United States is officially once again a party to the Paris
Agreement which we help put together.
On Earth Day, I will host a leader's summit to help drive more ambitious actions among the top emitters including domestic climate action here in
the United States. I am grateful. I'm grateful for Europe's continued leadership on the climate issues over the last four years.
Together, we need to invest in the technological innovations that are going to power our clean energy futures, enable us to build clean energy
solutions to global markets.
The threat of nuclear proliferation also continues to require careful diplomacy and cooperation among us. We need transparency and communication
to minimize the risk of strategic misunderstanding or mistakes.
That's why the United States and Russia not withstanding other competition extended the new START Treaty for an additional four years once I came -- I
was sworn in. That's why we said we're prepared to reengage in negotiations with the P5+1 on Iran's program.
We must also address Iran's destabilizing activities across the Middle East. And we're going to work in close cooperation with our European and
other partners as we proceed. We'll also work together to lockdown (inaudible) radiologic material to prevent terrorist groups from acquiring
or using them.
Look, the range of challenges Europe and the United States must take on together is broad and complex. I'm eager here -- I'm eager to hear -- I'm
eager to hear next from my good friends and outstanding leaders Chancellor Merkel about her thoughts on the way forward together.
So let me conclude with this, we cannot allow self doubt to hinder out ability to engage each other or the larger world. The last four years have
been hard.
But Europe and the United States have to lead with confidence once more with faith in our capacities, a commitment to our own renewal with trust in
one another and the ability of Europe and the United States to meet any challenge to secure our futures together. I know we can do this. We've done
it before.
Just yesterday after a seven month 300 million journey, NASA successfully landed the Perseverance Rover on Mars. It's on a mission of exploration
with elements contributed by -- contributed by our European partners to seek evidence to the possibility of life beyond our planet and the
mysteries of the universe.
Over the next few years -- (inaudible) but Perseverance will range and collect samples from the red planet. And pile them up so another mission
and rover envisioned as a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency will retrieve this trove of scientific wonders and bring it home to
all of us. That's what we can do together.
[11:35:00]
For unbound capacities to carry us to Mars and back, don't tell us anything else, they tell us we can meet any challenge we can face on Earth. We have
everything we need. And I want you to know the United States will do -- will do our part.
We'll stand with you. We'll fight for our shared values. We'll meet the challenges of this new moment in history. America's back.
So let's get together and demonstrate to our great-great grandchildren when they read about us that democracy, democracy, democracy functions and works
and together there's nothing we can't do. So let's get working. Thank you all very much.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Let's get on it. It's foreign policy Friday for the President of the United States Joe Biden at the Munich Security Conference saying he is
fully committed to the NATO alliance. "We will keep faith in article five," he said.
On the global pandemic the U.S. pouring $2 billion into the COVAX mechanism to try and ensure more equal and fair distribution of vaccines around the
world. He also announced that the U.S. is back in the Paris Climate Accord to face he says a "global existential crisis," which if not tackled will
mean that we all suffer.
He says, "If we fail to rise to its challenge." Let's get to someone who can help put all of this into perspective. CNN Political Analyst David
Gergen, David, I have to say, I mean a lot of this has been talked about ahead of the announcement so you could argue that we're not hearing an
awful lot new.
But we are hearing messages reinforced by the U.S. president in what is his first big sort of, you know, foreign policy day is it were in front of a --
more than just a domestic audience. Your thoughts about what you've heard?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: We'll, I think the speech will be warmly welcomed across much of Europe and indeed in the international
community and Washington D.C. This is a return to the spirit of pre-Trump and I think it reassurances to people that America is back.
I -- but I must say, it's not quite so easy as just flipping a switch to renew the America alliances with Europe. Everybody knows that Joe Biden
speaks for the Biden administration, but they wonder does he really speak for America?
There is a concern that after the past four years America's become a less - - a less reliable partner because you can't count on them. But a new president like Trump and withdraw from the international scene so quickly
there is a bit of great concern.
Chancellor Merkel for example, I'd be curious what she says today because she, you know, during the -- during the Trump era said basically to Germany
and the rest of Europe we need to look after ourselves, we can't rely on the United States anymore.
And they worry about that. You can't just flip a switch on Iran, can't just flip a switch on how you're dealing with China.
One last thing, the world has changed a lot since Joe Biden was Vice President. He comes in now with a China that is newly aggressive and more
powerful than ever and is stirring things up. And in fact (ph) Europe -- in Europe, you know, suddenly China now is the number one economic partner of
the Europeans.
And so, they would need to be very, very careful about how they deal with the Chinese (inaudible) whether Biden can have a well woven together
strategy on the part of the (inaudible) with regards to China is a really, really hard question.
ANDERSON: Yes. China a bigger partner for the EU than the U.S. going--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- forward. David, you make a really, really good point.
(CROSSTALK)
GERGEN: That's a big change.
ANDERSON: And so, I guess that begs -- yes, absolutely. Look -- and this begs the question which I have heard asked by so many people not least
those in this region where I am, David. You know I'm in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
Many people here and around the world saying, look, you know, this is a -- this is a new group in foreign policy with old faces. You know, there's a
lot of--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- people around in this group and I know you know them well and I know you admire them as I do. But they are of a -- an administration
which was pre-2016 and things have changed on the ground.
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: And, you know, clearly we need to hear the opportunities that the Biden administration is looking for. Clearly we need to see the stakes
in the ground when it comes to China, when it comes to Russia, when it comes specifically to Iran. Now let's talk about that now.
[11:40:00]
But these things are not easy and particularly on Iran, you know, this region is a different place since 2015-2016. The Iranians have made
aggressive moves around this region. Their ballistic missile program is a lot more visible as it were. I wonder where you think these negotiations go
bad -- go next because clearly the Iranians see--
(CROSSTALK)
GERGEN: Well, the negotiations with Iran--
ANDERSON: -- that -- yes, negotiations with Iran. They see the nuclear fall as their negotiating position but they clearly want sanctions--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- to be front and center when it comes to conversations. How does the Biden administration deal with this?
GERGEN: Well, the Biden administration so far I think has sent very warm signals to Iran. But whether they in fact can get negotiation underway that
gives -- takes us back to the pre-Iran days. I think it's a -- it's going to be a hard time to get back to where we were.
I mean, Iran and the United States are both looking at each other and saying you must make the first move. And we're telling Iran you make the
first big move and then we will talk about lifting sanctions and Iran's saying basically lift the sanctions and then we'll talk about the weapons.
So, you know, you need very, very elegant diplomacy, thoughtful diplomacy. And at the same time back home -- and go back home his Congress is not
uniformly for renewing the Iranian agreement anything but the Republicans still believe it was a terrible agreement and they will do what they can to
torpedo it.
So, it -- I don't think we should see a quick resolution in Iran. It's going to take some time for good will to be restored. And go back to this
question if Joe Biden makes a commitment, will the next president keep it? You know, can the -- can the Iranians depend on that?
And people in Europe depend on it and the people who care about the environment depend upon stability in American foreign policy. And I think
that's something you need to be working overtime and regain any trust it's going to take a while.
ANDERSON: That's certainly a question I put to the NATO Secretary General when I spoke to him yesterday. Do you--
GERGEN: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Do you hear these new messages of, you know, sort of coming together multilaterally (inaudible) back in vote (ph). Do you hear this
with a sense of trepidation? After all, you know, Donald Trump may have lost his megaphone but he had sum nearly 18 million people vote for him.
And let's be quite frank, you know -- you know, I'm not suggesting it's Donald Trump but there may be a sort of -- a Trump inspired era once again
in the states that the rest of the world will be looking and say how might we deal with that? Look, I want to close this out--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- if I will because you will -- you will be--
GERGEN: Sure.
ANDERSON: -- have a better answer than this than anybody I know. The U.S. president making it absolutely clear over the past couple of weeks that his
foreign policy decisions will be made through the prism of the American people at it were. Look -- and that's clear.
Foreign policy decisions, you know, are ultimately made with a view to national security. But what do you--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- think he means by that? He says America is back, which is a change to its all about America or whatever the phrase was, I can't even
remember it now from Donald Trump. You know, America is back. He wants us to believe that is on the world stage, but is it? And what--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- leverage does he have--
GERGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: -- to make big decisions around the world?
GERGEN: Well, we still have the -- you know, the strongest economy in the west and I think we cannot -- it is -- we cannot over stoke (ph) just how
important it is that Biden is taking us back in that direction. You know, it's sort of like Obama is back or Obamaism (ph) is back.
That's where his head is. But I think that Biden has a lot of experience on the international stage. And I think -- I think you have to say part of a
professional team is his words that they were very reassuring the most he could say.
But still there's going to be this -- for example this question. (Inaudible) is an agreement within an international body like -- or say
Iran. He would like ultimately to take back Congress in order to get it placed into law. In a new agreement it goes into law.
He doesn't have the votes in Congress to do that probably and therefore when they have to be (inaudible) once again some sort of executive pledge.
But executive pledges can be undone for the next administration.
So if you think you're going to get the Republicans back in three to four years, get back in the White House so you make the deal now with the
European, you can't count on the United States to be there in a crunch when it comes to enforcement of the agreement.
That's what he's going to have to -- he's going to have to build in some sort of set of relationships to get past this -- to get past this
uncertainty of whether the United States will be a reliable partner.
ANDERSON: Fascinating, and again executive orders, it's not - when you hear somebody talking about democracy, democracy, democracy is what binds us.
[11:45:00]
GERGEN: Yes, exactly.
ANDERSON: You know, executive orders can be seen as a very undemocratic sort of tool in the tool kit.
GERGEN: Right.
ANDERSON: David, it is always a pleasure. Thank you so much for joining us.
GERGEN: Thank you so much, good to be with you.
ANDERSON: Your wisdom, your insight, your analysis is so important as we look at where the U.S. may chart its course going forward. Come back. Thank
you.
Ahead on the show.
THOMAS BLACK, TEXAS STORM VICTIM: By the minute.
ANDERSON: A winter catastrophe in Texas, the leadership failure is blamed for people being without heat and water and power for days.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: As of Friday, the U.S. is officially a member of the landmark international agreement to fight climate change, otherwise known as the
Paris Climate Accord, and a disaster in the state of Texas serving as a stark reminder of the extreme weather that could happen more often if
countries don't limit their carbon emissions.
A devastating week of winter storms and freezing temperatures caused widespread power outages, the images almost apocalyptic. People lost power
for days, meaning they didn't have heat in their homes, their pipes froze and pushed the water supply to the brink. Natasha Chen now reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No power, heat or water.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: We've got salvage lights (ph), we can't recharge the batteries. There's no propane in the area to be found.
CHEN: Food supplies running low.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: It's all about survival right now until it start getting warm.
CHEN: And homes destroyed.
QIANA ABRAMS, TEXAS STORM VICTIM: It's like complete shock. It's like one of your worst nightmares.
CHEN: Hundreds of thousands of Texans are waking to a harsh reality this morning.
BLACK: As of now, we're managing, but the gravity of the situation becomes more apparent by the minute.
CHEN: In Houston, people are waiting in line to fill up buckets of water from a spigot in a park to take home, while others here stay warm within
this furniture store which offered residents a place to eat and sleep.
About 13 million Texans are under a boil water advisory and more than 200,000 households are still in the dark, and it could take days for all to
get power back.
LINA HIDALGO, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS JUDGE: We need to figure out what went wrong and the way that the Texas energy grid is run. But right now, there's
still a lot of work to do in response and in recovery.
CHEN: Texas Governor Greg Abbott promised to reform and investigate the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which is in charge of 90% of the
states power grid.
GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS GOVERNOR: I'm taking responsibility for the current status of ERCOT. Again, I find what's happened unacceptable.
CHEN: With dangerously cold temperatures still in the region, frustration here is growing. Fire fighters need to truck their own water to this blaze
at a San Antonio apartment complex since the hydrants there were frozen.
[11:50:00]
The conditions delay the delivery of coronavirus vaccines in Texas and other hard hit states.
ANDY SLAVITT, SR. WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE: We can't have people riding on - getting on the roads and going into work and boxing them
and delivering them through UPS or FedEx, either to sites like in Texas where they're not open yet.
We're going to keep these vaccines safe and sound and then we're going to get them out to people and catch up just as soon as the weather allows.
CROWD: Ted Cruz has got to go.
CHEN: A group of protestors welcomed Texas Senator Ted Cruz home, returning back to Houston after facing backlash for leaving the crisis for a family
vacation in Cancun. Cruz confirmed the trip after photos emerged on social media Wednesday showing the senator boarding a plane.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): The plan had been to stay through the weekend with the family, that was the plan. Look, it was obviously a mistake and in
hindsight I wouldn't have done it.
CHEN: Some local leaders slammed Cruz.
SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON, TEXAS MAYOR: Well, it's certainly much warmer where he's going. Let me just put it - let me just put it like that.
JOAQUIN CASTRO, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRAT: I mean, I think he threw in the tower on Texas. You know, this is a situation where it is all hands on deck.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Natasha chen reporting. I want to bring you an important update and a story that we've been following for you this week, after apparently
secretly recorded videos were released of a member of Dubai's ruling family, Sheikha Latifa, in which she alleged that she was being held
prisoner.
Sheikha Latifa is the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. CNN has not independently verified the videos or
Latifa's whereabouts, but "in response to media reports regarding Sheikha Latifa, we want to thank those who have expressed concern for her
wellbeing, despite the coverage which certainly is not reflective of the actual position."
The family has said "her family has confirmed that her Highness is being cared for at home, supported by her family and medical professionals. She
continues to improve and we are hopeful she will return to public life at the appropriate time."
We all remember the U.N.s working group on enforced disappearances said it would look into the allegations earlier this week. I'm going to take a very
short break, back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Prince Harry and Wife Meghan Merkel officially bid farewell to their roles as senior members of the royal family. Buckingham Palace
confirms that the couple told the queen they will not be returning as working members of the monarchy. But the palace says the Duke and Duchess
of Sussex are still much loved members of the family.
The announcement comes just days after Harry and Meghan revealed they are expecting their second child. CNN's Max Foster following all of this from
London, we people watching this and listening to this. You say I thought we already knew this, but this is sort of, you know, line in the sand stuff,
Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: It is. I mean, it's an unprecedented move for the Sussex's to leave their senior roles last year, so there was
this review process put into place where they'd come back to it a year later.
It's actually a month early, there's clearly some sort of impasse there. The Queen's side of the debate saying you cannot have a public royal role
when you're essentially an independent monarchy and accept a private income at the same time. There's too much compromise there.
But Harry was very keen to keep a set of honorary titles, particularly in relation to sports and the military, which would allow him to continue
representing the queen, but she has essentially said that's impossible, and you're stripped of those titles.
[11:55:00]
The duchess also very keen, for example, with her association with national theater, she's not going to be able to do that. But this is the lack of
compromise that was in the process, you're either in or you're out, and the Queen has decided you're out and the Sussex's have decided they don't want
to come back. They want to continue this career.
There was a bit of pointed language, though, today because on the Queen's side of things, in terms the of the palace and what they said in their
statement, they talked about it being very difficult to have a life of public service whilst having this sort of private role.
But then Harry's office responded, saying we can't all live a life of service, service is universal. So I think there's some frustration on the
Sussex side. They wanted to keep some of those role associations, but it just wasn't happening.
And today, as you say, drawing a line in that ahead of this big Oprah interview, and effectively what that means, Becky, is that they are
completely free to speak their minds in that interview now, so no longer representing the Queen in any way.
ANDERSON: Yeah, March, the 7th, I think their interview is, Prince Harry and Meghan, with Oprah. You are outside the (ph) 7th hospital in London
where the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, has been admitted. How is he doing?
FOSTER: Well, we've just had an update, actually, within the last half hour or so, saying following consultations with his doctor, the Duke of
Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into the next week.
They're describing this as the doctor acting with an abundance of caution, and the Duke is still in good spirits. So they don't seem too concerned,
but they are keeping him in to keep an eye on him. We don't know what's wrong with him either, still.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Max. Of course, would be useful. Max Foster, thank you, sir. Well, it was a jam packed couple of hours for you. Thank you for
watching. As ever, stay safe, stay well, a very good evening from Abu Dhabi.
ANDERSON: Right, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi, handing you over to our U.S. colleagues. The CDC Director speaking on COVID in America, let's
listen in.
DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: - vaccine. And the death rate in this population, relation (ph), though truly sad and unfortunate, was
consistent.
END
