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Indirect Talks To Salvage Nuclear Deal Kick Off in Vienna; Biden: Afghanistan Withdrawal Begins May 1, Ends By September 11th; Stories We're Keeping An Eye On For You; Experts Predict An "Unimaginable Loss Of Life" In Brazil. Aired 10-10:20a ET
Aired April 15, 2021 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and welcome the 14th day of testimony set to begin very shortly in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the
former police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd. The defense is set to continue making its case today we'll take you live to the
courtroom when it starts.
First up, though, it is a very big day for U.S. diplomacy. This hour America's top diplomat is in Afghanistan less than 24 hours after President
Joe Biden announced the end of America's longest war. Meanwhile, in Vienna talks are underway over the Iran nuclear deal on the issue of climate.
John Kerry is in China today, attempting to find common ground and happening in just the last few hours the White House sanctioning Russia
over cyber attacks. This is your world and we are connecting it let's get started for you.
And America's top diplomat, promising a changing but enduring partnership with Afghanistan that comes a day after the U.S. President announced he is
ending America's longest war. Anthony Blinken's unannounced visit to Kabul meant to reassure Afghan leaders that the departure of American troops does
not mean an end to his country's involvement in the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States will remain Afghanistan's steadfast partner. We want the Afghan people, countries in
the region and the international community to know that fact. It's also a very important message for the Taliban to hear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well Blinken's boss, President Joe Biden revealing the dates for the troop withdrawal in the same room where President George W. Bush
announced the Afghanistan invasion back in 2001. Let's take a listen then and now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, 43RD U.S. PRESIDENT: On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al-Qaeda terrorist training camps, and
military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I concluded that it's time to end America's longest war. We went to Afghanistan because of a horrific
attack that happened 20 years ago. That cannot explain why we should remain there in 2021.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Mr. Biden says all American troops will be out of Afghanistan by September the 11th this year that of course, is a hugely
significant date, it is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on American soil. Here as president also announced when the withdrawal will
start pledging an orderly departure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: The United States will begin our final withdrawal beginning on May 1 of this year. We'll not conduct a hasty rush to the exit. We'll do it -
we'll do it responsibly, deliberately and safely. And we will do it in full coordination with our allies and partners who now have more forces in
Afghanistan than we do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As you heard there the U.S. withdrawing happening in coordination with at NATO allies and others the NATO Secretary General talking about it
in very similar words to the American president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: In the light of the U.S. decision to withdraw foreign and defense ministers of NATO discuss the way forward
today and decided that we will start the withdrawal of NATO risks to support mission forces by May 1st. Our drill down will be ordered
coordinated and deliberate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, it's not just NATO Australia's Prime Minister announcing plans to withdraw his country's remaining 80 or so military personnel from
Afghanistan by September as well. At one point more than 1500 Australian troops were deployed there excuse me.
Well, connecting us today in Kabul Nick Paton Walsh who has covered the Afghan war for much of its nearly 20 year history. In it the Taliban
claiming that the "Delayed withdrawal" is in violation of the Doha agreement, which was negotiated by the Trump Administration last year. They
want all foreign troops out of Afghanistan by May the first. Is it clear how they intend to respond at this point?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Well, have said in that statement, which is the second in the last 48 hours, essentially
saying that this withdrawal isn't fast enough that because the Biden Administration is violating that which the Trump Administration signed.
They will "Take countermeasures" or they could take countermeasures, and America will be responsible for them.
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WALSH: Now that does essentially suggest we may be in for more violent months ahead. I think most people thought that was likely to happen anyway,
frankly, although we did just hear from Anthony Blinken.
I think the central belief within the Biden Administration that the Taliban wants to be the legitimate government; it wants international aid, and
therefore negotiated diplomatic settlements preferable to them than simply storming into Kabul or other major cities that are still held by the
government and the bloody months that could ensue.
But I have to say that is a pretty significant gamble, based on a belief that Taliban are broadly moderate and perceive the last two decades or
something they're quite happy to end at a negotiating table rather than with a substantial military victory. Remember, they've got a lot of rank
and file to keep pleased in the months ahead, Becky?
ANDERSON: Yes, I want to play a bit more from President Bush's 2001 speech when he announced that military strikes had begun just have a listen to
this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, we
will also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We'll fast forward to today, and this is what one Kabul resident had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They failed to fulfill the promises they have made to the Afghan people. These forces are not useful to Afghanistan, because
their presence does not change the country's security situation. What does it mean if they stay here?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That of course is just one individual's opinion. What's the general sense that you are hearing about this planned withdrawal, Nick?
WALSH: What I mean, President Ashraf Ghani has been pretty gracious frankly, given how much we know that the Afghan government was dreading
this news and even gracious when he met Anthony Blinken today.
In fact, Anthony Blinken has spent the last weeks in pretty stern terms telling Ghani to get on board with the American idea of the peace plan.
Yes, still Ashraf Ghani saying, look, we respect your decision, we hope for a smooth transition.
The general feeling is that it is a lose-lose situation, frankly. And I think you could hear in Joe Biden's voice the notion this is a regrettable
place he had to be, but it's because his predecessors hadn't really finished the job.
And if you heard George Bush there, he didn't say we're going to drop food and medicine and be in Afghanistan for the next two decades. They were
after Al-Qaeda then. And then it simply began to roll into this morphing thing where they simply didn't know when the moment would be when it would
be good enough or acceptable enough to leave.
And nobody wanted to make that fundamental call until Joe Biden who's always thought that long term investment was a bad idea. So on the streets
here I think there is great apprehension. They know the Taliban have been waiting for this moment for two decades.
The old heard saying the Americans have the expensive watch. But the Taliban have the time, they can simply run the clock out on this here. Does
the Afghan government have the muscle, frankly, have the diplomatic ability and have the U.S. air power and support in the enduring months to hold it
all together?
Many, I think doubt that. But something new is being tried here. And that's taking the Americans out of the equation, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh on the ground for you. Thank you, Nick. Well, a short time ago, I spoke to Fatima Gailani. She's an Afghan women's rights
activist, one of the four women on the Afghan government's negotiating team with the Taliban. She told me about concerns over security. Have a listen
to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATIMA GAILANI, AFGHAN NEGOTIATOR: My greatest concern is that this bucket will be left in Afghanistan with a civil war. This is what we don't want.
What we want in Afghanistan is peace. So the peace negotiations started here in Doha. Every effort if it is international effort, regional effort,
it has to be put behind us.
And of course we inside the Afghanistan are under the umbrella of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. We have every obligation to be honest to
it and put every effort from our side, but we can't do it alone. We have to do it together.
I on behalf of all people of Afghanistan, especially women of Afghanistan, we expect peace before the September date. And this is not a very big thing
to ask, is it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Fatima Gailani speaking to me earlier. We'll, stay in region, let's get you up to speed and some of the other stories that are on our
radar right now. And at least one person has been killed after an explosion rocked Baghdad's Sadr City. The Iraqi officials say another 12 people were
wounded in the violence just a day earlier.
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Two separate attacks targeted U.S. and Turkish security forces in Erbil Airport in northern Iraq. The Biden Administration will go ahead with a $23
billion arms sale to the UAE after a review of pending arms sales. The deal includes F-35 jets and armed drones.
Last year the Trump Administration pushed the deal through despite human rights and regional security concerns. Well, negotiations to salvage the
2015 Iran nuclear deal kicked off in Vienna a few hours ago. That's after Iran announced plans to increase its uranium enrichment to 60 percent.
We'll connect you to the broader scope of this story later in the program. Well, the U.S. Secretary of State says new U.S. sanctions against Russia
are meant to hold the Kremlin to account for its "Reckless actions", Washington slapping a host of financial sanctions against Moscow and
expelling 10 people from the Russian diplomatic mission in the United States.
Well, the measures are intended to punish Russia over the interference in U.S. elections, the massive cyber hacking attack on solar winds and the
occupation of Crimea. The Russian Foreign Ministry says that Washington should recognize that there's a price to pay for damaging bilateral
relations with Moscow.
Let's bring in CNN's International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson. There will be a price to pay for damaging bilateral relations those relations,
not in great shape at present. The intention is very clear here from the Biden Administration, isn't it that the Russians must be held to account
for activities they believe they have been involved in?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, and Russia's position of response to that is that the United States just doesn't
recognize that it is essentially has a monopoly on power in the world that they can no longer be hegemonic and its power that it is now a multi polar
world.
And to the point that a price will be paid, we heard were being said by the spokesperson at the foreign ministry in Moscow, also saying that right now,
the U.S. Ambassador in Moscow has been called into the foreign ministry and can expect a tough conversation.
But the Biden Administration is doing what the President had said that he would do that he would hold Russia to account for interfering in the U.S.
elections at six technical companies that in technically involved behind the cyber hacking of that and so - 16 people and 16 entities also being
held to account for interfering in the U.S. 2020 elections.
And fundamentally and critically here as well, that the administration saying very clearly joining the link between these companies and
individuals and the sort of the tech and the personnel behind it, that it is specifically linked to Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR
who've been the front - who've been the sort of the force behind what's been known as APT29 also Cozy Bear also the Dukes who have been the names
that were associated with some of the Russian hacking.
So it's a very, very clear message from the Biden Administration. But it's not clear. And they've admitted this and it's not clear that even this is
going to be enough to curtail Russia's activities.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson on the story for us. Thank you, Nic. A busy day as far as U.S., the U.S. foreign file is concerned. Thank you. Still ahead,
hopes of mass immunizations hit a snag after Johnson & Johnson pauses its vaccine rollout over blood clot fears a reality check on vaccines and clots
after this.
Plus, the new report paints an even darker picture on the state of the Coronavirus pandemic in Brazil. Well, why health experts there are
predicting an unimaginable loss of lives?
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ANDERSON: Well, darker days are ahead for Brazil if COVID-19 is not reined in quickly. A team of public health experts predict what they call and I
quote them here an unimaginable loss of lives that if the country does not quickly vaccinate more people.
More than 360,000 people have died there from COVID-19 and more than 13 million have been infected. That makes Brazil the second hardest hit
country after the U.S. Let's get to Shasta Darlington who is live in Sao Paulo with more and what is this grim report Shasta on the situation in
Brazil at present?
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Becky. And unlike the United States here, things really have been getting worse over the past
weeks and months. Lately, we've had some contradictory data that would suggest we might finally be plateauing the number of deaths and the number
of new cases has leveled off maybe even starting to decline.
But at the same time, the demand for those emergency care units is still extremely high, over 80 percent in most hospitals and over 90 percent in
many. The - and then we have this issue with oxygen, there's a serious lack of oxygen throughout the country and also the medicines and the drugs
needed for intubation.
Right here in the State of Sao Paulo. The health officials have warned they could run out in the next day or two if they don't get new supplies. And of
course, the experts behind this report that was in Science Magazine said well, the solution is to really speed up the vaccination program. And that
just doesn't seem to be an option here.
The less than 12 percent of the population has received at least one dose of a two dose vaccine so far, and the vaccination program just keeps on
running into these obstacles. There are two different kinds the Oxford AstraZeneca and the Coronavac that are being produced here. But they need
to bring in the raw materials from China and they keep on having problems with that as well as production problems. So it looks like that is going to
be delayed even further.
And what we're seeing is that increasingly, the people who are being hospitalized that are ending up in the ICUs are younger people and this is
because we have the very oldest getting vaccinated and the younger people going to parties, not respecting the all of the rules and the social
distancing. And we're simply running out of the tools we need to prevent this Becky.
ANDERSON: Shasta Darlington with some sobering analysis out of Brazil Shasta, thank you. Well, the recent military coup in Myanmar has derailed
that country's handling of the Coronavirus pandemic. In fact, medical authorities are no longer recording new cases.
The vaccination program is stopped and people continue to gather in large groups to protest the military takeover. I'm going to take you to
Minneapolis now and to the trial of Derek Chauvin.
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