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Connect the World

Biden Announces new Security Assistance for Ukraine; A Closer Look at Estonia's Big Support for Ukraine; CNN Speaks to Czech Foreign Minister about Helping Ukraine; CNN Speaks with Jordanian Foreign Minister; Tanzania's Lion Hunters Turned Protectors; British Lawmakers Back Motion Calling for PM to be Investigated Over Whether he Misled Parliament. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired April 21, 2022 - 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)

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, London. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, smaller European countries with an outsized view have emerged as significant players in

aiding Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. This hour, my interviews with Estonia are President and the Czech Republic's Foreign Minister. I'm

Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome back to "Connect the World".

And we begin with what is much needed aid on the way to Ukraine, now 57 days since this Russian invasion began. In the last hour, President Joe

Biden announcing the U.S. will send Kyiv an additional $800 million in military assistance, including heavy artillery and ammunition.

Mr. Biden saying the war has ended what he calls a critical window and promising that the U.S. and its allies are moving as fast as possible to

help Ukraine defend itself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: As Russia continues to grind out the military advances and their military advances in the

brutalities against Ukraine, Putin's banking us losing interest. That's been my view. You have heard me say this from the beginning? He was

counting on NATO, European Union, our allies and Asia cracking moving away. He's betting on Western Unity will crack he's still betting on that. And

once again, we're gonna prove him wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, meanwhile, on the ground Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming victory in the - port city of Mariupol. Though President Biden

calls that questionable, saying there's no evidence, it has completely fallen.

Mr. Putin canceling plans to storm a steel factory there were hundreds of Ukrainians remain barricaded and said he says he wants to block anyone from

escaping and claims he'll defer offer "Dignified treatment to those who surrender".

Well, all of this as a desperate push is underway to save civilians who are still trapped in Mariupol. Well, evacuations were scheduled to resume a few

hours ago. The mayor says some 200 people have gathered but so far, buses have not arrived for them.

Four did manage to leave through a newly agreed corridor Wednesday far fewer buses than had been hoped for. The Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister

calling the security situation difficult well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is likening the Russian siege of Mariupol to a

terrorist operation and warns his forces simply do not have enough serious and heavy weapons to defeat the Russian army.

Well, it's bring in U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood in Washington to discuss what is on its way now this new aid package from the U.S. And

the President earlier, quick to score out what this equipment is in this new package of aid and why it is so important at this point. What did he

tell us?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the president was very clear in saying that Ukraine is right now in a critical window in this war,

and this moment in time could very well determine what the next phase of the war could look like. That's why it is critical that the United States

continue providing this military assistance to Ukraine.

He explained that this $800 million in security assistance for Ukraine is going to include things like more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition, heavy

artillery, tactical drones, some things that we saw in the package that was announced by the Biden Administration last week.

But this is more of that. And it comes of course, as the Ukrainians have been saying that they need these sorts of things for the fight in the East

because that fight looks different than the previous, the previous fights that they have taken on when it comes to this Russian invasion.

We should also note that President Biden said that the Biden Administration is also going to be asking Congress for more funding when it comes to this

military support. The amount that Congress has allocated to spend on this is going to be reaching its end here.

And so the Biden Administration wants to make sure that this continues on. And when it comes to the Ukrainians who have had to flee their country,

many of them do have family members here in the United States.

And President Biden announced that his administration is going to be developing an expedited process for those Ukrainians who had ties to the

U.S. and a sponsor here in the United States can apply for them to come to the U.S. through humanitarian parole it's going to expedite the process for

them to get here with the Biden Administration saying that they have committed to admitting up to 100,000 Ukrainians who have been displaced

because of this war.

[11:05:00]

ANDERSON: And Joe Biden very specific about the artillery, the howitzers, the ammunition that was on its way. He also talked about two other things,

which I think, - just discussing, he said, tactical drones were on their way, and that the U.S. is helping others in region, as it were, and this

will be in the Baltic States and beyond helping others transfer weaponry across.

So it's not just about what the U.S. is up to, but also the U.S. support for other allies as they provide heavy equipment for this second phase. And

he did mention, didn't he that this second phase is so important, it's going to be a very, very tough fight for the Ukrainians, and that everyone

must stick together on this. He mentioned that number of times, he said, you know, it is all about maintaining unity at this point.

ATWOOD: That's right unity and momentum. He underscored the need for this assistance to keep coming because as you said, this is a critical moment

that could determine how successful the Ukrainians ultimately are in this war?

And, as you said, the Biden Administration has been working with its NATO allies, not just to get U.S. weaponry to Ukraine, but also to get Russian

made weaponry to Ukraine. And that's because the Ukrainians, many of them have been more trained with that type of weaponry.

So it is more effective for them to take straight onto the battlefield. Now, interestingly enough, we have watched certain countries be very

explicit about what they are providing to Ukraine, other countries be less explicit. This is a fog of war situation.

And they are playing into that because they don't want Russia to know everything that is going on to the battlefield. But the Biden

Administration has been very clear about what they have provided. And I think we have watched while they have provided more heavy weaponry, more

long waned weaponry, the types of things exactly what the Ukrainians have said that they need.

ANDERSON: Kylie, thank you. Kylie Atwood is at the State Department. We'll now more on the desperate situation in Mariupol. I mean, you know if ever

there was a place that needed support, it is this. President Zelenskyy says about 120,000 people remain trapped there.

Well, this network CNN spoke to a wounded fighter who says for those remaining in the city, time is short. Matt Rivers has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Azovstal Steel Plant housing Mariupol's last line of defense. If the defenders here fall, so

goes the city. A few days ago, George Kurparashvili says he was right in the heart of the fight.

GEORGE KURPARASHVILI, AZOV BATTALION COMMANDER: Honestly, I'll tell you I've never seen such a brutal, devastating war because Russians are just

trying to execute the civilians.

RIVERS (voice over): He spoke to us via video chat from an undisclosed location. Severely injured during the fighting he says he was smuggled out

to recover. He is a Georgia National and a Commander in the Azov Battalion. One of the few remaining units left defending the city.

He says he was among the soldiers fighting the Russians while at the same time taking care of hundreds of civilians sheltering in the area, some of

which purportedly seen here in video CNN can't verify posted on the Ukrainian government's social media.

RIVERS (on camera): So how long do you think your group can take care of all of those people and yourself?

KURPARASHVILI: That's hard to answer. That's hard to answer for me. Time is short, that's all I can say.

RIVERS (voice over): Tens of thousands of citizens in besieged Mariupol still need to be evacuated. On Wednesday, and a slight glimmer of hope a

humanitarian corridor agreed to by both sides where civilians could evacuate Mariupol heading to - then - and then onward eventually to the

Ukrainian held city of Zaporizhzhia.

The city's mayor urging people to use it; he said dear people of Mariupol during these long and incredibly difficult days you survived in inhuman

conditions. You may have heard different things but I want you to know the main thing. They are waiting for you in Zaporizhzhia. It's safe there.

Video from Mariupol City Council shows buses lined up ready to take those who wanted to leave. It's unclear how many got on, but a regional official

says fewer people left than he hoped.

RIVERS (on camera): For many leaving is a difficult choice it requires trusting that the Russian military will not harm those trying to leave.

[11:10:00]

RIVERS (on camera): And yet this is the same military that has spent the entire war systematically targeting civilians across the country.

RIVERS (voice over): And yet the city has become unlivable for the military units still resisting George Kurparashvili says they're caring for soldiers

and civilians, sometimes with the same injuries due to Russian shelling.

KURPARASHVILI: It's a triage, child or soldier. And I've seen a lot of times there was a soldier say, go ahead, take a child. That's our priority.

RIVERS (voice over): A commander inside the steel plant has urged the international community to set up an evacuation route using a third party,

another country that might be able to facilitate the transfer of soldiers and civilians to safety.

If that doesn't happen, Kurparashvili says Russia will continue the bombardment, and it will end only one way.

KURPARASHVILI: There will be nobody left in this area. They will be dead, all the children. I'm not talking about the soldiers, but civilians will be

eliminated and it will be on us, the civilized world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well Matt is in Lviv for you this hour in Western Ukraine. Those are chilling words at the back end of that report. What else did you learn?

RIVERS: Well, you know, I asked him, Becky, I said, you know, his fellow comrades in the Azov Battalion, I said, Is there a world in which they

would consider surrendering to the Russians? He said absolutely not. He said they are so convinced that the Russians hate them so much for

resisting the way they have that if they were to surrender; the Azov Battalion believes that they would be categorically and summarily executed.

And so he said, basically, for those battalion members who are still fighting in Mariupol, there's two ways out. He said, it'll either be an

evacuation done by a third party country, or they will die fighting where they are. It was a pretty stark contrast, but he sounded very firm when he

said that. I think at this point, we have to take them at their word.

ANDERSON: Matt Rivers there on the story for you. Matt, thank you! Well, Russia's aggression in Ukraine is further isolating it from Europe and the

Western world and Moscow is responding right back. The Kremlin says it is closing the Estonian the Latvian and the Lithuanian consulates in St.

Petersburg.

Foreign Ministry says consular employees from all three Baltic countries are now no longer welcome there. The Russian government says it was done

out of reciprocity after Russian diplomats were asked to leave those countries and for Baltic military assistance to Ukraine.

Well, we've seen several smaller European countries like Estonia, taking a larger role in offering military weaponry and humanitarian support to

Ukraine. Earlier I interviewed the President of Estonia; he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, last week.

And I asked him whether he believes larger countries with stronger economies such as Germany should be doing more?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAR KARIS, ESTONIAN PRESIDENT: They started to do more and also U.S. is providing now military and sophisticated military assistance. So it takes

time probably for bigger countries and we had experienced already from bests. We do remember how it was in 20th centuries in before the Second

World War and after the Second World War.

So we have this kind of experience. And it's not only a question of Baltic States or small states it is question of Europe and security of Europe,

which has dramatically changed during the past two months.

ANDERSON: The U.S. State Department yesterday suggesting that NATO allies could actually be on the ground going forward and help in evacuation

corridors. We are specifically talking to the issue of Mariupol, where so many tens of thousands of people still remain and still are in a desperate

state. What do you know about the detail of any plans for NATO allies to be active on the ground in Ukraine?

KARIS: So obviously, we don't want to actively be involved in this war. But if military assistance and also this corridor, you mentioned, it's a matter

of discussions, we shouldn't avoid these kinds of discussions and to end up with result or some kind of alternatives. So this is a democracy I mean, we

should - we should discuss this openly to end this war as soon as possible.

ANDERSON: So do you expect to see NATO boots on the ground helping evacuating --?

KARIS: It is very difficult to predict.

[11:15:00]

KARIS: But different NATO countries provide assistance already. So it's - and as Kremlin says its war against NATO, its war against free world, its

war against the West. So we are involved anyway.

ANDERSON: But there haven't been any boots on the ground and there haven't been any jets in the air? I mean, let's be quite clear about this to date.

Do you believe that may change?

KARIS: It depends what Putin's next steps are? If he's - he starts to use chemical weapons, so anything worse? Of course, we should - we should be on

ground.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, that was the Estonian President speaking to me earlier that full interview is now online. Coming up on "Connect the world" keeping that

theme going this hour small country have big heart and even bigger weapons, all to help Ukraine. I'll be talking to the Czech Foreign Minister and

asking why the world's smaller economies are making such a big impact against Russia's war?

One small farm six cows and now dodging Russian rockets, Ukrainian farmers find themselves in the midst of this war all that is just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, on today's edition of "Connect the World" we are highlighting a big moment for some smaller countries stepping up to help

Ukraine. The Czech Republic is one of those nations that are putting more than its weight as it were.

A recent report says that Prague has sent Soviet license tanks and armored vehicles to Ukraine and that has sparked a furious warning from Moscow and

Prague's responsible. It's been a bit of a shrug to be honest. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky joins me now live from the Capital of Prague.

Thanks for joining us sir. Your country has been supplying a lot of military equipment to Ukraine since this invasion began? Earlier this

month, you provided Soviet era tanks the first time that had happened from a NATO country and the Czech Republic no military powerhouse. So why is it

so important for you to be taking this strong position?

JAN LIPAVSKY, CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER: Hello Becky. It is very important for us. And the reason is that Ukraine is fighting for its own survival. But if

Putin's aggression would continue, and Ukraine's would fall, he would continue and we have already been occupied by Russians once in 1968. And we

don't want to repeat that.

ANDERSON: Well, if Russia is condemned your moves, warning the Czech Republic through a diplomatic letter against supplying other countries with

weapons of Soviet origin and how did you respond to that letter?

LIPAVSKY: We have a response. There is no legal basis for what they have claimed. There is no point to reply such request.

[11:20:00]

ANDERSON: And do you expect to provide more military hardware as this new phase begins?

LIPAVSKY: We are doing what we can. We are sending a lot of weapons. I would like to thank to all other countries who are providing weapons USA,

Great Britain, Poland, other European countries, it is very important to provide Ukraine with any necessary means for them to survive and win over

Russia in this horrific barbaric war. Look what they're doing in Bucha? Look what they are doing in Mariupol?

ANDERSON: My question was will the Czech Republic provide more?

LIPAVSKY: Yes, in my opinion.

ANDERSON: Do you share Joe Biden's concern that the maintaining of unity amongst allies at this point is absolutely crucial?

LIPAVSKY: I absolutely share it. My first concern is to have a unity honor level of the European Union. Since five packages of sanctions already had

been adopted, we are preparing the sixth package of sanctions. We need to get rid of our dependency on Russian oil and gas. So those are tasks which

are - which lies in front of us. So unity is very important.

ANDERSON: Yes. And then the Czech Republic, of course, has historically gotten nearly 90 percent of its gas from Russia. Over the years you have

been trying to find other sources of energy. Other countries have not done that, quite frankly. And I'm thinking about the Germans first and foremost-

-

LIPAVSKY: My government is now working on solution to that. I would like to see some European solution. It won't be easy, but we will make it. We will

make it.

ANDERSON: By when?

LIPAVSKY: This is something we are now in the middle of that. And it's quite complicated debate. So there is no clear answer from my side right

now.

ANDERSON: The worry is that this issue of Russian gas could split what is otherwise a relatively still unified bloc. Does that concern you?

LIPAVSKY: It is a concern. However, I would like to mention that Putin manipulated market with Gus last autumn. And he wasn't able to disunite

Europe, Europe was very united and as the united stand on Russia aggression against Ukraine. And I am very optimistic that we will be able to find a

common solution again.

ANDERSON: We've been talking about military hardware as well as these sanctions. Do you believe larger countries with stronger economies, such as

Germany, for example, should be doing more with regard military hardware and into Ukraine more aid? Like sort of work that you've been doing?

LIPAVSKY: I would like to see that those countries would be doing more. On the other side, I understand that they have their own domestic situation. I

have to respect that. But to see Germany sending significant amounts of weapons to Ukraine, that would help a lot definitely.

ANDERSON: Do you believe it's been talk just today about the possibility of a third country being involved in the evacuation of Mariupol? I'm sure you

are well aware of what is going on there.

This is a besieged port city almost entirely ruined with 120,000 people who need to get out. And that would be a NATO member? If so, having a NATO

member on the ground helping with an evacuation would be a game changer, would it not?

LIPAVSKY: It would be. It would be a game changer. And I would like to save heroes of Mariupol. And I would like to see that we are able to help people

of Mariupol. But any negotiation, which to this day was done with Russia, had not led to successful creating of humanitarian corridors or anything

like that. But yes, if that would be possible. I would agree with that. We have to help those people to--

ANDERSON: And would the Czech Republic be prepared to be involved?

LIPAVSKY: It matters what would be necessary to be given from the Czech side? Honestly, we don't have any real means that would be have to done by

different countries. But yes, politically, we are ready to support.

ANDERSON: Is it clear who would be involved at this point? Is there any detail on this plan?

LIPAVSKY: No, no, I don't have any detail on that.

ANDERSON: You're heading to Washington next week. You'll meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. What will your message be to the Foreign

Secretary and his President?

LIPAVSKY: Yes, I'm coming next week to D.C. to meet with my friend Tony Blinken.

[11:25:00]

LIPAVSKY: And I have two messages for him. First of all, we are your reliable partner in the Central Europe. And we are very much aligned on

Ukraine and Russia threats. And the second message is, don't forget about China. We are very closely watching what China is doing on Russia

aggression against Ukraine?

And they are not doing much and would they start to help Russia in any significant way that would have civil consequences on the EU Chinese

relationship?

ANDERSON: We're 57 odd days now into this war. From your perspective, in the Czech Republic, how has this changed the European Space?

LIPAVSKY: We have realized that nothing is given that the comfortable life is not guaranteed. You have to fight for your freedom and independency. And

this is what the Czech society has learned.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you on. Thank you very much indeed for giving us your time today. Let's speak again when you get back from the States.

LIPAVSKY: Becky, thank you very much. Thank you.

ANDERSON: Thank you. We're on the brink again, violence flares at a key holy site in Jerusalem, and Israel is pointing the finger at Hamas. Plus,

the clashes in Jerusalem also inflaming tensions between Israel and Jordan; we're going to speak with the Jordanian Foreign Minister up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Palestinians and Israeli security forces clashed earlier today at a key holy site in Jerusalem as the worst tensions in months continued to

simmer. A video show Palestinians inside the Al Aqsa Mosque launching fireworks towards police and police firing stun grenades back.

Meanwhile, Israel is blaming Hamas after they say at least five rockets were fired from the Gaza strip into Israeli territory on Wednesday. In

response, Israeli forces struck an underground complex in Gaza that produces rocket engines.

CNN's Hadas Gold is following the latest developments from Jerusalem and she joins us now live Hadas?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, Jerusalem has been on edge for a week as we've seen periodic clashes and violence breaking out on or around the

Al Aqsa Mosque compound, which is also known as the temple mount to Jews.

As you noted, we have been seeing video from this morning showing Palestinians launching fireworks from inside the Al Aqsa Mosque and Israeli

police on the compound shooting stun grenades at the entrance to the mosque.

Israeli police saying that they responded to what they called rioters throwing stones and fireworks that they operated to "Enable the public as

safe freedom of worship".

[11:30:00]

GOLD: Now, Becky, the clashes today were not nearly as bad as the ones we saw last Friday where more than 150 people were injured. But Earlier on

Wednesday evening, tensions in Jerusalem had spiked once again when Jewish extremists attempted to march through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.

They were blocked from doing so by Israeli police for safety reasons. But still, there were some clashes in the Old City streets between those Jewish

extremists, Palestinians and police.

Meanwhile, to the south overnight, as you noted, rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. This is the second time in a week that rockets have been

fired from Gaza into Israel.

The Israeli Defense Force, responding with what it called the most significant airstrikes and said 11 day war with Hamas last year. Keep in

mind, of course, that it was similar clashes at Al Aqsa, similar tensions in Jerusalem that helped spark that 11 day war last year.

The IDF saying that they struck a rocket manufacturing plant but there has been no reported major injuries either in Gaza or in Israel as a result of

that exchange of fire. And Becky, I do have to say it doesn't seem like right now the militants in Gaza are gearing up for another major

escalation.

However, Hamas has warned that their "finger is on the trigger as they watch events unfold in Jerusalem". Now since this morning, things have been

calm in Jerusalem.

But the diplomatic and political ramifications from the last few weeks of tensions are still being felt Israeli emissaries in places like the UAE and

Jordan have been called in for talks. The Americans have sent a delegation from the State Department here in order to calm the situation.

And more importantly, for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for his internal politics, the United Arab lists party, that first Arab party to fully enter

the Israeli government has frozen their membership.

It's still frozen right now as a result of what's been happening at Al Aqsa, that's deepening the political problems for the Israeli government

that already lost its razor thin majority and could put them on the path to losing the government and to potentially new elections. Becky?

ANDERSON: Yes, I know, fascinating. I just said we are just setting up to speak to the Jordanian Foreign Minister about this very subject, it was

important that you laid out the perspective from Tel Aviv as to what is going on.

And this we've been talking for weeks now, haven't we about concerns about a real escalation in this? So to hear that that is not something that the

authorities believe is necessarily the result then that is a good thing.

I want to leave you there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us. Actually, we're still setting up the Jordanian Foreign Minister. So let me

just ask you this one question.

You've had the response to the Jordanians response of the UAE; you know that there is a U.S. delegation in town. Is this about a long term solution

or just ensuring that we don't see a massive escalation at this point?

GOLD: I really think right now, it's just about ensuring that there won't be some massive escalation. There are so many concerns about this blowing

up into what we saw last year, that an 11 day war between the Hamas militants in Gaza and the Israeli army about things just blowing even

further and further out.

There is I think, an acknowledgment that in Israeli politics, things are very much on edge. As I noted the current coalition government, they lost

that razor thin majority; they could be on the path towards more elections.

And even if they weren't, this new government is made up of such a diverse group of parties from the right to the left secular and religious. And, of

course, that the first Arab party to sit in government, they have been very clear that they have no intention to try to tackle these big issues.

They have no intention to try to solve the Israeli Palestinian conflict right now. So right now, the most of the focus is just to keep things calm,

and keep the violence away for now.

ANDERSON: Hadas, thank you. Well, multiple Arab leaders have condemned Israeli police actions in and around the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem this

week. Israel's neighbor Jordan summoned Israel's Deputy Chief of Mission in Amman.

Jordan accuses Israel of illegal measures aimed at "changing the identity of the holy sites".

The statement also hinted at growing dissatisfaction in Jordan. And our visits by Jewish groups to the site known to Israelis as the Temple Mount

being carried out Israel said Jordan's response provided backing for Palestinians committing acts of violence in Jerusalem.

Well, Jordan's Hashemite monarchy has, of course, been the custodian of Jerusalem's holy sites since 1924 paying for their upkeep in 1948. Jordan

actually controlled the West Bank and East Jerusalem it lost those territories to Israel during the six day war in 1967.

Still, Jordan continues to play an important role in overseeing arrangements at the holy sites known as the status quo. Well, I want to

bring in Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, he joins me now from the capital of Amman Foreign Minister, who is to blame for the violence that we

have seen Jerusalem lately particularly around the Al Aqsa Mosque?

[11:35:00]

AYMAN SAFADI, JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Good evening, Becky. Basically what Jordan has wanted all through is to make sure that the legal and

historical status quo that Haram is respected, so that we maintain the calm that everybody worked so hard to achieve.

Avoid violence and then move towards a political horizon that will bring about and to the Palestinian Israeli conflict so that everybody gets the

peace that is right for all.

What's happened in Al Aqsa is, of course, a reflection of the ongoing tension that has been escalating there for weeks before the events of last

Friday, even before the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

You saw the intense activities basically lead and the effort Jordan made to make sure that we mitigate against deja vu, basically, in terms of what

happened last year.

ANDERSON: You're not answering the question. The question is who is to blame for this violence with respect?

SAFADI: Who's to blame initially, the fact that there is no political horizon the fact that the status quo is not being respected? The fact that

we've seen a lot of escalatory measures by settlers and by extremists, and the fact that Israeli forces entered into stormed into the Aqsa last week.

We're not looking for here in terms of what's happening now, what we want to do is what we've always done is how do we look forward? How do we move

beyond the current crisis content, the tension, ensure respect for the status quo at the Haram and move forward, all robust towards mentioning the

- achieving piece.

ANDERSON: Israel is accused Jordan of encouraging Palestinians who it says are committing acts of violence in Jerusalem over the past couple of days,

your response?

SAFADI: I haven't heard any Israeli official make this accusation. We've heard a lot of reports. Basically, what I would say is that Jordan's

record, Jordan's history is clear, that we always encourage dialogue, always encourage negotiations, always encouraged peaceful means of settling

the conflict.

At the same time, we've always been very clear to the Israelis and to everybody that the status quo of the - of the Haram must be respected, that

violating that status quo is going to lead to an explosion given the sacredness of the Haram and the overall tension, which is pretty much the

outcome of failure to move forward towards political horizon.

So I want to say that we are very clear as Jordan, we've always worked for peace, we are going to continue to work for peace. And what we've

encouraged the Israelis to do is to respect the status quo.

And our conversation with our, with the Palestinians was geared to working together to maintain the peace and make sure that we maintain the calm. My

colleague, Christiane Amanpour spoke exclusively with Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett earlier; I just want you to have a listen to this

exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When the world sees and when Palestinians see and when your region sees Israeli soldiers

inside that, that mosque, it creates a lot of tension, a lot of unease. Why do you allow Israeli soldiers to go into that mosque?

NAFTALI BENNETT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Yes, well, Christiane, there you go, again, starting the story in the middle. But the actual fact is that

last Friday, at about five in the morning, roughly 300, the Palestinian rioters entered Temple Mount mosque with explosives, with stones.

They began desecrating their own mosque, burning, throwing stones and preventing about 80,000 decent Muslims from going to pray. My

responsibility as Prime Minister of Israel is to provide freedom of prayer to everyone in Jerusalem, including Muslims, which is why I had to send in

policemen to remove the rioters, and it worked indeed, 80,000 Muslims went on later to pray peacefully. So, you know, when faced with violence, you

have to act tough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Foreign Minister, I just want to push you a little further on what we were just discussing before in response to what you've just heard

there. And Jordan isn't being accused of encouraging Palestinians to commit acts of violence by any Israeli lawmaker.

But it's the response of the Jordanians to what is going on that is seen as encouraging activity by Palestinians within the compound. Does that make

sense? And I just want to get your response to that specifically.

SAFADI: No, it does not make sense Becky. What Jordan did is, took the same stand it has taken historically over decades.

[11:40:00]

SAFADI: It took last year it took this year that the status quo, the historical legal status quo of the Haram must be respected. That freedom to

prayer for Muslims in the Haram must be respected; limitations and access to the Haram must be lifted. That is what Jordan did.

And what also Jordan that is urged everybody to make sure that we militate against any eruption of violence. The beginning of the story, Becky, is

that we have a conflict that continues to abate a solution.

We've worked for the last few months, years before even to try and create a political horizon that will address the issue that there is an occupation

that there is no horizon to solving it, that we must move towards ending all tension and move towards a solution.

ANDERSON: And if president does feel, sorry Foreign Minister, president does feel like you are working on sort of short term fixes, as opposed to,

you know, long term plans is then what chance are long term peace plan at this point.

SAFADI: We're working short term and making sure that the last 10 days of Ramadan, go and peace, that violation stop and that column are restored. We

look working up medium term and making sure that we address the reasons for the violence that we saw erupts in Jerusalem and at the Haram.

And see how we can all have a composition, have a discussion on how we prevent those from happening. And we're working longer term as well, in

terms of getting the party's around the table and make sure that we have a path towards restoring negotiations to get to the piece that we want.

ANDERSON: Let me ask you this one last question. Jordan has been increasingly vocal in its criticisms of Israel's actions in East Jerusalem,

are you in King Abdullah, frankly, getting fed up with your neighbor at this point?

SAFADI: What we're getting, we're continuing to be frustrated with the absence of political horizon. We continue to be frustrated with having to

deal with the same scenarios year in and year out, because the right thing is not done.

And the right thing is, again, to respect the status quo at the Haram and also find political horizon to solving the conflict. That is the beginning

of the story Becky.

And Jordan continues to engage very openly with the Israeli government, we engage with the Palestinians, we engage with our partners in the world with

the same message we need to solve this conflict.

We need to have peace for all and we need to have practical steps that will militate against us finding ourselves in the same place over and over. What

we're frustrated with again has to deal with the same situation with the absence of any longer term genuine, institutional, meaningful effort to try

and address the cause roots of the problem.

And to prevent violence from erupting again and, and hurting everybody in Israel, Palestine in Jordan and beyond.

ANDERSON: Jordan, Foreign Minister speaking to us from Amman this evening, thank you, sir. Coming up, one Tanzanian tribe is protecting the lion they

used to hunt, that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: Well changing cultural traditions to protect wildlife takes time, effort, and trust which is what our next story is all about. British

conservationist Amy Dixon is working with a tribe in Tanzania to preserve what she says is one of the most significant line populations left on

earth.

Her work was chosen by Rolex Awards Laureate, Shafqat Hussain, who is our guest editor on Call to Earth this week as we focus on efforts around the

world to protect big cats.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Sunrise on the edge of Ruaha National Park, here in central Tanzania, livestock is life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our tribe believes - was part of the family and we cannot live without them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Another day, another deadly threat for livestock and people. Stephano Asecheka is part of the Barabaig, a little

known tribe with a long history with lions.

STEPHANO ASECHEKA, HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT MANAGER, LION LANDSCAPES: In our tribe, our customs and tradition raise us to have pride in killing a lion

as a young man. And we are made to believe that once you kill one, it at least reduces the threat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Traditionally, young warriors like this would gain rewards and status from killing lions. Part of the lion

defenders program, Asecheka is showing them ways to protect the tribe while preserving the pride.

ASECHEKA: The land defenders work in the village areas and the attack is surveyed the borders any in the morning for lion trucks and to inform

Helders of the safety grazing areas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): The lion defenders are part of the Ruaha carnivore project founded by Amy Dickman in 2009. When she first came here

four years previously, things were bad.

AMY DICKMAN, JOINT CEO, LION LANDSCAPES: There are the highest rates of lion killing that have been detected in East Africa in modern times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): She said she had to work hard to gain the tribes trust.

DICKMAN: We said we had just hit find out why you're killing these lions. And if there's a way you could achieve whatever you achieved through it

through conservation rather than killing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): And eventually persistence paid off.

DICKMAN: They really opened up for us and since then it's really been a transformative relationship and working with them for conservation. We

certainly know that the line killings have decreased by over 70 percent in the core area that we're working in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): The project offers financial incentives to protect lions by funding community services like education, doctors and

vets.

DICKMAN: We'd love to collaborate with you guys because--

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Dickman and her team have joined forces with other conservation projects in Kenya and Zambia to form a larger

nonprofit Lion landscapes.

DICKMAN: It really can be a way of uplifting people and making sure that wildlife is a way to get people out of poverty as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Asecheka also gives tours of the park to help his tribe see wildlife from a new perspective.

ASECHEKA: Many people love seeing animals. Even the locals who used to hunt them want to see the lions. They feel a sense of ownership and get to

understand the right reasons why we are protecting lions.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ANDERSON: Let we know what you're doing to answer the call with #calltoearth; we will be right back after this for you. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:00]

ANDERSON: Well, let's get you a little bit of breaking news just coming in the UK Parliament is back to motion calling for the Prime Minister Boris

Johnson to be referred for investigation into whether he misled parliament over locked down parties.

Now, earlier in the day, the Metropolitan Police in London confirmed it won't make any more party gate finds public until after key elections next

month in England. There's quite a lot going on here, isn't it?

CNN's Nada Bashir joining me now live, I haven't stolen your thunder. But I think there's just explain what we've gotten here.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yes, well, this is all just unfolding in the last few moments of seeing parliamentarians debating throughout the day

that motion for an inquiry to be held into whether the Prime Minister knowingly misled parliament.

And just in the last few moments that were not as through the MPs, they're approving that motion to the Prime Minister. Now facing a third inquiry

relating to the party's scandal, we've got the Metropolitan Police investigation, we've got the Cabinet Office report still ongoing.

And now this parliamentary inquiry, certainly a concern for the Conservative Party, as you mentioned, heading into those local elections

but it's actually been quite an interesting day with party.

We've seen the Conservative, the government make a U turn earlier in the morning, just minutes before the actual debate kicked off. Last night, we

heard that they would propose an amendment to have this vote postponed waiting for the Metropolitan Police investigation and the Cabinet Office

report to come through to be published.

They wanted as they said to give lawmakers an opportunity to hear all the details. But then they would do that. And we heard from the Prime Minister

who said the House of Commons can do what it wants to do. He doesn't want to avoid scrutiny. ANDERSON: All this while he of course is in India, as he

would describe it getting on with the job at hand.

BASHIR: That's been the message that he's put forward throughout this entire scandal throughout calls for him to resign. He has said the British

people don't want to resign; he needs to get on with the job to focus on his policy priorities.

He's also expressed his intention to lead the Conservative Party through the next general election. But those calls for his resignation are

continuing, we had today for more conservative--

ANDERSON: And that's important, isn't it because the next election won't be until as early as December of 2023. So I mean, unless there is something

that that's when it's scheduled for. The question now is would he resign?

Or would he be forced out with no confidence when you and I have talked at length about this? It's where he gets the support from his party members at

this point. It's really got nothing to do with the British public, isn't it?

BASHIR: No, and that's the thing. I mean, that was the concern around this U turn as well. The question of whether in terms of the optics, whether

we'd see Conservative MPs, perhaps abstaining from the vote, feeling uncomfortable with the idea of preventing further scrutiny on the prime

minister.

And there has been a slight shift perhaps in the mood around the Conservative Party. Now we are seeing more MPs expressing their discomfort

with the situation calling on the Prime Minister to resign.

Now expressing their support of course for this motion for the Prime Minister to be investigated by a parliamentary committee so there is

certainly a sense of uncertainty around the Prime Minister's position.

[11:55:00]

ANDERSON: And just to be quite clear, this was pushed through, as we say, with a nod as it was. So this is though this is based on the yeas and the

nays rather than an official vote. So it's not clear to us who supported this and who didn't.

BASHIR: That's right. But it was, you know, a palpable yay in the House of Commons. We didn't hear anyone opposing that that is significant. We went

from just yesterday expectations that the Conservative Party MPs would be instructed and a three line whip to vote against this but of course, now

Prime Minister facing that third inquiries, it's pretty significant.

ANDERSON: As we said, he is in India cutting a trade deal at this point. Thank you. Well, that is it from the show. You've been watching two hours

of "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson this week, and last out of London for your normal broadcast at Abu Dhabi, you will be well aware.

From the team working with me here in London, and those working with me around the world, particularly my colleagues in Abu Dhabi, it's a very good

evening to you all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END