Quick Guide & Transcript: Latvia hosts NATO summit, Officials investigate Russian ex-spy's death

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(CNN Student News) -- November 28, 2006

Quick Guide

NATO Summit - Learn how Afghanistan will factor in to NATO's meeting in Latvia.

Bush Summits - Find out what President Bush will likely discuss with Iraq's prime minister.

Real-life Spy Story - Investigate a real-life spy story that spans from Russia to Britain.

Transcript

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

SHANON COOK, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: You've found CNN Student News on this Tuesday, November 28th! I'm Shanon Cook at the CNN Center. It's shaping up to be a busy week for President Bush. We'll tell you where he's headed, and what's on his agenda from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. It's a real-life spy story that's left one man dead and investigators scrambling for answers. We'll tell you what leads they have. And it's a tradition for the first family. A towering tree arrives at its new home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

First Up: NATO Summit

COOK: We begin today in a tiny Eastern European country where a big meeting is taking place among the leaders of NATO. That's the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an alliance whose goals are to keep the peace and settle international disputes. NATO's 26 leaders will be meeting in Latvia over the next couple days. And they've got their work cut out for them. While their organization is responsible for securing Afghanistan, not all members agree on how to do that. Robin Oakely details their challenges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN REPORTER: For the troops fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan the going has been tough, the most intensive combat, say some commanders, since World War II. The politicians claim those troops will get the back-up they need.

TONY BLAIR, UK PRIME MINISTER: If the commanders on the ground want more equipment, armored vehicles for example, more helicopters, that will be provided. Whatever package they want, we will do.

OAKLEY: Visiting Afghanistan last week Mr. Blair had no doubt of the importance of their mission.

BLAIR: Here, in this extraordinary piece of desert is where the future in the early twenty-first century of the world's security is going to be played out.

OAKLEY: But that piece of desert is too the crucible where NATO's credibility and readiness for a wider worldwide role is being tested since it took responsibility for Afghanistan's security. And the Alliance's commanders have struggled to get member countries to contribute enough troops or equipment.

MICHAEL WILLIAMS, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE: Even the initial deployment to Afghanistan was never seen as sufficient, the Afghans were always asking for more troops, the Secretary-General was really going round with a cup asking for more troops and it didn't really happen.

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: That going has been tough from time to time, I must admit.

OAKLEY: That's one problem for NATO's political leaders to address at their summit. But there's another. A number of countries with contingents serving in Afghanistan have imposed so-called 'caveats' refusing to let their soldiers go to danger areas. It infuriates their allies in the hotspots.

LIAM FOX, UK CONSERVATIVES DEFENSE SPOKESMAN: There is no such thing as NATO lite. You're either in NATO or you are not and being there implies a set of responsibilities which ought to be carried out....Our government should be involved in absolute no holds barred diplomatic activity to say to our partners, especially Italy, Germany and Spain that we need to have full participation.

OAKLEY: Caveats don't please the Secretary General either.

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER: If I have the choice of having a force with a certain limitation or no force at all, my choice would be clear. Nevertheless, let me reiterate, my bottom line is that we should have caveat-free forces. Solidarity in the alliance demands caveat-free forces.

OAKLEY: Afghanistan has been a crucial test for NATO. But it has been a struggle getting member nations to provide the troops and the equipment needed to make a success in the toughest areas, particularly as some countries have refused to allow their troops to serve there. It raises questions, NATO diplomats concede, about the alliance taking on taking on a wider, global role.

Robin Oakley, CNN, at NATO headquarters, Brussels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! From which country did Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania get their independence? If you think you know it, shout it out! Was it: A) Britain, B) Germany, C) Egypt or D) Soviet Union? You've got three seconds--GO! Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia got their independence from the Soviet Union when it broke up in the early 1990's. They're called Baltic States because they border the Baltic Sea. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Bush Summits

COOK: Yesterday, President Bush became the first American leader to visit Estonia. He traveled from there to Latvia, where he'll attend the NATO meeting and after that it'll be on to the Middle East. Suzanne Malveaux has more on his itinerary, and tells us why his meeting in Jordan could help determine the course of events in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN REPORTER: President Bush arrived in Tallinn, Estonia. It is his first stop for that high-stakes diplomatic offensive. Of course the second stop on to Riga Latvia for the NATO Summit. But all eyes on that critically meeting between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman Jordan on Thursday. Now, already National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley aboard Air Force One, gave a preview of their meeting. He said first the two leaders would discuss the possibility, the appropriateness of the United States reaching out to its nemesis Iran. Regarding the situation in Iraq, but Hadley said it was Malaki's feelings that it was more appropriate for Iraq to speak directly to Syria and Iran and to take the lead on that matter. Secondly, Hadley also called the level of violence in Iraq reaching a new phase, but denied that it constituted a civil war. And finally, he said in his discussion they would not be talking about U.S. troop levels, but rather how to train the Iraqi forces as quickly as possible. Now both these leaders have their credibilities, their legacies on the line, at stake here. But the Bush administration is setting the bar very low for these discussions, in case the situation in Iraq gets much, much worse before it gets better. Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Tallinn, Estonia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Word to the Wise

AZUZ: A Word to the Wise... Scotland Yard

London's metropolitan police, especially the branch engaged in crime detection

Source: www.dictionary.com

Real-life Spy Story

COOK: The investigation is on into what's become a real-life espionage thriller. A former Russian spy died last Thursday in a British hospital, three weeks after he said he was poisoned. Alexander Litvinenko had been investigating the death of a Russian journalist. But investigators from London's Scotland Yard have a lot more than that to go on, according to Paula Newton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN REPORTER: His doctors called it chemical torture and in the hours before his death former Russian Spy Alexander Litvinenko bared the scars of it. His organs failing, his body surrendering, but not his mind. Until the last he fingered the Kremlin..

NEWTON: A charge echoed by his father.

WALTER LITVINENKO, FATHER OF VICTIM: This regime is a mortal danger to the world.. he fought this regime, he understood it, and this regime got him.

NEWTON: What actually 'got him' investigators say is a rare radioactive element called Polonium 210...And now trying to figure out when and how he was poisoned is turning into a sensational whodunnit. His friends say the Polonium should be like a fingerprint for police...it implicates Russian intelligence...executing the government's orders.

ALEX GOLDFARB, FRIEND OF VICTIM: We know that the Russian regime has evolved into a kind of authoritarian dictatorship by now, with no checks and balances.

NEWTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin denies any and all involvement....

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: I hope that British authorities will not contribute to instigation of political scandals that have nothing to do with reality.

NEWTON: It's now up to Scotland Yard to sort all of this out. Investigators are combing through Litvinenko's North London home, the sushi restaurant where he had lunch on Nov 1st and the hotel were earlier that same day he met with two Russian men. All the sites are now contaminated with radiation and authorities are asking people who may have been affected to come forward.

JILL MEARA, BRITISH HEALTH PROTECTION AGENCY: Because we can analyze for it and this is a potentially a serious incident as a whole we are pleased to offer this reassurance to people.

NEWTON: But police remain challenged by this bizarre murder that now threatens to strains relations between Britain and Russia. As a former secret agent Litvinenko made plenty of enemies. He had been one of Putin's harshest critics in recent years, but in truth, there many have been many with the means and the motive to silence him. Paula Newton, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

COOK: Teachers, if you're looking for new ways to incorporate our show with your curriculum, take it to the Web! From Learning Activities to Extras about high-profile news topics, we've got you covered. And we're constantly updating our site with news stories that are relevant to your field!

Before We Go

COOK: Before we go, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the President's residence. Thanks to the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree! The first lady and some guests were on hand yesterday to receive the 18-foot tree, which will be set up in the "blue room." That's a part of the White House where the first family traditionally meets visitors. Two smaller trees are also on the way.

Goodbye

COOK: And that wraps up Tuesday's show! I'm Shanon Cook, and we'll see you tomorrow on CNN Student News.

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