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CNN Live At Daybreak

U.N.-Iraq Talks Will Focus on Sanctions, Weapons Inspectors

Aired March 07, 2002 - 05:20   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's foreign minister meets with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan a little less than five hours from now to talk sanctions. Among those joining them, the U.N.'s chief weapons inspector.

CNN's Jane Arraf is in Baghdad, a city that would very much like to see those U.N. sanctions removed -- Jane, what can you tell us?

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, there's very much a feeling here that these talks today actually could be a last chance to avert what many people are beginning to hear could be inevitable, a major U.S. attack on Baghdad.

Now, President Saddam Hussein hasn't commented directly on the talks, but he's made a show in the past few weeks of meeting with his key government, and more importantly, his key military officials. Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz says the country is preparing for U.S. aggression.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQ DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: We have all necessary preparations. This morning we had a cabinet meeting discussing this matter and it took many hours. Last night the president met with officials concerned with this matter, getting prepared to confront the aggression and to deter this aggression.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARRAF: Despite that kind of talk, everything seems calm here. It's a nice, sunny morning and just down the street from here workmen are constructing an elaborate gate to one of the presidential palaces. We can't show you that picture, but there are workmen on the roof, gilding the roof for a replica of the Al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem. There are construction workers in the streets.

Now, Iraq says that it isn't the threat of the U.S. attack that's driven them to these talks, but it's clear that that's a factor. The main issue, of course, whether Iraq will let back weapons inspectors (AUDIO GAP) since the last U.S. attack on Baghdad in 1998.

Now, it doesn't seem that there's a lot of room for a breakthrough in these first talks. They're only three and a half hours. But at the very least they could buy Iraq some time and some bargaining room -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll see what happens.

OK, Jane Arraf reporting live for us from Baghdad this morning, thank you.

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