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CNN Live At Daybreak

A Report on Latest Developments From Iraq

Aired September 04, 2002 - 05:32   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get the latest developments from Baghdad now before we go back to the subject of the Earth Summit. So let's go live to the Iraqi capital now.
Our James Martone is standing by -- good morning, James.

JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the very latest is a message from the president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, that's on all of the front pages of Iraq's newspapers, including the "Iraq Daily," which is the English newspaper. He's calling on, according to the newspaper, which is an official newspaper, as are all papers here in Iraq, to that victory comes from within, he says. He says that people should not believe negative, as he puts it, technical weapons, technical means and weapons and negative media, fabricated news, is what he says.

So clearly a message to his people, to the world, is how he entitled the message, that what's being said about Iraq outside is not true.

Now, this comes when his senior diplomat, Tariq Aziz, yesterday we saw in Johannesburg at the Earth Summit suggested Iraq was ready to allow weapons inspectors back in, but, again, on the condition that a timetable be set, some sort of discussions, that is, for a lifting of sanctions also be discussed.

The foreign minister of Iraq is presently on his way, should be arriving soon. Cairo, Egypt, where he's going to a meeting at the Arab League of Arab foreign ministers, also expected to focus in some part on the U.S. threats on Iraq. Also here in Baghdad today, finishing up a conference of what has been a hundred, over a hundred Arab parliamentarians that came to Baghdad to discuss and refute what they say are the U.S. threats to change the regime in Baghdad -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, James, I was just curious about something. For the past year or so, we've seen Saddam Hussein wearing a suit, but yesterday we saw him in a military uniform. Is he going to be wearing that from now on?

MARTONE: It's a good question. The president pretty much does exactly what he wants. It's not the first time he's been seen in a military suit. He's seen in all sorts of sometimes very fashionable white suits we've seen him with. He changes his attire as often as he likes. Usually he is in a suit. Recently, as you said, yesterday military attire. But to know exactly what he is wearing one day from another, you just wait for it on Iraqi TV -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I just wondered if he was sending a message of, I don't know.

But anyway, James Martone, thank you for that live update from Baghdad.

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