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Saudis Say U.S. May Use Bases Under U.N. Authority

Aired September 16, 2002 - 11:00   ET

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

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The desert kingdom is now signaling that it would allow the U.S. to use its military bases for an attack on Iraq. The key here? United Nations involvement, which the president outlined last week.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with the president in Davenport, Iowa this morning.

Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Leon.

President Bush is gaining a lot of momentum. This challenge to the United Nations to draw up the resolution calling for Saddam Hussein to be held accountable, really winning a lot of international support, not only European allies, but Arab allies, as well as Americans at home.

Today, Secretary of State Colin Powell is in New York. He is lobbying some of those world leaders.

At the same time, some significant developments over the last 24 hours. As you mentioned, the Saudi Arabia foreign minister telling CNN this weekend they would possibly allow U.S. military forces or international troops on Saudi soil in the possible event of an attack in Iraq. But of course, the caveat being it would have to be approved by the U.N. Security Council.

Now the reason why this is so significant, all you have to do is take a look at the location of Saudi Arabia; it is Iraq's neighbor. Also it is home to a U.S. military installation that is there to enforce the no-fly zone, and also the political ramifications of this, sending a clear signal to other Arab allies that it's moving closer to the White House position.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Saudi Bases would be available to the United States, acting in support...

PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAI, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: The United Nations, if it has every country in the Middle East, every where else, if there is a security council decision, taken and ask lawyers on this, do not take the word of, he or a diplomat, and everybody is obliged to follow through.

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MALVEAUX: Now also in another sign that Arab support is really -- a lot of Arab support gaining here. The Arab League actually voted unanimously to say to Iraq, telling Saddam Hussein yes, you have to let the weapons inspectors back in, sending a clear message to Saddam Hussein that the question of course is what is the U.N. resolution is going to look like. Will it satisfy the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council?

All of that still being debated, and the Secretary of State Colin Powell, however, making it very clear that the United States wants to see at least three things, first of all an outline of noncompliance, and secondly what he would need, the requirements to comply with the U.N. weapons inspections, and third, any type of consequence or punishment by the international community if Saddam Hussein causes trouble.

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COLIN POWELL, SECY. OF STATE: Clearly, the White House is on a quick timetable here. Secretary Powell saying that he hopes to have a draft by the end of next week. I can't tell you how quick the Security Council will act. We spend the first day after the president's speech having political discussions with all members of the Security Council and a number of other world leaders.

And toward the end of this week, I would hope we could begin the process of writing the resolution. We see this as a matter of weeks, not a matter of months.

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MALVEAUX: There are a couple of challenges for the Bush administration. They are going to be looking at whether or not it will be one resolution or two resolutions. The White House wants to see one resolution outlining the criteria for that which if Saddam Hussein does not comply. There are other world leaders, however, who want to see two separate resolutions. They don't want to deal with the authorization of military force at this time.

And the other thing they have to deal with as well is presenting world leaders the immediacy of acting toward Saddam Hussein, that he really is an immediate threat to the world community -- Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Suzanne, as you know, it's not just a matter of convincing those world leaders, there's also some convincing to be done on Capitol Hill as well. The White House talking about this morning in terms of getting some more actions in the Congress on this and getting some resolutions coming from there.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely, but there were actually some words of encouragement over the weekend. We heard from Senate majority leader Tom Daschle, as well as Senator Hillary Clinton, both of them saying that they expressed that they would encourage signing onto resolution that perhaps would use military force and going to Iraq if Saddam Hussein doesn't comply to the weapons inspections. But still, again, asking for information, and taking time on the matter, saying this is not something that needs to be rushed, we need to take a look at it, and also take a look at what the United Nations resolution is calling for in the end.

HARRIS: Suzanne Malveaux in Davenport, Iowa, thank you very much. Take care. We will talk to you later.

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