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U.S. Having Tough Time Selling Draft Resolution on Iraq to Members of Security Council

Aired October 23, 2002 - 06:20   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is having a tough time selling its draft resolution on Iraq to members of the U.N. Security Council. The main sticking point, the U.S. wants only one resolution that allows the use of force if Iraq fails to comply with its terms. Now, opponents want to require a second resolution authorizing military action. Iraq says there is no need for a resolution because the U.S. is determined to go to war and would find any pretext to do it.
Well, officials in Iraq are closing watching the negotiations going on at the United Nations.

Let's take you live to Baghdad, where we find our Nic Robertson, who's been following this story -- hello, Nic.

What's the latest from there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Catherine, the newspapers here are following very closely that issue, the difficulty the United States is having with the text of the new resolution. Many papers here commenting that Russia objects to the current proposal, also that France is against the language that's proposed at this time.

Again, editorials in the newspapers here reaffirming Iraq's position that it does not want a new resolution, the Iraqi commentators saying that any new resolution would be perceived by Iraq as just a pretext for aggression.

But as we have seen in recent weeks here, over the last few months, President Saddam Hussein appearing on television almost every day. Last night he was meeting with his deputy prime minister, the minister for military industrialization, and also air force commander.

Now, no mention of the U.N. talks there from that meeting, we are told. But he told those ministers that Iraq should be building a new Iraq, that people should build a new Iraq. Also, a new message from the president's office that all the celebratory gunfire we've heard over the past week, that that should cease. Indeed, there have been some civilian casualties as a result of those bullets falling back to the ground -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Let me be sure I understand you, Nic. You're saying that the Iraqi government, when there is a conference on television, that they're not addressing the U.N. negotiations?

ROBERTSON: The text that always accompanies these broadcasts, it's not always, we don't always hear exactly what the people are saying in these televised news broadcasts. There's often a text that accompanies it. And in that text we don't hear a reference to any debate that's going on about how the text may be perceived, the new U.N. resolution. Equally and very interestingly, perhaps, there's been nothing in the newspapers or on television about North Korea's recent declaration about its nuclear weapons program.

CALLAWAY: Very interesting.

All right, Nic.

That's Nic Robertson live in Baghdad.

Thank you.

And for a much closer look at the U.S.-Iraq situation, just click onto our Web site. It offers the latest news plus a special report called Showdown Iraq. It includes interactive targets in Iraq and surveillance photos, among other intriguing facts. That address, cnn.com. The AOL keyword is CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Members of Security Council>


Aired October 23, 2002 - 06:20   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is having a tough time selling its draft resolution on Iraq to members of the U.N. Security Council. The main sticking point, the U.S. wants only one resolution that allows the use of force if Iraq fails to comply with its terms. Now, opponents want to require a second resolution authorizing military action. Iraq says there is no need for a resolution because the U.S. is determined to go to war and would find any pretext to do it.
Well, officials in Iraq are closing watching the negotiations going on at the United Nations.

Let's take you live to Baghdad, where we find our Nic Robertson, who's been following this story -- hello, Nic.

What's the latest from there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Catherine, the newspapers here are following very closely that issue, the difficulty the United States is having with the text of the new resolution. Many papers here commenting that Russia objects to the current proposal, also that France is against the language that's proposed at this time.

Again, editorials in the newspapers here reaffirming Iraq's position that it does not want a new resolution, the Iraqi commentators saying that any new resolution would be perceived by Iraq as just a pretext for aggression.

But as we have seen in recent weeks here, over the last few months, President Saddam Hussein appearing on television almost every day. Last night he was meeting with his deputy prime minister, the minister for military industrialization, and also air force commander.

Now, no mention of the U.N. talks there from that meeting, we are told. But he told those ministers that Iraq should be building a new Iraq, that people should build a new Iraq. Also, a new message from the president's office that all the celebratory gunfire we've heard over the past week, that that should cease. Indeed, there have been some civilian casualties as a result of those bullets falling back to the ground -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Let me be sure I understand you, Nic. You're saying that the Iraqi government, when there is a conference on television, that they're not addressing the U.N. negotiations?

ROBERTSON: The text that always accompanies these broadcasts, it's not always, we don't always hear exactly what the people are saying in these televised news broadcasts. There's often a text that accompanies it. And in that text we don't hear a reference to any debate that's going on about how the text may be perceived, the new U.N. resolution. Equally and very interestingly, perhaps, there's been nothing in the newspapers or on television about North Korea's recent declaration about its nuclear weapons program.

CALLAWAY: Very interesting.

All right, Nic.

That's Nic Robertson live in Baghdad.

Thank you.

And for a much closer look at the U.S.-Iraq situation, just click onto our Web site. It offers the latest news plus a special report called Showdown Iraq. It includes interactive targets in Iraq and surveillance photos, among other intriguing facts. That address, cnn.com. The AOL keyword is CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Members of Security Council>