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Washington Putting Pressure on U.N. to Pass Tough New Resolution Against Iraq

Aired October 29, 2002 - 05:34   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: Washington is putting the pressure on the United Nations to pass a tough new resolution against Iraq. President Bush warns if the United Nations does not have the courage to disarm Saddam Hussein, then the United States will lead a coalition to do it.
We want to go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Rym Brahimi -- good morning.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, as you can imagine, the take from this end in Baghdad is quite different. In fact, Iraqi officials here say the U.S. has no coalition to follow it, except what they call its subservient Britain. Now, Iraqi papers this morning, state run Iraqi papers were accusing Washington of wanting to dominate the world and of wanting to make a decision on Iraq on their own and of ignoring the United Nations. They also accused Washington of being greedy and of lusting, if you will, after Iraq's oil reserves.

Now, on the resolution, Carol, there hasn't been clearly a decision here by Iraqi officials to accept or not the resolution. They say they'll cross that bridge when they get to it and if the resolution is adopted. But officials here have been quite vocal about the goings and comings at the Security Council. They've said that the U.S. draft resolution is actually an insult to the United Nations and an attempt on the part of the U.S. to colonize Iraq.

Now, the vice president was speaking on stage, on TV here yesterday, and he says that there is no legal basis for any resolution to actually command, basically, the operations of the weapons inspectors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAHA YASSIN RAMADHAN, IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT: And it was confirmed, the agreement was done and all was set to start at the agreed time. So legally, there is no need to issue a resolution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: So basically what he's saying, he's referring to an agreement that Iraq and the chief U.N. weapons inspectors made on the, made earlier last month with Hans Blix. Basically this was allowing the inspectors to come back to Iraq as early as the 19th of October. The vice president was saying that the fact that they haven't come and they've been delayed is actually a violation of that agreement -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi, thank you very much.

Amid the ever growing threat of another war in Iraq, one major question is how Iraq's Mideast neighbors would react and how Israel would factor in.

Our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel looks at the issues in part two of our week long series entitled Life After War.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Kuwait, the U.S. military is helping that country prepare for the worst. The possibility Iraq might use chemical weapons against its rich but tiny next door neighbor. No one knows how Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, will respond if the U.S. launches an invasion, putting many of Iraq's neighbors, especially Kuwait, on edge.

SALEM AL-JABER AL-SABAH, KUWAITI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Do we wish for a war? No, we don't wish for a war. We wish that Iraq would disarm peacefully.

KOPPEL: But in the event Iraq does not cooperate, Kuwait's top diplomat in Washington told CNN his government will stand side by side with its American ally against Iraq. But, he adds, only if the U.N. signs on, too.

AL-SABAH: I think the international community has an obligation to make sure its will is implement.

KOPPEL: Elsewhere in the region, like here in Bahrain, the public's mood is distinctly anti-American.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am Bahranian, but like Iraq is my country. We are all Arab units. We are all one.

KOPPEL: But experts say privately most governments do support the prospect of getting rid of Saddam Hussein.

DANIELLE PLETKA, AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR INSTITUTE: They will be happy if we get rid of him. They will be happier if we get rid of him faster. Now, whether or not they are pleased with a democratic outcome in Iraq is perhaps another question.

KOPPEL: In fact, experts believe most of Iraq's neighbors are more concerned about the day after the war in Iraq ends than with the war itself. Turkey worried its Kurdish population will want to join with Iraq's Kurds to establish a separate state. Jordan worried about an influx of refugees and loss of Iraqi oil and trade. Saudi Arabia and even Egypt worried how a democratic Iraq will reflect on their own authoritarian regimens.

MAHMOOD FANDY, NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY: They want to have at best democracy light, that not something Western, but something that looks like authoritarianism. KOPPEL: Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have recently toned down their criticism of the United States, recognizing the best way to ensure a voice in shaping a post-Hussein Iraq would be to support a U.S. campaign before it begins.

Another issue which could influence Arab reaction to a war the Iraq, the status of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis and whether or not Israel gets involved. Last week, Prime Minister Sharon sought assurances from President Bush the U.S. will defend Israel if Iraq attacks.

(on camera): The White House says Bush promised Sharon the U.S. would ensure Israel's safety. And CNN has learned the U.S. has also assured Iraq's neighbors, including Iran, it would provide intelligence about Iraqi troop movements. The Bush administration believes it won't be in anyone's interests if a war in Iraq should spill over into the rest of the region.

Andrea Koppel, CNN, at the State Department.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In tomorrow's segment of "Life After..." a possible war with Iraq. We'll look at the impact another war would likely have on the U.S. economy and what could happen to oil prices. And for an extensive look at the conflict with Iraq, just click onto our Web site for a special report entitled "Showdown Iraq." The address is cnn.com, AOL keyword, of course, 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




Resolution Against Iraq>


Aired October 29, 2002 - 05:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Washington is putting the pressure on the United Nations to pass a tough new resolution against Iraq. President Bush warns if the United Nations does not have the courage to disarm Saddam Hussein, then the United States will lead a coalition to do it.
We want to go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Rym Brahimi -- good morning.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, as you can imagine, the take from this end in Baghdad is quite different. In fact, Iraqi officials here say the U.S. has no coalition to follow it, except what they call its subservient Britain. Now, Iraqi papers this morning, state run Iraqi papers were accusing Washington of wanting to dominate the world and of wanting to make a decision on Iraq on their own and of ignoring the United Nations. They also accused Washington of being greedy and of lusting, if you will, after Iraq's oil reserves.

Now, on the resolution, Carol, there hasn't been clearly a decision here by Iraqi officials to accept or not the resolution. They say they'll cross that bridge when they get to it and if the resolution is adopted. But officials here have been quite vocal about the goings and comings at the Security Council. They've said that the U.S. draft resolution is actually an insult to the United Nations and an attempt on the part of the U.S. to colonize Iraq.

Now, the vice president was speaking on stage, on TV here yesterday, and he says that there is no legal basis for any resolution to actually command, basically, the operations of the weapons inspectors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAHA YASSIN RAMADHAN, IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT: And it was confirmed, the agreement was done and all was set to start at the agreed time. So legally, there is no need to issue a resolution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: So basically what he's saying, he's referring to an agreement that Iraq and the chief U.N. weapons inspectors made on the, made earlier last month with Hans Blix. Basically this was allowing the inspectors to come back to Iraq as early as the 19th of October. The vice president was saying that the fact that they haven't come and they've been delayed is actually a violation of that agreement -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi, thank you very much.

Amid the ever growing threat of another war in Iraq, one major question is how Iraq's Mideast neighbors would react and how Israel would factor in.

Our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel looks at the issues in part two of our week long series entitled Life After War.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Kuwait, the U.S. military is helping that country prepare for the worst. The possibility Iraq might use chemical weapons against its rich but tiny next door neighbor. No one knows how Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, will respond if the U.S. launches an invasion, putting many of Iraq's neighbors, especially Kuwait, on edge.

SALEM AL-JABER AL-SABAH, KUWAITI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Do we wish for a war? No, we don't wish for a war. We wish that Iraq would disarm peacefully.

KOPPEL: But in the event Iraq does not cooperate, Kuwait's top diplomat in Washington told CNN his government will stand side by side with its American ally against Iraq. But, he adds, only if the U.N. signs on, too.

AL-SABAH: I think the international community has an obligation to make sure its will is implement.

KOPPEL: Elsewhere in the region, like here in Bahrain, the public's mood is distinctly anti-American.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am Bahranian, but like Iraq is my country. We are all Arab units. We are all one.

KOPPEL: But experts say privately most governments do support the prospect of getting rid of Saddam Hussein.

DANIELLE PLETKA, AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR INSTITUTE: They will be happy if we get rid of him. They will be happier if we get rid of him faster. Now, whether or not they are pleased with a democratic outcome in Iraq is perhaps another question.

KOPPEL: In fact, experts believe most of Iraq's neighbors are more concerned about the day after the war in Iraq ends than with the war itself. Turkey worried its Kurdish population will want to join with Iraq's Kurds to establish a separate state. Jordan worried about an influx of refugees and loss of Iraqi oil and trade. Saudi Arabia and even Egypt worried how a democratic Iraq will reflect on their own authoritarian regimens.

MAHMOOD FANDY, NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY: They want to have at best democracy light, that not something Western, but something that looks like authoritarianism. KOPPEL: Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have recently toned down their criticism of the United States, recognizing the best way to ensure a voice in shaping a post-Hussein Iraq would be to support a U.S. campaign before it begins.

Another issue which could influence Arab reaction to a war the Iraq, the status of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis and whether or not Israel gets involved. Last week, Prime Minister Sharon sought assurances from President Bush the U.S. will defend Israel if Iraq attacks.

(on camera): The White House says Bush promised Sharon the U.S. would ensure Israel's safety. And CNN has learned the U.S. has also assured Iraq's neighbors, including Iran, it would provide intelligence about Iraqi troop movements. The Bush administration believes it won't be in anyone's interests if a war in Iraq should spill over into the rest of the region.

Andrea Koppel, CNN, at the State Department.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In tomorrow's segment of "Life After..." a possible war with Iraq. We'll look at the impact another war would likely have on the U.S. economy and what could happen to oil prices. And for an extensive look at the conflict with Iraq, just click onto our Web site for a special report entitled "Showdown Iraq." The address is cnn.com, AOL keyword, of course, 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




Resolution Against Iraq>