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American Morning
U.N. Resolution Vote Could Come Late this Week
Aired October 29, 2002 - 07:17 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: With a vote only days away, President Bush is turning up the pressure on members of the U.N. Security Council. He's repeating threats to lead a coalition against Iraq if the U.N. doesn't have what Mr. Bush calls the "courage" or "will" to pass a tough, new resolution.
Our Richard Roth is standing by live at the United Nations this morning, but first, let's check in with Suzanne Malveaux. She's at the White House.
Good morning -- Suzanne. Why is the White House somewhat optimistic this morning?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, really, publicly what the White House is doing is issuing a stern warning against the U.N. Security Council, saying to vote on this resolution, vote quickly; otherwise, we'll form our own international coalition to disarm Iraq.
But privately, what several senior administration officials are telling me is that they are optimistic. They see some signs of progress, most notably from yesterday. That's when we saw the chief U.N. weapons inspector, Hans Blix, as well as the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, actually using and endorsing the kind of tough language that has been so controversial, saying that Iraq should face consequences if it doesn't disarm, that it is a material breach of previous U.S. resolutions.
This is the kind of language that Russia and France object to. They see it as a green light, perhaps, of endorsing or authorizing using military force.
But the White House is continuing its strategy of this kind of public tough talk and quiet diplomacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If the United Nations does not have the will or the courage to disarm Saddam Hussein, and if Saddam Hussein will not disarm for the sake of peace, for the sake of freedom, the United States will lead a coalition and disarm Saddam Hussein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Leon, actually also, what senior administration officials are saying is that what is equally important is what has not happened. Neither Russia nor France has threatened to veto the resolution, which they have the power to do. Neither one has formally introduced their own counter-proposal.
But the White House still somewhat optimistic perhaps they can get a vote on this by the end of this week or early next week -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, let's see if there are grounds for that optimism there at the U.N.
Let's check in now with our Richard Roth, who is standing by there.
Richard -- what's the word?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, I wouldn't be running to the betting windows yet on any votes, because we've been at this for several weeks.
And when President Bush keeps the pressure on the Security Council and says it's been six, seven weeks of deliberations, it really hasn't been that way for a lot of the members of the Council. They got the draft resolution from the U.S. less than two weeks ago.
The appearance by Hans Blix and Mohammed Elbaradei, the key leading U.N. weapons inspectors for Iraq, did help things. It's likely the U.S. will adjust its resolution and may temper some of its stronger language. They may take out the section suggesting that Iraqi scientists and their families can be taken out of Iraq by the weapons inspectors for debriefings.
Still, while Mr. Blix and Mohammed Elbaradei do endorse the U.N.'s call for serious consequences for Iraq in the U.S. resolution, there is still a lot of concern about other mentions, according to diplomats, such as the phrase, "material breach."
That's what worries a lot of countries, and the U.N. weapons inspectors were not going to be drawn into that diplomatic tussle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, U.S. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We will report objectively, as Mr. Elbaradei says. And it will be for the Council to determine whether something is a material breach and if it wants to give it consequences.
We are seeing sometimes stated or suggested that we hold peace and war in our hands. We decline that statement. Our job is to report, and the decision of whether there is war or peace or reaction, that is for the Council and its members.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: So, "Just the facts, Sergeant Friday" of "Dragnet," Leon. That's the approach for the weapons inspectors.
The Council will resume Iraqi discussions at 5:00 New York time today.
HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks, Richard.
Let's go back down to Suzanne at the White House. Obviously, the Bush administration does not want this to be delayed by debate. So, what's happening there? Are they talking there about trying to force a vote at the U.N., or what?
MALVEAUX: Well, what they're talking about is really trying to put as much pressure as possible in this week towards the U.N. Security Council members, particularly the permanent members that are key to this vote.
The president earlier talking with those officials, but really on the diplomat level now, on the ministerial level, the president will not get involved in these talks unless the administration sees that it is really not going anywhere. But they are quite pleased at what is happening behind the scenes.
But again, the strategy from the White House perspective is that public tough talk, but again that quiet diplomacy, they think that they are making progress on this controversial language.
HARRIS: All right, well, of course, it's going to be your job, and Richard's job as well, to watch and see if that's what happens.
Richard Roth at the U.N., Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks much. We'll see both of you later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 29, 2002 - 07:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: With a vote only days away, President Bush is turning up the pressure on members of the U.N. Security Council. He's repeating threats to lead a coalition against Iraq if the U.N. doesn't have what Mr. Bush calls the "courage" or "will" to pass a tough, new resolution.
Our Richard Roth is standing by live at the United Nations this morning, but first, let's check in with Suzanne Malveaux. She's at the White House.
Good morning -- Suzanne. Why is the White House somewhat optimistic this morning?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, really, publicly what the White House is doing is issuing a stern warning against the U.N. Security Council, saying to vote on this resolution, vote quickly; otherwise, we'll form our own international coalition to disarm Iraq.
But privately, what several senior administration officials are telling me is that they are optimistic. They see some signs of progress, most notably from yesterday. That's when we saw the chief U.N. weapons inspector, Hans Blix, as well as the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, actually using and endorsing the kind of tough language that has been so controversial, saying that Iraq should face consequences if it doesn't disarm, that it is a material breach of previous U.S. resolutions.
This is the kind of language that Russia and France object to. They see it as a green light, perhaps, of endorsing or authorizing using military force.
But the White House is continuing its strategy of this kind of public tough talk and quiet diplomacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If the United Nations does not have the will or the courage to disarm Saddam Hussein, and if Saddam Hussein will not disarm for the sake of peace, for the sake of freedom, the United States will lead a coalition and disarm Saddam Hussein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Leon, actually also, what senior administration officials are saying is that what is equally important is what has not happened. Neither Russia nor France has threatened to veto the resolution, which they have the power to do. Neither one has formally introduced their own counter-proposal.
But the White House still somewhat optimistic perhaps they can get a vote on this by the end of this week or early next week -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, let's see if there are grounds for that optimism there at the U.N.
Let's check in now with our Richard Roth, who is standing by there.
Richard -- what's the word?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, I wouldn't be running to the betting windows yet on any votes, because we've been at this for several weeks.
And when President Bush keeps the pressure on the Security Council and says it's been six, seven weeks of deliberations, it really hasn't been that way for a lot of the members of the Council. They got the draft resolution from the U.S. less than two weeks ago.
The appearance by Hans Blix and Mohammed Elbaradei, the key leading U.N. weapons inspectors for Iraq, did help things. It's likely the U.S. will adjust its resolution and may temper some of its stronger language. They may take out the section suggesting that Iraqi scientists and their families can be taken out of Iraq by the weapons inspectors for debriefings.
Still, while Mr. Blix and Mohammed Elbaradei do endorse the U.N.'s call for serious consequences for Iraq in the U.S. resolution, there is still a lot of concern about other mentions, according to diplomats, such as the phrase, "material breach."
That's what worries a lot of countries, and the U.N. weapons inspectors were not going to be drawn into that diplomatic tussle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, U.S. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We will report objectively, as Mr. Elbaradei says. And it will be for the Council to determine whether something is a material breach and if it wants to give it consequences.
We are seeing sometimes stated or suggested that we hold peace and war in our hands. We decline that statement. Our job is to report, and the decision of whether there is war or peace or reaction, that is for the Council and its members.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: So, "Just the facts, Sergeant Friday" of "Dragnet," Leon. That's the approach for the weapons inspectors.
The Council will resume Iraqi discussions at 5:00 New York time today.
HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks, Richard.
Let's go back down to Suzanne at the White House. Obviously, the Bush administration does not want this to be delayed by debate. So, what's happening there? Are they talking there about trying to force a vote at the U.N., or what?
MALVEAUX: Well, what they're talking about is really trying to put as much pressure as possible in this week towards the U.N. Security Council members, particularly the permanent members that are key to this vote.
The president earlier talking with those officials, but really on the diplomat level now, on the ministerial level, the president will not get involved in these talks unless the administration sees that it is really not going anywhere. But they are quite pleased at what is happening behind the scenes.
But again, the strategy from the White House perspective is that public tough talk, but again that quiet diplomacy, they think that they are making progress on this controversial language.
HARRIS: All right, well, of course, it's going to be your job, and Richard's job as well, to watch and see if that's what happens.
Richard Roth at the U.N., Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks much. We'll see both of you later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
