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American Morning

Iraq: The Weapons Hunt: Actions Matter Most

Aired November 14, 2002 - 08:33   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Acceptance or defiance, that's the question about Iraq's nine-page letter to the Security Council. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is saying it's not the words, but the actions that matters.
Let's go to CNN's Richard Roth for analysis.

Richard, just about every guest that came on this morning said it's not so much what the words say, because the words are meant for domestic consumption; it is what Saddam Hussein's actions are.

Yet, when you look at what Iraq has said, they have said they will deal with a resolution, not necessarily they would accept it. So what is the truth here?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ronald Reagan, Paula, as you remember, used to say with the old Soviet Union, trust but verify, but we're not at the trust stage, and haven't been there in the last 10 years with Iraq. Listen how the Iraqi ambassador described Iraq's -- quote -- cooperation wit the United Nations yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED AL-DOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR: They are saying that Iraq will deal with the Security Council resolution 1441, despite its bad contents. We are prepared to receive the inspectors within the assigned timetable. We are eager to see them perform their duties in accordance with international law as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Bad content. Well, a lot of people think it's a bad letter here at the United Nations, but many diplomats want to see the proof of the pudding when they get on the ground, such as Kofi Annan, the secretary general. And Iraq may be trying to get another split going between the U.N. and the U.S. Because Annan told President Bush, have a little bit more patience, and many people here are wondering if the U.S. threshold for accepting any type of Iraqi misbehavior will be a lot lower than the U.N., thus causing a potential conflict should there be a time to consider a military response -- Paula.

ZAHN: Wasn't that lower threshold comment implicit if what Kofi Annan has said, too, which is basic I you guys are on two different tracks here? ROTH: That's right. People here have to hope that it's a clear violation, a flagrant violation, but Hans Blix, chief weapons inspector they all start leaving into Baghdad on Monday morning. That may be another key test.

ZAHN: Let's also talk about Iraq's foreign minister said about sending a follow-up letter that would detail all of the international law violations of this resolution. What is that mean?

ROTH: It's been done before, where Iraq will still send other letters. It doesn't really mean anything, as long as your inspectors get treated properly and are shown various sites that they want to see. But it does not bode well, of course. This time Iraq even called the rest of the Security Council a gang of evil, called Tony Blair a lackey, and of course blasted the U.S.

ZAHN: What about this December 8th date that the foreign secretary of Britain is saying could be a crisis date? He says now that Iraq has said it does not have these weapons and has made that absolutely denial, that you could have a flashpoint on December 8th?

ROTH: That's right. Iraq has to turn over paperwork detailing weapons of mass destruction. But according to Baghdad, how do you turn it over if Baghdad says, we don't have anything? That is definitely a major roadblock up ahead to look out for.

ZAHN: All right, Richard Roth, thanks for the warning.

Richard Roth about lives at the U.N. I don't know if he's ever gotten home over the last couple of days.

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 November 14, 2002 - 08:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Acceptance or defiance, that's the question about Iraq's nine-page letter to the Security Council. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is saying it's not the words, but the actions that matters.
Let's go to CNN's Richard Roth for analysis.

Richard, just about every guest that came on this morning said it's not so much what the words say, because the words are meant for domestic consumption; it is what Saddam Hussein's actions are.

Yet, when you look at what Iraq has said, they have said they will deal with a resolution, not necessarily they would accept it. So what is the truth here?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ronald Reagan, Paula, as you remember, used to say with the old Soviet Union, trust but verify, but we're not at the trust stage, and haven't been there in the last 10 years with Iraq. Listen how the Iraqi ambassador described Iraq's -- quote -- cooperation wit the United Nations yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED AL-DOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR: They are saying that Iraq will deal with the Security Council resolution 1441, despite its bad contents. We are prepared to receive the inspectors within the assigned timetable. We are eager to see them perform their duties in accordance with international law as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Bad content. Well, a lot of people think it's a bad letter here at the United Nations, but many diplomats want to see the proof of the pudding when they get on the ground, such as Kofi Annan, the secretary general. And Iraq may be trying to get another split going between the U.N. and the U.S. Because Annan told President Bush, have a little bit more patience, and many people here are wondering if the U.S. threshold for accepting any type of Iraqi misbehavior will be a lot lower than the U.N., thus causing a potential conflict should there be a time to consider a military response -- Paula.

ZAHN: Wasn't that lower threshold comment implicit if what Kofi Annan has said, too, which is basic I you guys are on two different tracks here? ROTH: That's right. People here have to hope that it's a clear violation, a flagrant violation, but Hans Blix, chief weapons inspector they all start leaving into Baghdad on Monday morning. That may be another key test.

ZAHN: Let's also talk about Iraq's foreign minister said about sending a follow-up letter that would detail all of the international law violations of this resolution. What is that mean?

ROTH: It's been done before, where Iraq will still send other letters. It doesn't really mean anything, as long as your inspectors get treated properly and are shown various sites that they want to see. But it does not bode well, of course. This time Iraq even called the rest of the Security Council a gang of evil, called Tony Blair a lackey, and of course blasted the U.S.

ZAHN: What about this December 8th date that the foreign secretary of Britain is saying could be a crisis date? He says now that Iraq has said it does not have these weapons and has made that absolutely denial, that you could have a flashpoint on December 8th?

ROTH: That's right. Iraq has to turn over paperwork detailing weapons of mass destruction. But according to Baghdad, how do you turn it over if Baghdad says, we don't have anything? That is definitely a major roadblock up ahead to look out for.

ZAHN: All right, Richard Roth, thanks for the warning.

Richard Roth about lives at the U.N. I don't know if he's ever gotten home over the last couple of days.

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