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CNN Live At Daybreak
First Full Day of Warfare for Advanced Team Preparing the Way
Aired November 19, 2002 - 05:08 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: Now to the hunt for weapons in Iraq. It's the first full day of warfare for the advanced team preparing the way for the U.N. weapons inspectors.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Baghdad with the latest -- Northern Iraq, what's expected to happen today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, expected today, Hans Blix, the head of the inspection mission, is hoping to meet with Naji Sabri, Iraq's foreign minister. He did hold meetings late last night with the head, with President Saddam Hussein's top scientific adviser, General Amir Al-Sadi (ph). Of course, General Amir Al-Said the interlocutor who he met with in Vienna at the beginning of October that helped pave the way for the return of the weapons inspectors.
Now, a U.N. spokesman attending the meeting last night said that the meeting was good, that it was useful, that they addressed the issues of weapons inspectors, time lines here, when they had to complete their work, when they had to do their work, begin their work, also, the return of more weapons inspectors to the country.
He said they also discussed the time line contained within Resolution 1441. Of course, one of the main facts on that time line, December the 8, when Iraq must announce, must declare its weapons of mass destruction production, procurement and everything therewith.
Now, Hans Blix has said this is a rare opportunity for the United Nations and Iraq to enter into a new area of cooperation. But one of the things on the mind of the foreign minister here, and we know this through statements released from the foreign ministry, is countering claims by the United States administration that Iraq is in material breach already of 1441 by firing on coalition aircraft patrolling the northern and southern no fly zones.
The foreign ministry here saying this is just an indication that the United, how the United States plans to use Resolution 1441 for its aggressive intentions. It says this statement already is a violation of international law, a violation of the United Nations charter, calling on the United Nations to address this issue, essentially saying that if the United Nations doesn't address this issue, then it shows that they are very weak at this time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Nic Robertson, thanks for that update from Iraq.
And we'll be checking in with CNN's Jane Arraf from Jordan at the bottom of the hour. She'll look at regional tensions surrounding those inspections. And you can find the latest on Iraq on our Web site. Our special interactive feature looks at, among other things, the type of sites being inspected and the technology the inspectors have available to them. Go to cnn.com, AOL keyword: 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
Way>
Aired November 19, 2002 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the hunt for weapons in Iraq. It's the first full day of warfare for the advanced team preparing the way for the U.N. weapons inspectors.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Baghdad with the latest -- Northern Iraq, what's expected to happen today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, expected today, Hans Blix, the head of the inspection mission, is hoping to meet with Naji Sabri, Iraq's foreign minister. He did hold meetings late last night with the head, with President Saddam Hussein's top scientific adviser, General Amir Al-Sadi (ph). Of course, General Amir Al-Said the interlocutor who he met with in Vienna at the beginning of October that helped pave the way for the return of the weapons inspectors.
Now, a U.N. spokesman attending the meeting last night said that the meeting was good, that it was useful, that they addressed the issues of weapons inspectors, time lines here, when they had to complete their work, when they had to do their work, begin their work, also, the return of more weapons inspectors to the country.
He said they also discussed the time line contained within Resolution 1441. Of course, one of the main facts on that time line, December the 8, when Iraq must announce, must declare its weapons of mass destruction production, procurement and everything therewith.
Now, Hans Blix has said this is a rare opportunity for the United Nations and Iraq to enter into a new area of cooperation. But one of the things on the mind of the foreign minister here, and we know this through statements released from the foreign ministry, is countering claims by the United States administration that Iraq is in material breach already of 1441 by firing on coalition aircraft patrolling the northern and southern no fly zones.
The foreign ministry here saying this is just an indication that the United, how the United States plans to use Resolution 1441 for its aggressive intentions. It says this statement already is a violation of international law, a violation of the United Nations charter, calling on the United Nations to address this issue, essentially saying that if the United Nations doesn't address this issue, then it shows that they are very weak at this time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Nic Robertson, thanks for that update from Iraq.
And we'll be checking in with CNN's Jane Arraf from Jordan at the bottom of the hour. She'll look at regional tensions surrounding those inspections. And you can find the latest on Iraq on our Web site. Our special interactive feature looks at, among other things, the type of sites being inspected and the technology the inspectors have available to them. Go to cnn.com, AOL keyword: 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
Way>
