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U.S. to Accuse Iraq of Not Fully Explaining What's Happened to Chemical and Biological Program

Aired December 18, 2002 - 05:02   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now, for more on our top story. Reports say the U.S. is about to accuse Iraq of not fully explaining what's happened to its chemical and biological program since 1998. The White House is also expected to charge Baghdad with lying about not having nuclear development programs. But it's not known if the U.S. will call the violation a material breach of the U.N. resolution and give it a reason to go to war.
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix is scheduled to give his initial assessment of the Iraqi document to the Security Council tomorrow. The "New York Times" reports the official White House response could come then.

For more on this developing story, we turn to our correspondent Rym Brahimi in Baghdad -- Rym, good morning.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.

Well, indeed, do you know, this whole declaration issue is something that the Iraqis have been extremely careful to talk to reporters about, pointing out that they have said everything that they had to declare in that declaration. Now, we had a couple of briefings a few days ago on that and we were told consistently that everything was in there, not only what may have been new, because they claim that there is nothing new, but what was there before, and also anything that is considered dual use.

You know, Fredricka, those are the items that could potential be used for military purposes but that Iraq uses for civilian purposes. A lot of industries like the agricultural, the pharmaceutical industry, are part of that.

Now, the Iraqis say they've included everything they can on that and there's nothing more to declare. That said, they did point out from the very beginning when they accepted that resolution that it was impossible to comply with because it was so complicated and there was so much to do.

Now, in terms of inspections, that hasn't prevented the inspections from going on. And, in fact, that declaration seems to have given the inspectors more sites to go to. Now, there were the obvious sites in the very beginning, the very obvious missile activity sites or nuclear activity sites, and they've been continuing to go there, as well. But also a couple of sites that haven't been that obvious, like today they went to a drainage facility in center Baghdad. So we'll keep you up to date with what came out of that -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you, Rym from Baghdad.

Well, non-permanent members of the Security Council can now study a censored version of Iraq's weapons declaration and some permanent members are holding off on their reaction until they're briefed by the chief inspectors.

CNN's Michael Okwu explains in this report from the U.N.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Assisted by couriers, the 10 rotating non-permanent members of the Security Council received sanitized copies of the Iraqi weapons declaration.

(voice-over): Many of the countries, including Syria and Colombia, were preparing to send the approximately 3,500 pages back to their capitals via diplomatic courier almost immediately. The names of foreign firms or individuals who delivered weapons materials to Iraq were excised from the document, as well as any information that could lead to the making of weapons of mass destruction. The declaration regarding Iraq's nuclear program was delivered to Council members on compact disks from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix.

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, it was a very fast operation, of course, and we have a limited number of people and I think they worked very, very hard all over the weekend and I'm pleased that they were able to do so. And we only have one day now to prepare ourselves for the preliminary briefing that we're going to give.

OKWU (on camera): Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, are planning to provide the Council with some sort of initial assessment of the document on Thursday. France and Russia have made it very clear that they are waiting to hear from the two men before accepting any kind of U.S. or British analysis of the document. And they've also made it very clear that if Washington believes there is a smoking gun, they should provide inspectors on the ground with the evidence.

Michael Okwu, CNN, at the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Don't miss "Showdown Iraq" with Wolf Blitzer today. The show is live from Saudi Arabia. Hear from U.S. troops stationed there and much more, noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.

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




Happened to Chemical and Biological Program>


Aired December 18, 2002 - 05:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now, for more on our top story. Reports say the U.S. is about to accuse Iraq of not fully explaining what's happened to its chemical and biological program since 1998. The White House is also expected to charge Baghdad with lying about not having nuclear development programs. But it's not known if the U.S. will call the violation a material breach of the U.N. resolution and give it a reason to go to war.
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix is scheduled to give his initial assessment of the Iraqi document to the Security Council tomorrow. The "New York Times" reports the official White House response could come then.

For more on this developing story, we turn to our correspondent Rym Brahimi in Baghdad -- Rym, good morning.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.

Well, indeed, do you know, this whole declaration issue is something that the Iraqis have been extremely careful to talk to reporters about, pointing out that they have said everything that they had to declare in that declaration. Now, we had a couple of briefings a few days ago on that and we were told consistently that everything was in there, not only what may have been new, because they claim that there is nothing new, but what was there before, and also anything that is considered dual use.

You know, Fredricka, those are the items that could potential be used for military purposes but that Iraq uses for civilian purposes. A lot of industries like the agricultural, the pharmaceutical industry, are part of that.

Now, the Iraqis say they've included everything they can on that and there's nothing more to declare. That said, they did point out from the very beginning when they accepted that resolution that it was impossible to comply with because it was so complicated and there was so much to do.

Now, in terms of inspections, that hasn't prevented the inspections from going on. And, in fact, that declaration seems to have given the inspectors more sites to go to. Now, there were the obvious sites in the very beginning, the very obvious missile activity sites or nuclear activity sites, and they've been continuing to go there, as well. But also a couple of sites that haven't been that obvious, like today they went to a drainage facility in center Baghdad. So we'll keep you up to date with what came out of that -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you, Rym from Baghdad.

Well, non-permanent members of the Security Council can now study a censored version of Iraq's weapons declaration and some permanent members are holding off on their reaction until they're briefed by the chief inspectors.

CNN's Michael Okwu explains in this report from the U.N.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Assisted by couriers, the 10 rotating non-permanent members of the Security Council received sanitized copies of the Iraqi weapons declaration.

(voice-over): Many of the countries, including Syria and Colombia, were preparing to send the approximately 3,500 pages back to their capitals via diplomatic courier almost immediately. The names of foreign firms or individuals who delivered weapons materials to Iraq were excised from the document, as well as any information that could lead to the making of weapons of mass destruction. The declaration regarding Iraq's nuclear program was delivered to Council members on compact disks from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix.

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, it was a very fast operation, of course, and we have a limited number of people and I think they worked very, very hard all over the weekend and I'm pleased that they were able to do so. And we only have one day now to prepare ourselves for the preliminary briefing that we're going to give.

OKWU (on camera): Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, are planning to provide the Council with some sort of initial assessment of the document on Thursday. France and Russia have made it very clear that they are waiting to hear from the two men before accepting any kind of U.S. or British analysis of the document. And they've also made it very clear that if Washington believes there is a smoking gun, they should provide inspectors on the ground with the evidence.

Michael Okwu, CNN, at the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Don't miss "Showdown Iraq" with Wolf Blitzer today. The show is live from Saudi Arabia. Hear from U.S. troops stationed there and much more, noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.

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




Happened to Chemical and Biological Program>