Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Censored Weapons Declaration

Aired December 18, 2002 - 06:04   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: The full U.N. Security Council now has a copy of Iraq's weapons declaration. Edited copies of the document were delivered to nonpermanent council members last night.
CNN's Michael Okwu has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Assisted by couriers, the 10 rotated nonpermanent members of the Security Council received sanitized copies of the Iraqi weapons declaration. Many of the countries, including Syria and Columbia, 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 documents, 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 UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix:

HANS BLIX, CHIEF UN WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, it was a very fast operation, of course, since 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: Blix and Mohamed el-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's a smoking gun, they should provide inspectors on the ground with the evidence.

Michael Okwu, CNN, at the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 December 18, 2002 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The full U.N. Security Council now has a copy of Iraq's weapons declaration. Edited copies of the document were delivered to nonpermanent council members last night.
CNN's Michael Okwu has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Assisted by couriers, the 10 rotated nonpermanent members of the Security Council received sanitized copies of the Iraqi weapons declaration. Many of the countries, including Syria and Columbia, 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 documents, 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 UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix:

HANS BLIX, CHIEF UN WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, it was a very fast operation, of course, since 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: Blix and Mohamed el-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's a smoking gun, they should provide inspectors on the ground with the evidence.

Michael Okwu, CNN, at the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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