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Iraq Goods List

Aired December 30, 2002 - 11:35   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Within the past hour or so, the U.N. Security Council convened a closed session on Iraq. Specifically, it is a review of what's called the Iraq goods list. Senior diplomatic correspondent Richard Roth is at his post in New York to decipher that.
What is that list, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: This list was a list of products that the United States Security Council insists on reviewing to see if Iraq is using so-called dual use products to build up any type of weapons program.

Under the U.N. Security Council measures, there's a lot of food and medicines that Iraq can use based upon oil sales profits. This is a very tense relationship between Baghdad and the U.N. that's been worked out over the last few years, try to feed the people while keeping sanctions on Iraq and the military leaders.

At the Security Council this morning, the Security Council was debating a U.S. attempt to tighten that so-called goods review list, to add about 36 items to the list which Iraq would not be able to get or acquire, things such as the antibiotic drug Cipro, which could be used to combat anthrax, atropine, a heart drug that U.S. officials fear could protect Iraqi soldiers using nerve gas.

Russia -- you see the ambassador there from Russia -- says it still has concerns and may force another delay in the vote here. Syria's ambassador to the United Nations also has concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKHAIL WEHBE, SYRIAN AMB. TO U.N.: I believe enough is enough for the sanctions on the Iraqi people, innocent. We have to decrease it the GRL, increasing these sanctions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Syria, of course, does not have a veto on the council, Russia does, and the U.S. may give Moscow another day. Russia has a lot of ties with the Iraqi government. One diplomat said this is all about commercial interests. That's why Russia still objects. The Russian ambassador said to the press today, he wants to see what the U.S. has to offer. Other delegates who are not too crazy about this idea to add even more items to the goods review list says the U.S. is just using the Council to get tough on Baghdad prior to any type of war -- Carol. LIN: Richard, in the meantime, what is the sense there that you're getting, the mood that you're getting at the United Nations has to how things are going with the inspections on the ground in Baghdad? We're not hearing much in terms of what they're finding at these sites.

ROTH: I know, well, the U.N. Inspections agency wants to keep it just that way until there's a preliminary briefing around January 8th, and then the full meeting by Hans Blix, with his first real overall sum-up late in January. They know that a list has been handed over to the U.N. officials in Baghdad, the list of scientists, and it will be up to the U.N. inspection agency to go through the list, but they like it really quiet, and they're going to have it that way through the new year, unless there's some type of interference, they're just waiting to see how long Baghdad continues to cooperate on the ground with the inspectors.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Richard Roth, at his post in New York.

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 30, 2002 - 11:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Within the past hour or so, the U.N. Security Council convened a closed session on Iraq. Specifically, it is a review of what's called the Iraq goods list. Senior diplomatic correspondent Richard Roth is at his post in New York to decipher that.
What is that list, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: This list was a list of products that the United States Security Council insists on reviewing to see if Iraq is using so-called dual use products to build up any type of weapons program.

Under the U.N. Security Council measures, there's a lot of food and medicines that Iraq can use based upon oil sales profits. This is a very tense relationship between Baghdad and the U.N. that's been worked out over the last few years, try to feed the people while keeping sanctions on Iraq and the military leaders.

At the Security Council this morning, the Security Council was debating a U.S. attempt to tighten that so-called goods review list, to add about 36 items to the list which Iraq would not be able to get or acquire, things such as the antibiotic drug Cipro, which could be used to combat anthrax, atropine, a heart drug that U.S. officials fear could protect Iraqi soldiers using nerve gas.

Russia -- you see the ambassador there from Russia -- says it still has concerns and may force another delay in the vote here. Syria's ambassador to the United Nations also has concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKHAIL WEHBE, SYRIAN AMB. TO U.N.: I believe enough is enough for the sanctions on the Iraqi people, innocent. We have to decrease it the GRL, increasing these sanctions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Syria, of course, does not have a veto on the council, Russia does, and the U.S. may give Moscow another day. Russia has a lot of ties with the Iraqi government. One diplomat said this is all about commercial interests. That's why Russia still objects. The Russian ambassador said to the press today, he wants to see what the U.S. has to offer. Other delegates who are not too crazy about this idea to add even more items to the goods review list says the U.S. is just using the Council to get tough on Baghdad prior to any type of war -- Carol. LIN: Richard, in the meantime, what is the sense there that you're getting, the mood that you're getting at the United Nations has to how things are going with the inspections on the ground in Baghdad? We're not hearing much in terms of what they're finding at these sites.

ROTH: I know, well, the U.N. Inspections agency wants to keep it just that way until there's a preliminary briefing around January 8th, and then the full meeting by Hans Blix, with his first real overall sum-up late in January. They know that a list has been handed over to the U.N. officials in Baghdad, the list of scientists, and it will be up to the U.N. inspection agency to go through the list, but they like it really quiet, and they're going to have it that way through the new year, unless there's some type of interference, they're just waiting to see how long Baghdad continues to cooperate on the ground with the inspectors.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Richard Roth, at his post in New York.

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