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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.N. Experts Back on Hunt Again
Aired December 31, 2002 - 05:34 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now to the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. U.N. experts are back on the hunt again this morning.
Rym Brahimi with us live from Baghdad -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Catherine, well, it's the last day of the year, but it's certainly not the last day of the inspections or of their mission for the U.N. weapons inspectors here on the ground. At least seven sites are being visited today, according to Iraqi officials, one of them a water, a mineral water factory, another one a drug research center. So a lot going on again today in terms of the inspections. We'll be hoping to hear more on that.
Meanwhile, there is quite a lot of tension as the year ends. But Iraqis do have quite a sense of humor. Although they've described the inspections recently, Catherine, as being extremely aggressive and even intrusive, there's an editorial, a column here in that same newspaper that's run by the ruling Baath Party, a column criticizing the inspections but in a quite a funny and humoristic sort of way, saying the inspectors have visited every single laboratory and scientific research center and factory in the country. Next they'll probably want to be visiting the factory, the -- sorry -- the trees and the leaves and inspecting the roots of the trees. Then they say that the inspectors will probably want to check the pavements to make sure they won't turn into uranium, check the school books of the children to make sure that they're not being taught how to make atomic bombs.
So a sort of ironic column here in today's newspaper -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: I'm sure you'll let us know if you find the inspectors climbing up trees there.
But, truly, what are they going to be doing now? What is the next step?
AMIN: Well, the inspectors still have a lot to do because, as you know, there are those two deadlines coming up, the January the 9th one where they have to give their full assessment of Iraq's weapons declaration and then January 27th, where they really have to account for what by then will have been their 60 days inspections.
But amid all that, Catherine, there is quite a lot of tension. I showed you that column, let me show you the English language newspaper here.
You see "Iraq Vows To Fight Much Harder Than in 1991." A lot of tension in the air. There have been a couple more strikes in the southern no fly zones. The Iraqi foreign minister has complained to the United Nations, saying that this is not only a violation on the part of Britain and the U.S., but now, as well, accusing Kuwait. So tension, again, between Iraq and Kuwait seems to be on the rise -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, Rym.
Rym Brahimi in Baghdad.
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 31, 2002 - 05:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now to the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. U.N. experts are back on the hunt again this morning.
Rym Brahimi with us live from Baghdad -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Catherine, well, it's the last day of the year, but it's certainly not the last day of the inspections or of their mission for the U.N. weapons inspectors here on the ground. At least seven sites are being visited today, according to Iraqi officials, one of them a water, a mineral water factory, another one a drug research center. So a lot going on again today in terms of the inspections. We'll be hoping to hear more on that.
Meanwhile, there is quite a lot of tension as the year ends. But Iraqis do have quite a sense of humor. Although they've described the inspections recently, Catherine, as being extremely aggressive and even intrusive, there's an editorial, a column here in that same newspaper that's run by the ruling Baath Party, a column criticizing the inspections but in a quite a funny and humoristic sort of way, saying the inspectors have visited every single laboratory and scientific research center and factory in the country. Next they'll probably want to be visiting the factory, the -- sorry -- the trees and the leaves and inspecting the roots of the trees. Then they say that the inspectors will probably want to check the pavements to make sure they won't turn into uranium, check the school books of the children to make sure that they're not being taught how to make atomic bombs.
So a sort of ironic column here in today's newspaper -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: I'm sure you'll let us know if you find the inspectors climbing up trees there.
But, truly, what are they going to be doing now? What is the next step?
AMIN: Well, the inspectors still have a lot to do because, as you know, there are those two deadlines coming up, the January the 9th one where they have to give their full assessment of Iraq's weapons declaration and then January 27th, where they really have to account for what by then will have been their 60 days inspections.
But amid all that, Catherine, there is quite a lot of tension. I showed you that column, let me show you the English language newspaper here.
You see "Iraq Vows To Fight Much Harder Than in 1991." A lot of tension in the air. There have been a couple more strikes in the southern no fly zones. The Iraqi foreign minister has complained to the United Nations, saying that this is not only a violation on the part of Britain and the U.S., but now, as well, accusing Kuwait. So tension, again, between Iraq and Kuwait seems to be on the rise -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, Rym.
Rym Brahimi in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
