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Inspectors Out and About in Iraq on New Year's Eve

Aired December 31, 2002 - 11:30   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: Inspectors are out and about in Iraq today this New Year's Eve. Inspectors are to present their initial findings to the U.N. in just 28 days. But at least publicly, the inspectors don't suggest they've found much of anything to report just yet.
CNN's Rym Brahimi is keeping watch from Baghdad, and she joins us live.

Hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Well, indeed, as you said, they were out and about today, despite this being New Year's Eve. They've been working nonstop, Carol. They worked through Christmas, and I understand, they planned even to work tomorrow on the 1st of January.

Now, this might be the last date of year. It's certainly not the last of their inspections. They went to at least seven sites today, and there's so much more they still plan to do before that report has to be handed over to the United Nations Security Council. Today, another visit of sites, a mineral water factory, a place where they do research on drugs, and another place where they do research on oil and petroleum facilities.

Now, a lot of work has been done so far, but still a lot to come if they want to meet that deadline, Carol, and also their boss is coming, the U.N. chef weapons inspector is supposed to come around the 19th or 20th of January to discuss with Iraqi officials. So there will be a lot to discuss.

Now meanwhile, as tension builds up in the area, Carol, A lot of peace groups have been coming in to Iraq to maybe manifest their solidarity with the Iraqi people. The latest, the council, the National Council of Churches, a U.S.-based group. They were here today visiting churches. They also had a minister with the Vice Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. They discussed the issue of peace and war, of course.

And then there's another peace group, Carol, that actually plans to spend the night this New Year's Eve in front of the United Nations headquarters here in Baghdad -- Carol.

LIN: Rym, I'm just wondering, it is New Year's Eve. Do they celebrate New Year's Eve there? RAHIMI: Yes, people do celebrate, Carol. In fact, I'm going to ahead off in a couple of hours to one of the clubs. There are more family clubs. They aren't any more nightclubs. In the past few years, that's been more or less banned. But people go to family clubs, they take the kids, they take the family, and they just sit and have a nice time, have a dinner maybe, something like that, but most of it will actually happen in houses. There will be parties in houses, things organized by people, or as well in hotels.

So it is something that people celebrate, although, of course, under the circumstances, it's quite a tense New Year's Eve -- Carol.

LIN: That's right, and many wishes for a peaceful one, I'm sure, around the world.

Thank you very much, Rym Brahimi, reporting live 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 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Inspectors are out and about in Iraq today this New Year's Eve. Inspectors are to present their initial findings to the U.N. in just 28 days. But at least publicly, the inspectors don't suggest they've found much of anything to report just yet.
CNN's Rym Brahimi is keeping watch from Baghdad, and she joins us live.

Hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Well, indeed, as you said, they were out and about today, despite this being New Year's Eve. They've been working nonstop, Carol. They worked through Christmas, and I understand, they planned even to work tomorrow on the 1st of January.

Now, this might be the last date of year. It's certainly not the last of their inspections. They went to at least seven sites today, and there's so much more they still plan to do before that report has to be handed over to the United Nations Security Council. Today, another visit of sites, a mineral water factory, a place where they do research on drugs, and another place where they do research on oil and petroleum facilities.

Now, a lot of work has been done so far, but still a lot to come if they want to meet that deadline, Carol, and also their boss is coming, the U.N. chef weapons inspector is supposed to come around the 19th or 20th of January to discuss with Iraqi officials. So there will be a lot to discuss.

Now meanwhile, as tension builds up in the area, Carol, A lot of peace groups have been coming in to Iraq to maybe manifest their solidarity with the Iraqi people. The latest, the council, the National Council of Churches, a U.S.-based group. They were here today visiting churches. They also had a minister with the Vice Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. They discussed the issue of peace and war, of course.

And then there's another peace group, Carol, that actually plans to spend the night this New Year's Eve in front of the United Nations headquarters here in Baghdad -- Carol.

LIN: Rym, I'm just wondering, it is New Year's Eve. Do they celebrate New Year's Eve there? RAHIMI: Yes, people do celebrate, Carol. In fact, I'm going to ahead off in a couple of hours to one of the clubs. There are more family clubs. They aren't any more nightclubs. In the past few years, that's been more or less banned. But people go to family clubs, they take the kids, they take the family, and they just sit and have a nice time, have a dinner maybe, something like that, but most of it will actually happen in houses. There will be parties in houses, things organized by people, or as well in hotels.

So it is something that people celebrate, although, of course, under the circumstances, it's quite a tense New Year's Eve -- Carol.

LIN: That's right, and many wishes for a peaceful one, I'm sure, around the world.

Thank you very much, Rym Brahimi, reporting live 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