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Hans Blix to Give Report to U.N. Security Council

Aired January 09, 2003 - 10:03   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go right to the U.N. Richard Roth, our senior U.N. correspondent is standing by. I understand, Richard, that only a few moments ago, Mr. Blix did speak on his way into the Security Council.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Wolf. Hans Blix talked with journalists. A few topics. Key point, he said we haven't found any smoking guns so far. Those were his words. And regarding the intelligence that you brought up, he responded to questions about whether the United States is ready and giving him intelligence information.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We are getting intelligence from several sources, and I will not go into the operative part of that. But it's clearly that this will be helpful in the future to us. We have gone to, I think, about 125 sites already, and some of them were not visited before. There will be more. And as more intelligence comes in, there will be more sites to visited. I'm confident that that will -- that we will get more intelligence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Blix going on to say he's satisfied so far with the intelligence, a bit of a laugh there. They definitely want and need more, and he says he's hoping he does receive more.

On Tuesday evening, Wolf, Dr. Blix met with the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and an assistant secretary of state from Washington on just that subject. Also, scientists is a key issue too. Blix not saying yet that he's ready to take people out of the country despite several reports. He says they'll do it when they decide when all the formalities are done.

BLITZER: Richard, stand by. The Secretary of State Colin Powell in that "Washington Post" interview, saying they have the U.S. administration, they have started sharing some intelligence with the inspectors. Not necessarily all the intelligence they have. They want to see how those inspectors deal with what they're getting from Washington before they decide how far to go and perhaps undermining what the U.S. calls sources and methods, how they collect that very sensitive information.

We're going to be following all of these developments, important developments this hour, next hour, Daryn and Leon. But for now, let's get back to you. DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we're going to check back with both you, Wolf, and also with Richard Roth at the U.N. We'll keep it going.

Leon, to you.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with all that going on at the U.N. let's go now to Iraq, where inspectors remain there on the job and on the hunt for evidence of forbidden weapons. Iraqi officials are saying that crews went out and visited at least seven sites, four of which they had inspected earlier.

Let's go to Baghdad and found find out what's going on with that.

CNN's Rym Brahimi is standing by with an update.

Hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

Well, as you know, there has been quite a big campaign here in Iraq, both on the side of Iraqi officials, denying, of course, what's been said about that weapons declaration.

Only a few hours ago this morning, the president's scientific adviser said, if there are gaps in the declaration or if someone finds gaps, that means they are not fully acquainted with the weapons declaration, implying that, in his view, the declaration is not missing anything.

Meanwhile, the campaign in the media has also been quite strong, trying to convince the world that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction. It also points an accusing finger to the U.S. and Britain. I have here the newspaper that belongs -- that is run by the Baath ruling party, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), or "Revolution." And in the editorial here in the left column, an editorial saying it defies rather the U.S. and Britain to prove that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, also referring to London and Washington as an actors of deception that propagates lies.

Meanwhile, when you talk to people on the streets, a lot of people are, of course, hoping that war can be averted, but they are preparing for that possibility, that possibility that there may be war. They've begun to stock up on a few things here.

I spoke to a young woman a little earlier on in the week, and she's a young hair dresser. She would like to open her own salon, but she can't. She's holding off to see what's going to happen.

One person who is quite familiar with the situation in Iraq and who was here for some time a few years ago is Dennis Halliday. He used to be the U.N. humanitarian coordinator, and he resigned from the United Nations over the sanctions policy.

Here's what he had to say:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS HALLIDAY, FMR. U.N. SANCTIONS CHIEF: Why is that? Because, I mean, Mr. Blix has reported that Mr. Barodi (ph) has been very positive on the nuclear side of things, and I think the evidence is very clear, Iraq has no choice. They want to make sure nobody can trip them up on this inspections process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: Now, there are a lot of peace groups that have been here with Dennis Halliday and separately from him. Really a lot of groups from around the world, Leon. I mean, there were groups of families of victims from the September 11th attacks. They only arrived a couple of days ago. People have been coming in in great numbers. There was a group of Japanese peace activists. A group of Swedish, South Africans, Italians, you name it. There's been quite a few movement here -- quite a big movement here of people coming in. They've been demonstrating in front of the United Nations. They've been demonstrating in front of certain facilities. Quite active, I must say -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you very much, Rym. Rym Brahimi, reporting live for us from Baghdad. We'll be checking back with you later on.

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 January 9, 2003 - 10:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go right to the U.N. Richard Roth, our senior U.N. correspondent is standing by. I understand, Richard, that only a few moments ago, Mr. Blix did speak on his way into the Security Council.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Wolf. Hans Blix talked with journalists. A few topics. Key point, he said we haven't found any smoking guns so far. Those were his words. And regarding the intelligence that you brought up, he responded to questions about whether the United States is ready and giving him intelligence information.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We are getting intelligence from several sources, and I will not go into the operative part of that. But it's clearly that this will be helpful in the future to us. We have gone to, I think, about 125 sites already, and some of them were not visited before. There will be more. And as more intelligence comes in, there will be more sites to visited. I'm confident that that will -- that we will get more intelligence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Blix going on to say he's satisfied so far with the intelligence, a bit of a laugh there. They definitely want and need more, and he says he's hoping he does receive more.

On Tuesday evening, Wolf, Dr. Blix met with the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and an assistant secretary of state from Washington on just that subject. Also, scientists is a key issue too. Blix not saying yet that he's ready to take people out of the country despite several reports. He says they'll do it when they decide when all the formalities are done.

BLITZER: Richard, stand by. The Secretary of State Colin Powell in that "Washington Post" interview, saying they have the U.S. administration, they have started sharing some intelligence with the inspectors. Not necessarily all the intelligence they have. They want to see how those inspectors deal with what they're getting from Washington before they decide how far to go and perhaps undermining what the U.S. calls sources and methods, how they collect that very sensitive information.

We're going to be following all of these developments, important developments this hour, next hour, Daryn and Leon. But for now, let's get back to you. DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we're going to check back with both you, Wolf, and also with Richard Roth at the U.N. We'll keep it going.

Leon, to you.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with all that going on at the U.N. let's go now to Iraq, where inspectors remain there on the job and on the hunt for evidence of forbidden weapons. Iraqi officials are saying that crews went out and visited at least seven sites, four of which they had inspected earlier.

Let's go to Baghdad and found find out what's going on with that.

CNN's Rym Brahimi is standing by with an update.

Hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

Well, as you know, there has been quite a big campaign here in Iraq, both on the side of Iraqi officials, denying, of course, what's been said about that weapons declaration.

Only a few hours ago this morning, the president's scientific adviser said, if there are gaps in the declaration or if someone finds gaps, that means they are not fully acquainted with the weapons declaration, implying that, in his view, the declaration is not missing anything.

Meanwhile, the campaign in the media has also been quite strong, trying to convince the world that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction. It also points an accusing finger to the U.S. and Britain. I have here the newspaper that belongs -- that is run by the Baath ruling party, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), or "Revolution." And in the editorial here in the left column, an editorial saying it defies rather the U.S. and Britain to prove that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, also referring to London and Washington as an actors of deception that propagates lies.

Meanwhile, when you talk to people on the streets, a lot of people are, of course, hoping that war can be averted, but they are preparing for that possibility, that possibility that there may be war. They've begun to stock up on a few things here.

I spoke to a young woman a little earlier on in the week, and she's a young hair dresser. She would like to open her own salon, but she can't. She's holding off to see what's going to happen.

One person who is quite familiar with the situation in Iraq and who was here for some time a few years ago is Dennis Halliday. He used to be the U.N. humanitarian coordinator, and he resigned from the United Nations over the sanctions policy.

Here's what he had to say:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS HALLIDAY, FMR. U.N. SANCTIONS CHIEF: Why is that? Because, I mean, Mr. Blix has reported that Mr. Barodi (ph) has been very positive on the nuclear side of things, and I think the evidence is very clear, Iraq has no choice. They want to make sure nobody can trip them up on this inspections process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: Now, there are a lot of peace groups that have been here with Dennis Halliday and separately from him. Really a lot of groups from around the world, Leon. I mean, there were groups of families of victims from the September 11th attacks. They only arrived a couple of days ago. People have been coming in in great numbers. There was a group of Japanese peace activists. A group of Swedish, South Africans, Italians, you name it. There's been quite a few movement here -- quite a big movement here of people coming in. They've been demonstrating in front of the United Nations. They've been demonstrating in front of certain facilities. Quite active, I must say -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you very much, Rym. Rym Brahimi, reporting live for us from Baghdad. We'll be checking back with you later on.

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