Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

U.N.'s Top Weapons Inspector Says There is No Smoking Gun

Aired January 10, 2003 - 05:07   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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To Iraq now, the talk of war. The U.N.'s top weapons inspector says there is no smoking gun but Baghdad isn't showing a lot of sincerity, either.
Our Richard Roth picks up the story at the United Nations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lead international inspectors reported that despite more access in Iraq, they haven't found weapons of mass destruction.

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: In the course of these inspections, we have not found any smoking gun.

ROTH: But while Iraq is so far providing access to the roaming inspectors, U.N. arms experts say they are not receiving from Iraq proper details on weapons programs.

BLIX: The Iraqis could have looked at those questions and answered more, answered better. So we are not satisfied.

ROTH: Neither is the United States.

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: There is still no evidence that Iraq has fundamentally changed its approach from one of deceit to a genuine attempt to be forthcoming in meeting the Council's demand that it disarm.

ROTH: But European nations were quick to state the inspectors should be given more time.

GUNTER PLEUGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: The inspections should continue and for that reason alone there are no grounds for military action.

ROTH: The U.S. has been putting pressure on the inspectors to interview scientists who may provide the smoking gun. Blix said he may start interviewing them by next week. But Iraq is not helping.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: I told the Council today that we were not able, for example, to have interviews in Iraq in private, and that does not indicate the proactive cooperation we expect from Iraq.

ROTH: Inspectors would still like to take scientists out of Iraq for interviews, but that process has not been agreed to yet with Iraq. Blix said for the first time the list of 500 scientists recently turned over by Baghdad is inadequate because some known scientists' names are missing.

The inspectors also told the Council Iraq illegally imported missile engines and material for production of solid missile fuel and there's a concern about a high explosive called HMX, which Baghdad says is used in cement mines, but the inspectors say could also be part of nuclear weapons production.

The inspectors return to the U.N. on January 27th, a larger assessment, which some analysts think could be a tripwire for military action. But many diplomats at the U.N. think there is no rush to judgment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So my advice is calm down on the 27th of January.

ROTH (on camera): What Blix and ElBaradei say on that date may be determined by Iraq. The two inspectors are set to visit Baghdad January 19th and 20th, an they're armed with a lot of questions.

Richard Roth, CNN, the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For its part, Baghdad says it's ready to answer questions about that controversial arms report. A senior Iraqi official says the U.N. inspectors have vindicated his country's claims that they have no weapons of mass destruction. General Hussam Amin spoke with reporters at meeting with inspectors and settling the issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. HUSSAM AMIN, IRAQ NATIONAL MONITORING DIRECTORATE: We are ready to, I said, to react to response with the questions which will be directed to us and we think that the majority or all of the questions could be resolved during the monitoring phase and during the technical discussions that could be taken between both sides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Washington wants the inspectors to question Iraqi scientists outside Iraq, where they may be inclined to speak more candidly.

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 10, 2003 - 05:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To Iraq now, the talk of war. The U.N.'s top weapons inspector says there is no smoking gun but Baghdad isn't showing a lot of sincerity, either.
Our Richard Roth picks up the story at the United Nations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lead international inspectors reported that despite more access in Iraq, they haven't found weapons of mass destruction.

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: In the course of these inspections, we have not found any smoking gun.

ROTH: But while Iraq is so far providing access to the roaming inspectors, U.N. arms experts say they are not receiving from Iraq proper details on weapons programs.

BLIX: The Iraqis could have looked at those questions and answered more, answered better. So we are not satisfied.

ROTH: Neither is the United States.

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: There is still no evidence that Iraq has fundamentally changed its approach from one of deceit to a genuine attempt to be forthcoming in meeting the Council's demand that it disarm.

ROTH: But European nations were quick to state the inspectors should be given more time.

GUNTER PLEUGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: The inspections should continue and for that reason alone there are no grounds for military action.

ROTH: The U.S. has been putting pressure on the inspectors to interview scientists who may provide the smoking gun. Blix said he may start interviewing them by next week. But Iraq is not helping.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: I told the Council today that we were not able, for example, to have interviews in Iraq in private, and that does not indicate the proactive cooperation we expect from Iraq.

ROTH: Inspectors would still like to take scientists out of Iraq for interviews, but that process has not been agreed to yet with Iraq. Blix said for the first time the list of 500 scientists recently turned over by Baghdad is inadequate because some known scientists' names are missing.

The inspectors also told the Council Iraq illegally imported missile engines and material for production of solid missile fuel and there's a concern about a high explosive called HMX, which Baghdad says is used in cement mines, but the inspectors say could also be part of nuclear weapons production.

The inspectors return to the U.N. on January 27th, a larger assessment, which some analysts think could be a tripwire for military action. But many diplomats at the U.N. think there is no rush to judgment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So my advice is calm down on the 27th of January.

ROTH (on camera): What Blix and ElBaradei say on that date may be determined by Iraq. The two inspectors are set to visit Baghdad January 19th and 20th, an they're armed with a lot of questions.

Richard Roth, CNN, the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For its part, Baghdad says it's ready to answer questions about that controversial arms report. A senior Iraqi official says the U.N. inspectors have vindicated his country's claims that they have no weapons of mass destruction. General Hussam Amin spoke with reporters at meeting with inspectors and settling the issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. HUSSAM AMIN, IRAQ NATIONAL MONITORING DIRECTORATE: We are ready to, I said, to react to response with the questions which will be directed to us and we think that the majority or all of the questions could be resolved during the monitoring phase and during the technical discussions that could be taken between both sides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Washington wants the inspectors to question Iraqi scientists outside Iraq, where they may be inclined to speak more candidly.

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