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Easier Inspections in Iraq?
Aired January 20, 2003 - 07:04 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The chief U.N. weapons inspector again today is saying that Iraq is taking steps to make it easier for inspectors to do their job. New concessions from Iraq, including encouraging private citizens to remit inspections on their properties, and also allowing Iraqi scientists to meet privately with the inspectors.
All of these developments, all new, a few hours ago announced in Baghdad, where Nic Robertson has been watching and waiting there for us.
Nic, hello. Good afternoon to you.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Bill.
It took four meetings here with Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, with Iraqi officials, about five to six hours of talks in total to get these concessions. And as you say, key among them, being able to interview in private Iraqi scientists.
Now, what the agreement is, is that the Iraqi government will encourage its scientists to be willing to hold private interviews with U.N. inspectors. The government says it will also encourage private citizens, mostly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to understand as being those scientists, like the scientist a few days ago who had documents at his house, will be encouraged to allow U.N. inspection teams into their private homes.
Also significantly as well, the discovery last week of some chemical warheads. Iraq says that it will put an investigation team onto that, and it will try and find out if there are more chemical warheads elsewhere. They have told Hans Blix, while he's been here, that they have found four other warheads.
It's not all good news for the U.N. inspectors. They have got agreements that all of the outstanding issues from Iraq's declaration in December last year, that all of those issues can and will be addressed in discussions. But some issues, such as U-2 surveillance over-flights, still no agreement on that. They have agreed to talk, however, continue talks, technical talks, on the possible high explosives Iraq may have for use in triggers for nuclear weapons.
So, many positive points, but still not all issues resolved there -- Bill. HEMMER: Nic, there continues to be this discussion as to whether or not Saddam Hussein would ever take exile and avert the possibility for war. It was spoken by top administration officials here in the U.S. on Sunday, including Donald Rumsfeld and others. Has there been any reaction of any sort to something like this, either today, yesterday or in the past, regarding exile?
ROBERTSON: Ali Hassan al-Majid, President Saddam Hussein's cousin, a top figure in the leadership here and a very, very trusted figure by President Saddam Hussein, left on a trip to Syria a couple of days ago, Bill. And before he left, he said absolutely no way, there was no plan for the president to go into exile at any time.
And if one listens to the speeches President Saddam Hussein has been giving in the last few weeks, there is no hint of it there. In fact, what he's been saying is, I'm going to stay here, I'm going to lead you, we are going to defend Baghdad, the people who come as aggressors against us will die at its walls. No indication whatsoever he's prepared to go that route at this time -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic, thank you -- Nic Robertson 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 January 20, 2003 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The chief U.N. weapons inspector again today is saying that Iraq is taking steps to make it easier for inspectors to do their job. New concessions from Iraq, including encouraging private citizens to remit inspections on their properties, and also allowing Iraqi scientists to meet privately with the inspectors.
All of these developments, all new, a few hours ago announced in Baghdad, where Nic Robertson has been watching and waiting there for us.
Nic, hello. Good afternoon to you.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Bill.
It took four meetings here with Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, with Iraqi officials, about five to six hours of talks in total to get these concessions. And as you say, key among them, being able to interview in private Iraqi scientists.
Now, what the agreement is, is that the Iraqi government will encourage its scientists to be willing to hold private interviews with U.N. inspectors. The government says it will also encourage private citizens, mostly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to understand as being those scientists, like the scientist a few days ago who had documents at his house, will be encouraged to allow U.N. inspection teams into their private homes.
Also significantly as well, the discovery last week of some chemical warheads. Iraq says that it will put an investigation team onto that, and it will try and find out if there are more chemical warheads elsewhere. They have told Hans Blix, while he's been here, that they have found four other warheads.
It's not all good news for the U.N. inspectors. They have got agreements that all of the outstanding issues from Iraq's declaration in December last year, that all of those issues can and will be addressed in discussions. But some issues, such as U-2 surveillance over-flights, still no agreement on that. They have agreed to talk, however, continue talks, technical talks, on the possible high explosives Iraq may have for use in triggers for nuclear weapons.
So, many positive points, but still not all issues resolved there -- Bill. HEMMER: Nic, there continues to be this discussion as to whether or not Saddam Hussein would ever take exile and avert the possibility for war. It was spoken by top administration officials here in the U.S. on Sunday, including Donald Rumsfeld and others. Has there been any reaction of any sort to something like this, either today, yesterday or in the past, regarding exile?
ROBERTSON: Ali Hassan al-Majid, President Saddam Hussein's cousin, a top figure in the leadership here and a very, very trusted figure by President Saddam Hussein, left on a trip to Syria a couple of days ago, Bill. And before he left, he said absolutely no way, there was no plan for the president to go into exile at any time.
And if one listens to the speeches President Saddam Hussein has been giving in the last few weeks, there is no hint of it there. In fact, what he's been saying is, I'm going to stay here, I'm going to lead you, we are going to defend Baghdad, the people who come as aggressors against us will die at its walls. No indication whatsoever he's prepared to go that route at this time -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic, thank you -- Nic Robertson 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.
