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CNN Live Event/Special

Remarks By Frattini, Powell

Aired January 21, 2003 - 14:17   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to go back now live to the State Department where Secretary of State Colin Powell is still addressing reporters. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

FRANCO FRATTINI, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): ... have to see it and read it and then decide. And Italy will not pull back.

POWELL: I can just piggyback on what the minister said with respect to the second question. The next step in the process is to receive the report on the 27th, see what the inspectors say, and then we'll be in consultation with our colleagues in the Security Council and other friends around the world as to what the next step should be.

The president made it very clear from the very beginning that Saddam Hussein must be disarmed, one way or the other. If the international community is aligned then I think it can be accomplished. Hopefully peacefully, if not peacefully then by force. But one way or another Saddam Hussein must be disarmed.

And we will not be distracted by games, we will not be distracted by suddenly finding a few missiles here or suggesting a level of cooperation tomorrow that didn't exist yesterday. It's time for him to come clean, stop playing games, and stop trying to deceive the international community.

And you will hear us reinforce this point in the days ahead.

QUESTION: The Israeli foreign minister has told the Washington Post that the quartet is nothing and shouldn't be taken seriously. What do you think about that and whether you should go ahead with the road map?

POWELL: As I said yesterday in New York, in response to a similar question, we believe that the quartet is important, it does important work, each member of the quartet makes an important contribution, and the road map is the result of a great deal of work done by the members of the quartet and other parties.

And in due course we will move forward with the road map and we think it's a way forward, and I hope all parties will agree with that in due course.

QUESTION: I'll do this in Italian.

QUESTION: (speaking in Italian)

FRATTINI (through translator): My position is that I haven't spoken directly to the French minister. I have said that Italy is not part of the Security Council, and Italy does not have the veto right. But Italy will be consulted. And my only answer therefore is that, since we haven't read the report of the inspectors, it's premature to say. I cannot base my foreign policy on ifs and buts.

POWELL: Thank you very much. It's cold.

FRATTINI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Wrapping up their comments, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini talking about global support on a war on terrorism and U.S.-Italian relations.

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 21, 2003 - 14:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to go back now live to the State Department where Secretary of State Colin Powell is still addressing reporters. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

FRANCO FRATTINI, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): ... have to see it and read it and then decide. And Italy will not pull back.

POWELL: I can just piggyback on what the minister said with respect to the second question. The next step in the process is to receive the report on the 27th, see what the inspectors say, and then we'll be in consultation with our colleagues in the Security Council and other friends around the world as to what the next step should be.

The president made it very clear from the very beginning that Saddam Hussein must be disarmed, one way or the other. If the international community is aligned then I think it can be accomplished. Hopefully peacefully, if not peacefully then by force. But one way or another Saddam Hussein must be disarmed.

And we will not be distracted by games, we will not be distracted by suddenly finding a few missiles here or suggesting a level of cooperation tomorrow that didn't exist yesterday. It's time for him to come clean, stop playing games, and stop trying to deceive the international community.

And you will hear us reinforce this point in the days ahead.

QUESTION: The Israeli foreign minister has told the Washington Post that the quartet is nothing and shouldn't be taken seriously. What do you think about that and whether you should go ahead with the road map?

POWELL: As I said yesterday in New York, in response to a similar question, we believe that the quartet is important, it does important work, each member of the quartet makes an important contribution, and the road map is the result of a great deal of work done by the members of the quartet and other parties.

And in due course we will move forward with the road map and we think it's a way forward, and I hope all parties will agree with that in due course.

QUESTION: I'll do this in Italian.

QUESTION: (speaking in Italian)

FRATTINI (through translator): My position is that I haven't spoken directly to the French minister. I have said that Italy is not part of the Security Council, and Italy does not have the veto right. But Italy will be consulted. And my only answer therefore is that, since we haven't read the report of the inspectors, it's premature to say. I cannot base my foreign policy on ifs and buts.

POWELL: Thank you very much. It's cold.

FRATTINI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Wrapping up their comments, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini talking about global support on a war on terrorism and U.S.-Italian relations.

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