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U.S.: Iraq has Moved Weaponry Around Baghdad

Aired January 28, 2003 - 06:05   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: Now to Iraq. The Security Council meets in a closed-door session tomorrow, but the group remains divided over the inspectors' findings and how long U.N. weapons inspections should continue. Chief inspector Hans Blix says one thing is certain: Iraq is not cooperating.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not even today, of the disarmament, which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and to live in peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And now we want to explore further those allegations made by the United States that Iraq has actually moved weapons right before inspectors arrived on the scene. For that, we head live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.

Good morning -- Rym. Could that be possible?

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, that's very difficult to say from our point of view. Of course, A, we don't have access to satellite imagery that, of course, the U.S. does. On the other hand, the United Nations weapons inspectors do have access to what they say are commercial satellite pictures. So far, they haven't pointed out to any issue regarding the moving of weapons here or there. They haven't said that there may be a problem with that. But we are hoping to hear more from them later this evening, and we'll be sure to keep you posted on that.

Now, regarding of course the report by Hans Blix, it's been met with quite a bit of frustration here in Iraq as you can imagine, but also a more conciliatory tone. Iraqi officials saying they do want to cooperate, because they say they are keen to avert a war. They also say they would welcome any peace initiative, but they say the onus is not on them. It's on the U.S., because they say it's the U.S. that wants to launch what they call an unjustified war, and if that happens, they say they will resist.

Here's Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: If there will be an attack from Kuwait, I cannot say that we will not retaliate. We will, of course, retaliate against the American troops whenever they start their aggression on Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: Now, President Saddam Hussein has also been displaying preparedness, being seen on Iraqi TV with his top military commanders talking about morale, talking about results, and even going into very minute details of how to prepare for the possibility of a war with the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

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 28, 2003 - 06:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq. The Security Council meets in a closed-door session tomorrow, but the group remains divided over the inspectors' findings and how long U.N. weapons inspections should continue. Chief inspector Hans Blix says one thing is certain: Iraq is not cooperating.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not even today, of the disarmament, which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and to live in peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And now we want to explore further those allegations made by the United States that Iraq has actually moved weapons right before inspectors arrived on the scene. For that, we head live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.

Good morning -- Rym. Could that be possible?

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, that's very difficult to say from our point of view. Of course, A, we don't have access to satellite imagery that, of course, the U.S. does. On the other hand, the United Nations weapons inspectors do have access to what they say are commercial satellite pictures. So far, they haven't pointed out to any issue regarding the moving of weapons here or there. They haven't said that there may be a problem with that. But we are hoping to hear more from them later this evening, and we'll be sure to keep you posted on that.

Now, regarding of course the report by Hans Blix, it's been met with quite a bit of frustration here in Iraq as you can imagine, but also a more conciliatory tone. Iraqi officials saying they do want to cooperate, because they say they are keen to avert a war. They also say they would welcome any peace initiative, but they say the onus is not on them. It's on the U.S., because they say it's the U.S. that wants to launch what they call an unjustified war, and if that happens, they say they will resist.

Here's Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: If there will be an attack from Kuwait, I cannot say that we will not retaliate. We will, of course, retaliate against the American troops whenever they start their aggression on Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: Now, President Saddam Hussein has also been displaying preparedness, being seen on Iraqi TV with his top military commanders talking about morale, talking about results, and even going into very minute details of how to prepare for the possibility of a war with the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

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