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CNN Live Event/Special

Iraqi Response to Blix Presentation

Aired January 28, 2003 - 10:58   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We now have some breaking news to get to you right now. We want to go to Baghdad. We're now getting word that Iraqi officials now are speaking out in response to that briefing by Hans Blix yesterday in the U.N. Security Council.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEN. AMER RASHEED, IRAQI PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: ... Iraq has been free of any mass destruction weapons or prohibited equipment since end of '91. All the inspections with UNSCOM have taken nearly eight years of work previously and during eight weeks of UNMOVIC presently has proven this fact. So the disarmament issue is really has been a result to many years, and Iraq deserves fully to have lifting of sanctions according to Paragraph 22 for Resolution (inaudible).

Second issue before I comment on the reports, regarding American and the British pressure and the threats on the UNMOVIC and IAEA and on the interference in their missions so that not to fulfill what was required of them according to their mandate for Resolution 1441. So we are hoping from the Security Council to direct to lead UNMOVIC on IAEA toward professionally, objectively and (inaudible) without any attachments for any member of the state according to the resolution to fulfill their mission.

Now, the issues which are important in the report which has been arranged, we have to touch on a few concepts which are -- rather than going over the details, I will give it to you if you want to ask for it, for the details for your questions that will (inaudible).

First comment which we would like to make, there was no proportionate presentation of the facts. So we see, for example, some facts have been amplified and magnified toward our (inaudible) problems. So it gives an impact, political and from a media point of view, rather negative. While important issues have been abbreviated and even shanked (ph) on sometimes even fully ignored. So this disproportionate in the reports especially on UNMOVIC is a very clear...

HARRIS: Folks, we want to warn you that we are getting some tape right now coming in to us right now from something that happened at the White House...

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 - 10:58   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We now have some breaking news to get to you right now. We want to go to Baghdad. We're now getting word that Iraqi officials now are speaking out in response to that briefing by Hans Blix yesterday in the U.N. Security Council.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEN. AMER RASHEED, IRAQI PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: ... Iraq has been free of any mass destruction weapons or prohibited equipment since end of '91. All the inspections with UNSCOM have taken nearly eight years of work previously and during eight weeks of UNMOVIC presently has proven this fact. So the disarmament issue is really has been a result to many years, and Iraq deserves fully to have lifting of sanctions according to Paragraph 22 for Resolution (inaudible).

Second issue before I comment on the reports, regarding American and the British pressure and the threats on the UNMOVIC and IAEA and on the interference in their missions so that not to fulfill what was required of them according to their mandate for Resolution 1441. So we are hoping from the Security Council to direct to lead UNMOVIC on IAEA toward professionally, objectively and (inaudible) without any attachments for any member of the state according to the resolution to fulfill their mission.

Now, the issues which are important in the report which has been arranged, we have to touch on a few concepts which are -- rather than going over the details, I will give it to you if you want to ask for it, for the details for your questions that will (inaudible).

First comment which we would like to make, there was no proportionate presentation of the facts. So we see, for example, some facts have been amplified and magnified toward our (inaudible) problems. So it gives an impact, political and from a media point of view, rather negative. While important issues have been abbreviated and even shanked (ph) on sometimes even fully ignored. So this disproportionate in the reports especially on UNMOVIC is a very clear...

HARRIS: Folks, we want to warn you that we are getting some tape right now coming in to us right now from something that happened at the White House...

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