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Iraq Inviting U.N.'s Top Weapons Inspectors Back to Baghdad
Aired January 31, 2003 - 05:32 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 our top story now, Iraq is inviting the U.N.'s top weapons inspectors back to Baghdad for talks about weapons. Chief inspector Hans Blix says he'll have to see what's new in the offer before he agrees to more talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: My reaction is that I would like to see it first and to read it in detail.
QUESTION: You have said before you would go back. Are you inclined to accept it if the terms are right?
BLIX: I will study it and I will discuss with my colleague ElBaradei and I'll probably also talk to the secretary general and by tomorrow maybe we will have some further thoughts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And for his part, Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei says Iraq needs to allow spy plane flights and private interviews with scientists.
For the very latest on the situation in Iraq, we want to go live to Rym Brahimi in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital -- good morning, Rym.
Lots of questions for you this morning.
Why the invitation?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Well, the invitation comes as, you know, with a lot of pressure on the part of the U.S. still building up troops, a lot of rhetoric here, saying that time is running out for the Iraqi government. Now, this, General Amir al-Saadi, who is the top scientific adviser to President Saddam Hussein, sent a letter to the U.N. chief weapons inspectors, inviting them, as you said, to Baghdad before February the 10th.
Now, the General Amir al-Saadi says he wants to discuss issues relating to boosting cooperation and transparency with the inspectors. He also says he'd like to discuss those issues that were raised by Dr. Blix in his reports to the U.N. Security Council on January the 27th.
Now, as you mentioned also, Dr. Blix is saying that he wants to see concrete progress on those main two issues, the private interviews with Iraqi scientists and the U2 surveillance planes. So far, more than a dozen requests have been put forward by U.N. weapons inspectors to interview scientists. So far none of them have happened because the scientists have showed up with witnesses. The surveillance planes Iraq says it's not willing to allow because, it says, it can't guarantee the safety of those planes in the northern and southern no fly zones imposed by the U.S. and Britain.
Meanwhile, here in Baghdad, Carol, well, inspectors are out and about and these four sites are being checked out today. One of them an agricultural supply site belonging to the Iraqi state. The inspectors were out there wearing protective clothing. And also in Baghdad, a council of ministers chaired by President Saddam Hussein rescinding a certain number of laws and another measure, the postponement of drafting for reservists. So we'll have to hear a little bit more about that a little later on in the day -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Will do.
Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad.
About those inspections, Iraq and the inspections are being discussed on Capitol Hill, as well. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing and at one point Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd told Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage that he wanted to see the evidence against Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: And I don't care how it gets done...
RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Blix and ElBaradei may be...
DODD: I don't care how it gets done. I'm just tired of having to hear sort of these speeches being given about this -- and I'm one of the supporters of this resolution. I'm not your opponent. But my people want to know why we're going to do this, other than sort of speeches given that are sort of pep rally stuff. I want to know specifically and factually what we know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: U.N. inspectors have said Iraq is not accounting for its chemical and biological weapons.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Baghdad>
Aired January 31, 2003 - 05:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To our top story now, Iraq is inviting the U.N.'s top weapons inspectors back to Baghdad for talks about weapons. Chief inspector Hans Blix says he'll have to see what's new in the offer before he agrees to more talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: My reaction is that I would like to see it first and to read it in detail.
QUESTION: You have said before you would go back. Are you inclined to accept it if the terms are right?
BLIX: I will study it and I will discuss with my colleague ElBaradei and I'll probably also talk to the secretary general and by tomorrow maybe we will have some further thoughts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And for his part, Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei says Iraq needs to allow spy plane flights and private interviews with scientists.
For the very latest on the situation in Iraq, we want to go live to Rym Brahimi in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital -- good morning, Rym.
Lots of questions for you this morning.
Why the invitation?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Well, the invitation comes as, you know, with a lot of pressure on the part of the U.S. still building up troops, a lot of rhetoric here, saying that time is running out for the Iraqi government. Now, this, General Amir al-Saadi, who is the top scientific adviser to President Saddam Hussein, sent a letter to the U.N. chief weapons inspectors, inviting them, as you said, to Baghdad before February the 10th.
Now, the General Amir al-Saadi says he wants to discuss issues relating to boosting cooperation and transparency with the inspectors. He also says he'd like to discuss those issues that were raised by Dr. Blix in his reports to the U.N. Security Council on January the 27th.
Now, as you mentioned also, Dr. Blix is saying that he wants to see concrete progress on those main two issues, the private interviews with Iraqi scientists and the U2 surveillance planes. So far, more than a dozen requests have been put forward by U.N. weapons inspectors to interview scientists. So far none of them have happened because the scientists have showed up with witnesses. The surveillance planes Iraq says it's not willing to allow because, it says, it can't guarantee the safety of those planes in the northern and southern no fly zones imposed by the U.S. and Britain.
Meanwhile, here in Baghdad, Carol, well, inspectors are out and about and these four sites are being checked out today. One of them an agricultural supply site belonging to the Iraqi state. The inspectors were out there wearing protective clothing. And also in Baghdad, a council of ministers chaired by President Saddam Hussein rescinding a certain number of laws and another measure, the postponement of drafting for reservists. So we'll have to hear a little bit more about that a little later on in the day -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Will do.
Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad.
About those inspections, Iraq and the inspections are being discussed on Capitol Hill, as well. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing and at one point Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd told Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage that he wanted to see the evidence against Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: And I don't care how it gets done...
RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Blix and ElBaradei may be...
DODD: I don't care how it gets done. I'm just tired of having to hear sort of these speeches being given about this -- and I'm one of the supporters of this resolution. I'm not your opponent. But my people want to know why we're going to do this, other than sort of speeches given that are sort of pep rally stuff. I want to know specifically and factually what we know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: U.N. inspectors have said Iraq is not accounting for its chemical and biological weapons.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Baghdad>
