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CNN Live At Daybreak
Chief Weapons Inspectors to Meet with British Prime Minister
Aired February 06, 2003 - 06:07 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: Before Blix and ElBaradei meet Iraqi officials in Baghdad, they're meeting this morning with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, is in London to bring us that part of the story.
Richard -- what are they meeting about?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the road to Baghdad leads through here, 10 Downing Street. Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, the leading international weapons inspectors, will be talking with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, and they're going to be talking about inspections. And Blix would like to keep going; so would ElBaradei. But the United States, among others, doesn't think that much time is really going to be needed.
Blix left New York last night, a separate flight from ElBaradei. On the plane, I asked Hans Blix about Colin Powell's report, the 76- minute presentation. He said it's highly desirable that we all look for the truth, the reality, and that's what he thinks Colin Powell was aiming at.
Also on the plane, I asked Hans Blix just how many trips he could make to Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I don't know. It could be the clock is ticking on, and if the Iraqis are not really helpful on the matter of substance, then of course I would be concerned that it could be the last one. However, if there is good cooperation, if we really feel that we're getting closer and the council feel it's getting closer to being sure that the remaining things of weapons of mass destruction either are gone and it's proven and they're convinced or that they're doing it, you know, then it could be a different direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Blix also told me that he did hear some new things in Colin Powell's presentation, and some things he already knew during Powell's visual highlights inside the Security Council chamber.
COSTELLO: Well, Richard -- Richard, on that note -- and I'm sorry to interrupt you -- but does Hans Blix have the sense that U.S. officials should have told him this information before?
ROTH: No, he wasn't really willing to go into that much depth right now on Powell's presentation. Some U.S. officials think they've told the inspectors a lot of information that has not been acted on. The inspectors keep asking for better intelligence, so-called actionable information they could quickly go to a site on. I don't think these differences are still going to be resolved just by Powell's talk at the U.N.
COSTELLO: All right, Richard Roth reporting live for us from London, and traveling with Mr. Blix.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired February 6, 2003 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Before Blix and ElBaradei meet Iraqi officials in Baghdad, they're meeting this morning with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, is in London to bring us that part of the story.
Richard -- what are they meeting about?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the road to Baghdad leads through here, 10 Downing Street. Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, the leading international weapons inspectors, will be talking with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, and they're going to be talking about inspections. And Blix would like to keep going; so would ElBaradei. But the United States, among others, doesn't think that much time is really going to be needed.
Blix left New York last night, a separate flight from ElBaradei. On the plane, I asked Hans Blix about Colin Powell's report, the 76- minute presentation. He said it's highly desirable that we all look for the truth, the reality, and that's what he thinks Colin Powell was aiming at.
Also on the plane, I asked Hans Blix just how many trips he could make to Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I don't know. It could be the clock is ticking on, and if the Iraqis are not really helpful on the matter of substance, then of course I would be concerned that it could be the last one. However, if there is good cooperation, if we really feel that we're getting closer and the council feel it's getting closer to being sure that the remaining things of weapons of mass destruction either are gone and it's proven and they're convinced or that they're doing it, you know, then it could be a different direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Blix also told me that he did hear some new things in Colin Powell's presentation, and some things he already knew during Powell's visual highlights inside the Security Council chamber.
COSTELLO: Well, Richard -- Richard, on that note -- and I'm sorry to interrupt you -- but does Hans Blix have the sense that U.S. officials should have told him this information before?
ROTH: No, he wasn't really willing to go into that much depth right now on Powell's presentation. Some U.S. officials think they've told the inspectors a lot of information that has not been acted on. The inspectors keep asking for better intelligence, so-called actionable information they could quickly go to a site on. I don't think these differences are still going to be resolved just by Powell's talk at the U.N.
COSTELLO: All right, Richard Roth reporting live for us from London, and traveling with Mr. Blix.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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