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CNN Live At Daybreak
Latest from Baghdad
Aired February 13, 2003 - 05:02 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: Let's get right to the issue of Iraq now. Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix says a missile found by his inspectors has a range greater than that allowed by the United Nations, so there is now disagreement over whether the missile is a so-called material breach of U.S. resolutions. A material breach, of course, could open the door to military action.
Blix says he's ready to prove what he calls an even-handed report on Iraq. That report, of course, due tomorrow before the U.N. Security Council.
And just a short time ago British Prime Minister Tony Blair reacted to reports about the Iraqi missile that was found. He says if, indeed, it's an illegal weapon, then it's a very serious situation and a breach of U.N. Resolution 1441.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We've agreed on the need for Iraq to disarm itself completely of weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological and nuclear weapons. We've agreed that the resolution, 1441, passed by the United Nations Security Council, has got to be upheld in all its particulars and that Saddam Hussein has got to cooperate fully with the U.N. inspectors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And just within the last couple of hours, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder explained his government's policy on Iraq. As you know, Germany, Belgium and France are refusing to go along with a U.S.-backed NATO proposal to send military aide to Turkey in case of possible attacks by Iraq. Germany's Schroeder defended his position in a nationally televised speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERHARD SCHROEDER, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Those who want to resolve this crisis by military means has to have an answer to the question whether this will strengthen the international alliance against terrorism, which includes over 50 Muslim nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: OK, we've heard from London and Berlin. Now let's get the latest from Baghdad.
Our Rym Brahimi is in the Iraqi capital -- good morning, Rym. RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
Well, the missile being examined by international experts is known as the al-Samoud 2 missile. Now, that missile was declared in Iraq's December the 7th declaration to the United Nations Security Council and Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, also mentioned in his report on January 27th that on 13 occasions while testing that missile, 13 out of 14 tests showed that the missile could exceed the authorized range of 150 kilometers, which is roughly 93 miles.
Now, of course, ultimately, the question will be Hans Blix has to decide what to do with that. The Iraqis say that the reason it can, it has a capacity of going beyond the range is because it doesn't have the necessary guidance systems that it should have. Mohamed al-Douri, who is Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, says that this is something they can discuss and he wants a joint team of experts to look at that missile again together.
But Hans Blix ultimately will decide whether or not to destroy that missile system. And on the bigger scheme of things, when he goes to the Council on Friday, Hans Blix will have to address maybe the bigger issue of whether the inspection process is working, of whether the inspection process can continue. And both inspectors, from what we understand from U.N. sources and other diplomats, have been telling Iraq come forward with what you have and we can make that inspection process continue and avoid war -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
Germany, France and Belgium, as you know, want to wait until after Hans Blix reports to the United Nations on Friday before they decide on giving military aid to Turkey. U.S. officials have presented a proposal at NATO headquarters to send military equipment to Turkey in case Iraq retaliates in a war. A number of American forces are in Turkey and would use the nation bordering Iraq as a launching pad for the attacks.
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 February 13, 2003 - 05:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get right to the issue of Iraq now. Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix says a missile found by his inspectors has a range greater than that allowed by the United Nations, so there is now disagreement over whether the missile is a so-called material breach of U.S. resolutions. A material breach, of course, could open the door to military action.
Blix says he's ready to prove what he calls an even-handed report on Iraq. That report, of course, due tomorrow before the U.N. Security Council.
And just a short time ago British Prime Minister Tony Blair reacted to reports about the Iraqi missile that was found. He says if, indeed, it's an illegal weapon, then it's a very serious situation and a breach of U.N. Resolution 1441.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We've agreed on the need for Iraq to disarm itself completely of weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological and nuclear weapons. We've agreed that the resolution, 1441, passed by the United Nations Security Council, has got to be upheld in all its particulars and that Saddam Hussein has got to cooperate fully with the U.N. inspectors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And just within the last couple of hours, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder explained his government's policy on Iraq. As you know, Germany, Belgium and France are refusing to go along with a U.S.-backed NATO proposal to send military aide to Turkey in case of possible attacks by Iraq. Germany's Schroeder defended his position in a nationally televised speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERHARD SCHROEDER, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Those who want to resolve this crisis by military means has to have an answer to the question whether this will strengthen the international alliance against terrorism, which includes over 50 Muslim nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: OK, we've heard from London and Berlin. Now let's get the latest from Baghdad.
Our Rym Brahimi is in the Iraqi capital -- good morning, Rym. RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
Well, the missile being examined by international experts is known as the al-Samoud 2 missile. Now, that missile was declared in Iraq's December the 7th declaration to the United Nations Security Council and Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, also mentioned in his report on January 27th that on 13 occasions while testing that missile, 13 out of 14 tests showed that the missile could exceed the authorized range of 150 kilometers, which is roughly 93 miles.
Now, of course, ultimately, the question will be Hans Blix has to decide what to do with that. The Iraqis say that the reason it can, it has a capacity of going beyond the range is because it doesn't have the necessary guidance systems that it should have. Mohamed al-Douri, who is Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, says that this is something they can discuss and he wants a joint team of experts to look at that missile again together.
But Hans Blix ultimately will decide whether or not to destroy that missile system. And on the bigger scheme of things, when he goes to the Council on Friday, Hans Blix will have to address maybe the bigger issue of whether the inspection process is working, of whether the inspection process can continue. And both inspectors, from what we understand from U.N. sources and other diplomats, have been telling Iraq come forward with what you have and we can make that inspection process continue and avoid war -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
Germany, France and Belgium, as you know, want to wait until after Hans Blix reports to the United Nations on Friday before they decide on giving military aid to Turkey. U.S. officials have presented a proposal at NATO headquarters to send military equipment to Turkey in case Iraq retaliates in a war. A number of American forces are in Turkey and would use the nation bordering Iraq as a launching pad for the attacks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
