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CNN Live At Daybreak

Security Council Members Focused on Issue of Second Resolution

Aired March 07, 2003 - 05:34   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We are just hours away from hearing if Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei think Iraq is cooperating with U.N. weapons inspectors. They will present their report to the U.N. this morning at 10:00 Eastern. Meanwhile, U.N. Security Council members are focused on the controversial issue of a second resolution against Iraq.
CNN's senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The final hours of diplomacy here at the United Nations. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met first with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, allies in the quest for a new resolution on Iraq. Then they were joined by another ally, the Spanish foreign minister. But then there were the foes over a new resolution, the foreign minister of French and then eventually the foreign minister of Germany.

For the United States, the quest for votes in the Security Council will not end. President Bush says it's time for everyone to show their cards, it's time for a vote count, indicating the United States does not intend to pull this resolution if it sees it doesn't have the necessary votes. It wants to test the threats of vetoes issued, potentially, by France, Russia, China and Germany, though they haven't specifically said they intend to do so.

As for talk of a compromise, the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw indicated he would still be open to that if it would help get more votes.

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Of course, we are ready to discuss the wording of that second resolution and to take on board any constructive suggestions as to how the process set out in that draft resolution could be improved. And that is exactly what we are doing and I look forward to further discussions as fellow foreign ministers arrive.

QUESTION: What's the possibility of an amendment?

STRAW: There's certainly a possibility of an amendment and that's something we are looking at.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: When you say we start the war tomorrow and then you say OK, as a compromise we start the war in three days, is it a compromise? I mean on the basis of common sense, I don't think so. ROTH: Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix may swing some votes when he presents his latest report to the Security Council. Blix will issue an additional report to the Security Council, one in which his inspectors say Iraq held on to more than 10,000 liters of anthrax after the Gulf War.

Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: We'll take you live to U.N. headquarters for the latest from CNN's Michael Okwu in the next hour of CNN DAYBREAK.

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




Resolution>


Aired March 7, 2003 - 05:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We are just hours away from hearing if Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei think Iraq is cooperating with U.N. weapons inspectors. They will present their report to the U.N. this morning at 10:00 Eastern. Meanwhile, U.N. Security Council members are focused on the controversial issue of a second resolution against Iraq.
CNN's senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The final hours of diplomacy here at the United Nations. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met first with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, allies in the quest for a new resolution on Iraq. Then they were joined by another ally, the Spanish foreign minister. But then there were the foes over a new resolution, the foreign minister of French and then eventually the foreign minister of Germany.

For the United States, the quest for votes in the Security Council will not end. President Bush says it's time for everyone to show their cards, it's time for a vote count, indicating the United States does not intend to pull this resolution if it sees it doesn't have the necessary votes. It wants to test the threats of vetoes issued, potentially, by France, Russia, China and Germany, though they haven't specifically said they intend to do so.

As for talk of a compromise, the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw indicated he would still be open to that if it would help get more votes.

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Of course, we are ready to discuss the wording of that second resolution and to take on board any constructive suggestions as to how the process set out in that draft resolution could be improved. And that is exactly what we are doing and I look forward to further discussions as fellow foreign ministers arrive.

QUESTION: What's the possibility of an amendment?

STRAW: There's certainly a possibility of an amendment and that's something we are looking at.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: When you say we start the war tomorrow and then you say OK, as a compromise we start the war in three days, is it a compromise? I mean on the basis of common sense, I don't think so. ROTH: Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix may swing some votes when he presents his latest report to the Security Council. Blix will issue an additional report to the Security Council, one in which his inspectors say Iraq held on to more than 10,000 liters of anthrax after the Gulf War.

Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: We'll take you live to U.N. headquarters for the latest from CNN's Michael Okwu in the next hour of CNN DAYBREAK.

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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