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Canadian P.M.: Troops Will Have No Role in War

Aired March 17, 2003 - 14:32   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: This story just in to CNN from the Reuters News Agency. You're looking at pictures of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretein speaking before the Canadian parliament. He has just told parliament that Canada will not play a role in any military attack launched on Iraq.
Now, this is significant, because in the last few weeks, Canada had been playing a neutral role, trying to bridge the gap, bridge the splits at the United Nations between those members of the Security Council that were supporting the United States and those that were against. And I believe there were some who were still holding out hope that Canada would join the United States, as Great Britain has. But just in the last hour or so, Chretien has told -- prime minister Chretien has told parliament -- and I'm quoting -- "if military action proceeds without a new resolution of the U.N. Security Council, Canada will not participate." And Reuters reporting the Canadian parliament responded with storms of applause.

So if the U.S. was counting on Canadian military support, it's not going to be there.

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 March 17, 2003 - 14:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: This story just in to CNN from the Reuters News Agency. You're looking at pictures of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretein speaking before the Canadian parliament. He has just told parliament that Canada will not play a role in any military attack launched on Iraq.
Now, this is significant, because in the last few weeks, Canada had been playing a neutral role, trying to bridge the gap, bridge the splits at the United Nations between those members of the Security Council that were supporting the United States and those that were against. And I believe there were some who were still holding out hope that Canada would join the United States, as Great Britain has. But just in the last hour or so, Chretien has told -- prime minister Chretien has told parliament -- and I'm quoting -- "if military action proceeds without a new resolution of the U.N. Security Council, Canada will not participate." And Reuters reporting the Canadian parliament responded with storms of applause.

So if the U.S. was counting on Canadian military support, it's not going to be there.

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