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CNN Live At Daybreak
Arab League Calls for Emergency Session of Security Council
Aired March 26, 2003 - 06:50 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of people throughout the Middle East are today protesting the U.S.-led war in Iraq. In South Korea, protesters scaled an 18 foot high McDonald's restaurant -- check out this video. They scaled the restaurant sign, unfurled an anti-war banner. Three people, including one wearing a mask of President Bush, were arrested.
In the populations, protesters shot arrows and burned American flags, burned at least one American flag. And huge crowds turned out in Damascus, Syria. One estimate put the crowd size at half a million protesters.
All right, a lot going to be happening at the United Nations today.
For that, for an update, we go to CNN's Michael Okwu at the U.N. -- Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you.
At the request of the Arab League as well as some 115 non-aligned countries here at the United Nations, the Security Council will convene in an emergency session this afternoon at three o'clock. The purpose of this is to condemn the U.S.-led attacks as well as to make a request to have the coalition forces withdraw from Iraq.
This is not unlike a series of meetings that some of the non- aligned countries here had before diplomacy broke down. It turned into the litany of voices against the U.S. position.
It is unclear at this point whether or not this will turn out to produce some sort of a resolution, whether there will be a presidential statement or whether this will simply be an opportunity for some of these countries to state their positions on the record.
Now, even though humanitarian aid is a very big issue here at the United Nations, this is something that many member nations would like to get on the docket as soon as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAHYA MAHMASSANI, ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: The question here is not about food, it's not about water. The whole thing is not, this is irrelevant when it comes to the main issue. You see, the issue here is the invasion of Iraq, invasion of a member state. And this is what we talk about. According to the charter, this is a violation of the charter and therefore the Security Council must shoulder its responsibility, prove it's relevant and call for the withdrawal of those invading forces.
This is the issue. We're not talking about water and food. No. This is not the issue now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: The first speaker at such a session, perhaps, Mohammed Aldouri, the Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations. Here you see him watching the television here at the United Nations with equal measures of pain and incredulity. This is something we've seen many diplomats do over the course of the past few days.
He is going to possibly speak first. He has been very critical of the secretary general of the United Nations, saying that the secretary general pulled out his troops, his humanitarian people as well as his inspectors before the necessary time and that gave the U.S. the impetus, the opportunity to actually go in there and bomb.
Of course, this morning before any kind of such meeting takes place, the Security Council will meet behind closed doors to talk about the Oil For Food program, essentially, wrestling control from Baghdad, putting it in the hands of the United Nations so they can have the opportunity to change and to make contracts -- Anderson.
COOPER: And Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, met with Condoleezza Rice, I believe, yesterday. Anything come out of that meeting?
OKWU: Well, the U.N. was fairly tight-lipped about it. We did hear from a U.S. official after that meeting who said that it went very well, that the national security adviser wanted to talk about working with the United Nations in the future, about humanitarian efforts. Essentially, the U.S. wanting to make the position, Anderson, very clear that they would like to work with the United Nations in the future and that they would also like to make this a priority -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Michael Okwu live at the U.N.
Thanks.
Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We haven't talked much about Israel in all of this. We want to do that right now, toss it to Jerrold Kessel, live in Jerusalem -- good morning.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And Israelis are very pleased to be on the sidelines of this battle. That's the way they've wanted it. That's the way clearly the United States has wanted it. But even as they are very much on the sidelines, as this, the U.S. campaign heads towards what's been described as that decisive battle over Baghdad, there's a return of -- I wouldn't quite call it jitteriness, but at least a wariness among Israelis that perhaps they may still not be out of the woods and that this might be the time, as he comes under even more and more pressure, that Saddam Hussein might choose to launch what could be described, perhaps, as a counterattack against Israel.
And that is very much preying on Israeli minds.
Now, it's perhaps true to say that they're on the sidelines, but that doesn't mean in any way that they're feeling away from this war. They're absolutely entranced by the television coverage of it and are following it transfixed as if it were their own war.
They have been told ever since the start of the campaign a week ago that Israel was on high alert, maintaining that high alert, and at the same time that they should go about their normal bombs as if it's routine.
COSTELLO: Jerrold...
KESSEL: And that's caused a...
COSTELLO: Jerrold, I'm sorry. I must interrupt you.
There is a live press conference going on right now in Baghdad. This is the information minister.
Let's listen.
MOHAMMED SAAED AL SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: (THROUGH TRANSLATOR) One of several rockets they hit the TV and radio station this morning. This is one of the rockets we downed today, part of five rockets. Some rockets did not explode and this is one of them.
(IN ENGLISH) First I want to brief you with two issues then I'll give you information and brief you about the developments in the battlefields, whether in the south or in -- with the Euphrates.
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: First, I wish to comment on something they tried, those villains (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: ... infamous generals (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: ... who distort a fact which is very clear, really. They tried to mislead, mislead the audience, the public opinion, the viewers about what is going on in Umm Qasr. They said they controlled Umm Qasr. They controlled the bay. They controlled the docks and so on. And they tried to give the impression, deliberately, that they are in client of Umm Qasr, and that's not true. Completely not true. They dropped some of their forces on the dock, and in particular, dock number 10. This is with the first day of the aggression, with the first day of the invasion. Today, we are on the seventh. Up till now, up till now they are only in dock number 10. Not in Umm Qasr, not in the city.
But they want to first to deceive their public opinion home, their home. They want to deceive their people first because now they are in a very shabby situation. It's a small town. It has only a few docks on the water. They dropped their forces there and now they are in a trap. And we will turn the trap to a full and continuous drillage for their forces.
This is a good way. They are stupid. They are villains. So why not to...
COSTELLO: All right, we're going to interrupt this press briefing right now because, of course, the U.S. government would disagree with most of what he is saying. We're going to wrap up this hour and throw it to Leon Harris right now -- good morning, Leon.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Carol, good morning, Anderson.
And good morning folks at home.
I'm Leon Harris here in the CNN news room. We are still waiting for the beginning of those remarks by British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the House of Commons. We'll go there once he begins. And our coverage of the war will continue in just a moment.
But first, here's what's happening at this hour. American forces report killing as many as 200 Iraqis in what's being described as the biggest land battle in the war to date. The fire fight broke out near Najaf, about 95 miles south of Baghdad and there are no reports of any coalition casualties at this hour. British military officials say massive resentment against Iraq's ruling Baath Party is fueling a civilian revolt in Basra. British forces launched attacks against the Iraqi troops who were trying to put down the civilian uprising with mortars. A military spokesman reports this morning that some Iraqi soldiers are leaving Basra and surrendering to British troops.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Council>
Aired March 26, 2003 - 06:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of people throughout the Middle East are today protesting the U.S.-led war in Iraq. In South Korea, protesters scaled an 18 foot high McDonald's restaurant -- check out this video. They scaled the restaurant sign, unfurled an anti-war banner. Three people, including one wearing a mask of President Bush, were arrested.
In the populations, protesters shot arrows and burned American flags, burned at least one American flag. And huge crowds turned out in Damascus, Syria. One estimate put the crowd size at half a million protesters.
All right, a lot going to be happening at the United Nations today.
For that, for an update, we go to CNN's Michael Okwu at the U.N. -- Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you.
At the request of the Arab League as well as some 115 non-aligned countries here at the United Nations, the Security Council will convene in an emergency session this afternoon at three o'clock. The purpose of this is to condemn the U.S.-led attacks as well as to make a request to have the coalition forces withdraw from Iraq.
This is not unlike a series of meetings that some of the non- aligned countries here had before diplomacy broke down. It turned into the litany of voices against the U.S. position.
It is unclear at this point whether or not this will turn out to produce some sort of a resolution, whether there will be a presidential statement or whether this will simply be an opportunity for some of these countries to state their positions on the record.
Now, even though humanitarian aid is a very big issue here at the United Nations, this is something that many member nations would like to get on the docket as soon as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAHYA MAHMASSANI, ARAB LEAGUE AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: The question here is not about food, it's not about water. The whole thing is not, this is irrelevant when it comes to the main issue. You see, the issue here is the invasion of Iraq, invasion of a member state. And this is what we talk about. According to the charter, this is a violation of the charter and therefore the Security Council must shoulder its responsibility, prove it's relevant and call for the withdrawal of those invading forces.
This is the issue. We're not talking about water and food. No. This is not the issue now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: The first speaker at such a session, perhaps, Mohammed Aldouri, the Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations. Here you see him watching the television here at the United Nations with equal measures of pain and incredulity. This is something we've seen many diplomats do over the course of the past few days.
He is going to possibly speak first. He has been very critical of the secretary general of the United Nations, saying that the secretary general pulled out his troops, his humanitarian people as well as his inspectors before the necessary time and that gave the U.S. the impetus, the opportunity to actually go in there and bomb.
Of course, this morning before any kind of such meeting takes place, the Security Council will meet behind closed doors to talk about the Oil For Food program, essentially, wrestling control from Baghdad, putting it in the hands of the United Nations so they can have the opportunity to change and to make contracts -- Anderson.
COOPER: And Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, met with Condoleezza Rice, I believe, yesterday. Anything come out of that meeting?
OKWU: Well, the U.N. was fairly tight-lipped about it. We did hear from a U.S. official after that meeting who said that it went very well, that the national security adviser wanted to talk about working with the United Nations in the future, about humanitarian efforts. Essentially, the U.S. wanting to make the position, Anderson, very clear that they would like to work with the United Nations in the future and that they would also like to make this a priority -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Michael Okwu live at the U.N.
Thanks.
Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We haven't talked much about Israel in all of this. We want to do that right now, toss it to Jerrold Kessel, live in Jerusalem -- good morning.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And Israelis are very pleased to be on the sidelines of this battle. That's the way they've wanted it. That's the way clearly the United States has wanted it. But even as they are very much on the sidelines, as this, the U.S. campaign heads towards what's been described as that decisive battle over Baghdad, there's a return of -- I wouldn't quite call it jitteriness, but at least a wariness among Israelis that perhaps they may still not be out of the woods and that this might be the time, as he comes under even more and more pressure, that Saddam Hussein might choose to launch what could be described, perhaps, as a counterattack against Israel.
And that is very much preying on Israeli minds.
Now, it's perhaps true to say that they're on the sidelines, but that doesn't mean in any way that they're feeling away from this war. They're absolutely entranced by the television coverage of it and are following it transfixed as if it were their own war.
They have been told ever since the start of the campaign a week ago that Israel was on high alert, maintaining that high alert, and at the same time that they should go about their normal bombs as if it's routine.
COSTELLO: Jerrold...
KESSEL: And that's caused a...
COSTELLO: Jerrold, I'm sorry. I must interrupt you.
There is a live press conference going on right now in Baghdad. This is the information minister.
Let's listen.
MOHAMMED SAAED AL SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: (THROUGH TRANSLATOR) One of several rockets they hit the TV and radio station this morning. This is one of the rockets we downed today, part of five rockets. Some rockets did not explode and this is one of them.
(IN ENGLISH) First I want to brief you with two issues then I'll give you information and brief you about the developments in the battlefields, whether in the south or in -- with the Euphrates.
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: First, I wish to comment on something they tried, those villains (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: ... infamous generals (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
(ARABIC TRANSLATION)
SAHAF: ... who distort a fact which is very clear, really. They tried to mislead, mislead the audience, the public opinion, the viewers about what is going on in Umm Qasr. They said they controlled Umm Qasr. They controlled the bay. They controlled the docks and so on. And they tried to give the impression, deliberately, that they are in client of Umm Qasr, and that's not true. Completely not true. They dropped some of their forces on the dock, and in particular, dock number 10. This is with the first day of the aggression, with the first day of the invasion. Today, we are on the seventh. Up till now, up till now they are only in dock number 10. Not in Umm Qasr, not in the city.
But they want to first to deceive their public opinion home, their home. They want to deceive their people first because now they are in a very shabby situation. It's a small town. It has only a few docks on the water. They dropped their forces there and now they are in a trap. And we will turn the trap to a full and continuous drillage for their forces.
This is a good way. They are stupid. They are villains. So why not to...
COSTELLO: All right, we're going to interrupt this press briefing right now because, of course, the U.S. government would disagree with most of what he is saying. We're going to wrap up this hour and throw it to Leon Harris right now -- good morning, Leon.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Carol, good morning, Anderson.
And good morning folks at home.
I'm Leon Harris here in the CNN news room. We are still waiting for the beginning of those remarks by British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the House of Commons. We'll go there once he begins. And our coverage of the war will continue in just a moment.
But first, here's what's happening at this hour. American forces report killing as many as 200 Iraqis in what's being described as the biggest land battle in the war to date. The fire fight broke out near Najaf, about 95 miles south of Baghdad and there are no reports of any coalition casualties at this hour. British military officials say massive resentment against Iraq's ruling Baath Party is fueling a civilian revolt in Basra. British forces launched attacks against the Iraqi troops who were trying to put down the civilian uprising with mortars. A military spokesman reports this morning that some Iraqi soldiers are leaving Basra and surrendering to British troops.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Council>
