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CNN Live At Daybreak

White House Briefing: President Bush's Day

Aired June 26, 2003 - 06:33   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: CNN has learned a key piece of Iraqi nuclear technology was dug up in a Baghdad back yard. The CIA now has parts of a gas centrifuge system used for enriching uranium.
The items were unearthed by this Iraqi scientist. He said he had hidden them in his back yard back in 1991 under orders from Saddam Hussein's son. The scientist says he came forward with the materials now to prevent a future catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHDI OBEIDI, IRAQI NUCLEAR SCIENTIST: A complete system that can reconstitute a nuclear program would be something that if it could fall in the hands of dictators or terrorists or any other group, it might really play havoc in the destiny of humanity. And, therefore, I felt it is an obligation, an urge, that I should take these things which involved designs, documents and the critical centrifuge materials, to take it into safe hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A former weapons inspector suggested it may have been difficult for that Iraqi scientist to come forward earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID ALBRIGHT, FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR: The inspectors understood that Iraq probably hid centrifuge documents, it may have had components, and so it's very important that those items be found. And it's to Dr. Obeidi's credit that he decided to cooperate, although I must tell you it was very difficult to actually find a part of the U.S. government he could cooperate with to provide this information, and not in essence be punished or told that your reward is you won't go to jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: U.S. officials emphasize the discovery is not evidence Iraq had a nuclear weapon, but they say it is evidence the regime concealed plans to restart its nuclear program at some time in the future, which means in a nutshell this is not the smoking gun.

Let's see what impact this is making in Washington at the White House.

Live there now and White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux.

Good morning -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, those documents and that equipment, of course, U.S. intelligence is going to be looking at it very closely to figure out what all of this means. But the White House, really their position, it's all a part of this process however long, however tedious it may be to prove that Iraq did in fact have weapons of mass destruction. The administration is very confident on that point.

The administration, when it comes to the Middle East and this possibility of a cease-fire, a little less confident about that. President Bush yesterday in the East Room was expressing a great deal of skepticism, waiting for action and not just words.

The president also insisting that a cease-fire is not good enough, that Hamas must be completely disarmed and dismantled, and also the president putting some pressure on European allies, meeting with leaders of the European Union. The president stressing the need for them to completely isolate Hamas, so that means not only the military wing but also the political wing. That political wing, of course, offers services to the Palestinians, but the administration feels, first of all, that it would be helpful in freezing its assets, also in further isolating Yasser Arafat.

But they have not received as much cooperation as they would like, particularly from France. They believe that it would be detrimental to the peace process, because it would hurt the Palestinians.

And, Carol, as you know, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is going to be heading to the region this weekend to really build on the momentum of that peace initiative -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, she's on her way there now. The interesting information that was new this morning about that, Suzanne, is that this cease-fire truce between the militant groups in the Middle East, it was actually negotiated between a guy who is in prison in Israel and Yasser Arafat. So, it will be interesting to see what the White House has to say about that, if anything.

MALVEAUX: And, of course, Carol, as you know, that simply complicates the matter further, because the administration really will not deal with Yasser Arafat. They have put him on the sidelines. They say they will not get involved with anything that he has to say. So, clearly, just how much power the Palestinian prime minister has in all of this, in negotiating this Hamas cease-fire is going to be very important, and how much it is that they can sideline Yasser Arafat in the whole process.

COSTELLO: Understand. Suzanne Malveaux live from Washington this morning.

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 June 26, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: CNN has learned a key piece of Iraqi nuclear technology was dug up in a Baghdad back yard. The CIA now has parts of a gas centrifuge system used for enriching uranium.
The items were unearthed by this Iraqi scientist. He said he had hidden them in his back yard back in 1991 under orders from Saddam Hussein's son. The scientist says he came forward with the materials now to prevent a future catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHDI OBEIDI, IRAQI NUCLEAR SCIENTIST: A complete system that can reconstitute a nuclear program would be something that if it could fall in the hands of dictators or terrorists or any other group, it might really play havoc in the destiny of humanity. And, therefore, I felt it is an obligation, an urge, that I should take these things which involved designs, documents and the critical centrifuge materials, to take it into safe hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A former weapons inspector suggested it may have been difficult for that Iraqi scientist to come forward earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID ALBRIGHT, FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR: The inspectors understood that Iraq probably hid centrifuge documents, it may have had components, and so it's very important that those items be found. And it's to Dr. Obeidi's credit that he decided to cooperate, although I must tell you it was very difficult to actually find a part of the U.S. government he could cooperate with to provide this information, and not in essence be punished or told that your reward is you won't go to jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: U.S. officials emphasize the discovery is not evidence Iraq had a nuclear weapon, but they say it is evidence the regime concealed plans to restart its nuclear program at some time in the future, which means in a nutshell this is not the smoking gun.

Let's see what impact this is making in Washington at the White House.

Live there now and White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux.

Good morning -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, those documents and that equipment, of course, U.S. intelligence is going to be looking at it very closely to figure out what all of this means. But the White House, really their position, it's all a part of this process however long, however tedious it may be to prove that Iraq did in fact have weapons of mass destruction. The administration is very confident on that point.

The administration, when it comes to the Middle East and this possibility of a cease-fire, a little less confident about that. President Bush yesterday in the East Room was expressing a great deal of skepticism, waiting for action and not just words.

The president also insisting that a cease-fire is not good enough, that Hamas must be completely disarmed and dismantled, and also the president putting some pressure on European allies, meeting with leaders of the European Union. The president stressing the need for them to completely isolate Hamas, so that means not only the military wing but also the political wing. That political wing, of course, offers services to the Palestinians, but the administration feels, first of all, that it would be helpful in freezing its assets, also in further isolating Yasser Arafat.

But they have not received as much cooperation as they would like, particularly from France. They believe that it would be detrimental to the peace process, because it would hurt the Palestinians.

And, Carol, as you know, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is going to be heading to the region this weekend to really build on the momentum of that peace initiative -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, she's on her way there now. The interesting information that was new this morning about that, Suzanne, is that this cease-fire truce between the militant groups in the Middle East, it was actually negotiated between a guy who is in prison in Israel and Yasser Arafat. So, it will be interesting to see what the White House has to say about that, if anything.

MALVEAUX: And, of course, Carol, as you know, that simply complicates the matter further, because the administration really will not deal with Yasser Arafat. They have put him on the sidelines. They say they will not get involved with anything that he has to say. So, clearly, just how much power the Palestinian prime minister has in all of this, in negotiating this Hamas cease-fire is going to be very important, and how much it is that they can sideline Yasser Arafat in the whole process.

COSTELLO: Understand. Suzanne Malveaux live from Washington this morning.

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