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U.N. Security Council Begins Major Debate on Post-War Iraq Today
Aired July 22, 2003 - 05:37 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: Now to Iraq, the U.N. Security Council begins a major debate on post-war Iraq today. And for the first time since the war, it's expected to hear from Iraqi delegates.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck joins us live from Baghdad with the explanation -- good morning.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Iraq's governing council has sent a three person delegation to New York. That delegation is set to address the U.N. Security Council later today. They are expected to declare the governing council, which was hand picked by the United States and installed in office a little over a week ago, as Iraq's legitimate representative to the United Nations.
Now, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan calls Iraq's new governing body, and I quote, "a broadly representative partner with whom the United Nations and the international community at large can engage."
And the U.N. would like a larger and more visible role in Iraq. In a report issued yesterday, the secretary general said the U.N. could help by providing assistance in human rights, the development of an independent media and training an Iraqi police force.
The U.N. report was also critical of some of the actions that the United States has taken in Iraq. Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello is especially concerned about the U.S. treatment of detainees in Iraq. And the state, or lack thereof, security, particularly in Baghdad, was also addressed.
Now, the U.N. says democracy in Iraq cannot be imposed from the outside, and that is why the Security Council today is expected to give its support to the new Iraqi governing council.
Meanwhile, many people here are still not fully trusting the council because they say it is made up of many Iraqis who, after having spent so many years in exile, aren't really in touch with today's Iraq. And earlier today, there was a protest in Baghdad. About 200 former Iraqi political prisoners protested, asking that they, too, have some sort of role in Iraq's new governing council. The former prisoners, who were all jailed under the Saddam Hussein regime, say they, too, have a right to participate in the new Iraqi government -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Harris Whitbeck live from Baghdad 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
Today>
Aired July 22, 2003 - 05:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq, the U.N. Security Council begins a major debate on post-war Iraq today. And for the first time since the war, it's expected to hear from Iraqi delegates.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck joins us live from Baghdad with the explanation -- good morning.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Iraq's governing council has sent a three person delegation to New York. That delegation is set to address the U.N. Security Council later today. They are expected to declare the governing council, which was hand picked by the United States and installed in office a little over a week ago, as Iraq's legitimate representative to the United Nations.
Now, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan calls Iraq's new governing body, and I quote, "a broadly representative partner with whom the United Nations and the international community at large can engage."
And the U.N. would like a larger and more visible role in Iraq. In a report issued yesterday, the secretary general said the U.N. could help by providing assistance in human rights, the development of an independent media and training an Iraqi police force.
The U.N. report was also critical of some of the actions that the United States has taken in Iraq. Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello is especially concerned about the U.S. treatment of detainees in Iraq. And the state, or lack thereof, security, particularly in Baghdad, was also addressed.
Now, the U.N. says democracy in Iraq cannot be imposed from the outside, and that is why the Security Council today is expected to give its support to the new Iraqi governing council.
Meanwhile, many people here are still not fully trusting the council because they say it is made up of many Iraqis who, after having spent so many years in exile, aren't really in touch with today's Iraq. And earlier today, there was a protest in Baghdad. About 200 former Iraqi political prisoners protested, asking that they, too, have some sort of role in Iraq's new governing council. The former prisoners, who were all jailed under the Saddam Hussein regime, say they, too, have a right to participate in the new Iraqi government -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Harris Whitbeck live from Baghdad 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
Today>
