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CNN Live At Daybreak

No Agreement on U.N. Role in Iraq

Aired September 09, 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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The debate over the role of the U.N. and international troops in Iraq carried on in the halls of the U.N. Monday. For more, we go to New York and our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: The Security Council session was convened by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is worried there will be a repeat of a diplomatic train wreck on Iraq among the 15 nations. The one thing the ambassadors did agree on after the meeting was to not reveal much to the media.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte heard some more suggestions for the U.S. resolution.

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: So, it incorporates a lot of thinking that we've heard around the table, and we think it's a constructive and an important resolution.

ROTH: But several council members appear not willing to budge, especially in the political affairs side on any proposed resolution.

ADOLFO AGUILAR ZINSER, MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: It is only by the U.N. playing a leading role that we can see a real substantive process of reconstruction and establishment of a new political authority in Iraq.

ROTH: Few were willing to comment directly on President Bush's overture to the United Nations, but they're holding firm on their position of a central U.N. role.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Well, it was a useful meeting, and we welcome the secretary-general's initiative to promote this dialogue. The discussions on how to proceed in Iraq continue in various formats, and this particular opportunity was welcomed by everybody.

ROTH: In the end, it may come down once again to France's position.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're back to where we were in January and February when we were marching down this hallway a little bit more slower.

JEAN MARC DE LA SABLIERE, FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I'm always very cautious. ROTH: Earlier, Secretary-General Annan said if the countries just sit down and talk to each other and engage, there might be diplomatic progress. And in that spirit, the secretary-general is summoning the foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council to a meeting this weekend in Geneva.

Richard Roth, CNN, the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 September 9, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The debate over the role of the U.N. and international troops in Iraq carried on in the halls of the U.N. Monday. For more, we go to New York and our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: The Security Council session was convened by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is worried there will be a repeat of a diplomatic train wreck on Iraq among the 15 nations. The one thing the ambassadors did agree on after the meeting was to not reveal much to the media.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte heard some more suggestions for the U.S. resolution.

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: So, it incorporates a lot of thinking that we've heard around the table, and we think it's a constructive and an important resolution.

ROTH: But several council members appear not willing to budge, especially in the political affairs side on any proposed resolution.

ADOLFO AGUILAR ZINSER, MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: It is only by the U.N. playing a leading role that we can see a real substantive process of reconstruction and establishment of a new political authority in Iraq.

ROTH: Few were willing to comment directly on President Bush's overture to the United Nations, but they're holding firm on their position of a central U.N. role.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Well, it was a useful meeting, and we welcome the secretary-general's initiative to promote this dialogue. The discussions on how to proceed in Iraq continue in various formats, and this particular opportunity was welcomed by everybody.

ROTH: In the end, it may come down once again to France's position.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're back to where we were in January and February when we were marching down this hallway a little bit more slower.

JEAN MARC DE LA SABLIERE, FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I'm always very cautious. ROTH: Earlier, Secretary-General Annan said if the countries just sit down and talk to each other and engage, there might be diplomatic progress. And in that spirit, the secretary-general is summoning the foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council to a meeting this weekend in Geneva.

Richard Roth, CNN, the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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