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CNN Live Today
Spain's Top Diplomat in Baghdad Today
Aired January 12, 2004 - 11:14 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Spain's top diplomat is in Baghdad today to talk with U.S. and Iraqi leaders.
CNN's Satinder Bindra is in the Iraqi capital. He tells us some more about that.
Hello, Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
The Spanish foreign minister visiting Baghdad today. And one of her first meetings was with the U.S. administrator, Paul Bremer, today. All this happening on a day when a top religious cleric here, Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, continuing to oppose a U.S. plan to hold indirect, or caucus-style elections. These elections will put together an assembly, which will then finalize a provisional government here in Iraq. The ayatollah, of course, represents Iraq's 16 million Shiites. He says he wants direct elections. The United States saying time has run out to hold these direct elections. Still, the U.S. administrator saying today he hasn't lost hope yet for a compromise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: The governing council is in discussions with the grand ayatollah, for whom we have the greatest respect, and I think it's probably best if I leave those discussions between the Governing Council and the ayatollah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BINDRA: Now, Daryn, these delicate political negotiations will continue in New York on the 19th of January. That's when coalition authorities and Iraq's Governing Council will meet with the U.N. secretary-general, Mr. Kofi Annan.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Meanwhile, can you tell us about an incident that took place in Samarra, Satinder?
BINDRA: Daryn, this incident took place late yesterday. Troops with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division were sent to an oil pipeline near Samarra. They say they witnessed some oil thieves. They were trying to rob oil. U.S. forces. then attempted to capture these people. These people fired back at U.S. forces. U.S. forces say they, too, returned fire in the process. Some seven Iraqis were killed, but there were no casualties to coalition forces.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Satinder Bindra in Baghdad. Thank you for that report.
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 January 12, 2004 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Spain's top diplomat is in Baghdad today to talk with U.S. and Iraqi leaders.
CNN's Satinder Bindra is in the Iraqi capital. He tells us some more about that.
Hello, Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
The Spanish foreign minister visiting Baghdad today. And one of her first meetings was with the U.S. administrator, Paul Bremer, today. All this happening on a day when a top religious cleric here, Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, continuing to oppose a U.S. plan to hold indirect, or caucus-style elections. These elections will put together an assembly, which will then finalize a provisional government here in Iraq. The ayatollah, of course, represents Iraq's 16 million Shiites. He says he wants direct elections. The United States saying time has run out to hold these direct elections. Still, the U.S. administrator saying today he hasn't lost hope yet for a compromise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: The governing council is in discussions with the grand ayatollah, for whom we have the greatest respect, and I think it's probably best if I leave those discussions between the Governing Council and the ayatollah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BINDRA: Now, Daryn, these delicate political negotiations will continue in New York on the 19th of January. That's when coalition authorities and Iraq's Governing Council will meet with the U.N. secretary-general, Mr. Kofi Annan.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Meanwhile, can you tell us about an incident that took place in Samarra, Satinder?
BINDRA: Daryn, this incident took place late yesterday. Troops with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division were sent to an oil pipeline near Samarra. They say they witnessed some oil thieves. They were trying to rob oil. U.S. forces. then attempted to capture these people. These people fired back at U.S. forces. U.S. forces say they, too, returned fire in the process. Some seven Iraqis were killed, but there were no casualties to coalition forces.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Satinder Bindra in Baghdad. Thank you for that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
