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CNN Live Saturday

Arab League Asks Iraq to Allow Return of Weapons Inspectors

Aired September 14, 2002 - 18:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The Arab League is pleading with Iraq to allow United Nations weapons inspectors back in. The appeal comes two days after President Bush's speech to the U.N. General Assembly on the issue. Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is at the United Nations headquarters in New York, right now, with more on this -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, there's a lot of talking going on here. You don't know where it's going to lead, but a little bit more than you'd expect on a Saturday here in New York. It's a special General Assembly meeting.

First of all, the Arab League met. And included in that meeting, along with Secretary General Kofi Annan, was Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri. And the Arab ministers told Iraq, let those weapons inspectors in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMRE MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE, SECY. GENERAL: Unanimous appeal by all ministers to Iraq to accept the return of the -- to allow the inspectors to return. And the foreign minister of Iraq was positive. And he said to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the position of his country that they want to be, in fact, the return of the inspectors. And that want the return of the stability and peace to the whole region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The Arab ministers, though, are still opposed to U.S. military strike. Later in the day, though, an unscheduled meeting, Secretary General Annan, flanked by the Arab League secretary general, along with Naji Sabri, the Iraqi foreign minister, who is sitting there in that chair.

The secretary general had nothing to say, really, about this meeting. One Iraqi official said there was movement, but we haven't been able to confirm that with anybody.

So, Carol, in the days ahead, it's likely that the Arab foreign minister, the Iraqi foreign minister will meet with Secretary General Annan. They maybe trying to work out some strategy, but Iraq has this message from George Bush here, on Thursday, and from colleagues in the Arab world to let the inspectors in or, in effect, face the consequences.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Richard Roth, live in New York.

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