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CNN Live Saturday
Bush Warns U.N. Has One More Chance
Aired February 22, 2003 - 16:18 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is warning the United Nations it has one more chance to try to show its relevance on the issue of Iraq, and he says it does not have long. Senior White House correspondent John King is in Crawford, Texas. John, what's the latest?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: One more chance, Anderson, and not much time, as you noted. That's the headline out of conversations today at the Bush ranch between President Bush and the Spanish prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar. Mr. Bush confirming himself that the United States will put forward this new resolution to the Security Council early next week. The United States wants a vote by the middle of March, that would be just after the next report by Dr. Hans Blix, the chief inspector. He is due to report to the council on March 7. The White House would like a vote on or around March 10. Mr. Bush saying in the meantime, he expects to see Saddam Hussein, quote, "play like he's disarming." Mr. Bush says he's convinced, though, that the Iraqi leader has no intention of complying with the previous U.N. resolution, 1441, and that the Security Council, in voting on this new resolution, faces what the president called "a clear and simple choice."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Saddam Hussein wants time. And after all, he thinks he'll get time, because he's deceived the world for 12 years. He'll play like he's going to disarm. He has no intention of disarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Prime Minister Aznar, a critical player here, not only because Spain has a seat on the Security Council. The United States believes he could be persuasive at convincing other council members, especially Mexico and Chile, to support the U.S. position.
And during the talks at the ranch, President Bush and Prime Minister Aznar also brought in by telephone Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy, Prime Minister Blair of Great Britain, two other European leaders who have stood by Mr. Bush despite incredible opposition in the public opinion polls across Europe. At the news conference, Prime Minister Aznar tried to address that public opposition, many of it, much of it, he believes, based on the fact that the Europeans believe they're being bullied into war by the United States. Mr. Aznar says that's simply not the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSE MARIA AZNAR, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I hear many messages on unilateral actions, but what I must say is that President Bush, the U.S. government, and all the allies are all working together in the framework of the United Nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Senior administration officials concede the administration does not have the nine votes necessary right now to get a new resolution through the council. But they also believe that after Dr. Blix makes his next report to the council, that the attitudes might change. You might call it hardball politics by the administration, putting this resolution forward at this point. You might also call it just one last chance, this president trying to give the United Nations Security Council, how he described it, also critical that they seek a second resolution in the effort to maintain the support of those key European leaders -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, John King, Crawford, Texas, thanks very much.
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 February 22, 2003 - 16:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is warning the United Nations it has one more chance to try to show its relevance on the issue of Iraq, and he says it does not have long. Senior White House correspondent John King is in Crawford, Texas. John, what's the latest?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: One more chance, Anderson, and not much time, as you noted. That's the headline out of conversations today at the Bush ranch between President Bush and the Spanish prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar. Mr. Bush confirming himself that the United States will put forward this new resolution to the Security Council early next week. The United States wants a vote by the middle of March, that would be just after the next report by Dr. Hans Blix, the chief inspector. He is due to report to the council on March 7. The White House would like a vote on or around March 10. Mr. Bush saying in the meantime, he expects to see Saddam Hussein, quote, "play like he's disarming." Mr. Bush says he's convinced, though, that the Iraqi leader has no intention of complying with the previous U.N. resolution, 1441, and that the Security Council, in voting on this new resolution, faces what the president called "a clear and simple choice."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Saddam Hussein wants time. And after all, he thinks he'll get time, because he's deceived the world for 12 years. He'll play like he's going to disarm. He has no intention of disarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Prime Minister Aznar, a critical player here, not only because Spain has a seat on the Security Council. The United States believes he could be persuasive at convincing other council members, especially Mexico and Chile, to support the U.S. position.
And during the talks at the ranch, President Bush and Prime Minister Aznar also brought in by telephone Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy, Prime Minister Blair of Great Britain, two other European leaders who have stood by Mr. Bush despite incredible opposition in the public opinion polls across Europe. At the news conference, Prime Minister Aznar tried to address that public opposition, many of it, much of it, he believes, based on the fact that the Europeans believe they're being bullied into war by the United States. Mr. Aznar says that's simply not the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSE MARIA AZNAR, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I hear many messages on unilateral actions, but what I must say is that President Bush, the U.S. government, and all the allies are all working together in the framework of the United Nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Senior administration officials concede the administration does not have the nine votes necessary right now to get a new resolution through the council. But they also believe that after Dr. Blix makes his next report to the council, that the attitudes might change. You might call it hardball politics by the administration, putting this resolution forward at this point. You might also call it just one last chance, this president trying to give the United Nations Security Council, how he described it, also critical that they seek a second resolution in the effort to maintain the support of those key European leaders -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, John King, Crawford, Texas, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
