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CNN Live Saturday
Security Council Faces Vote on Iraq Resolution Next Week
Aired March 08, 2003 - 17:02 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 phone lines are burning as the U.N. Security Council faces a vote perhaps early next week on a March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm. CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is following the last ditch efforts to line up votes for and against the U.S.-backed resolution -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, if those phone calls don't manage to come up with some sort of compromise that may not be the only thing burning in about a week or so. March 17, the deadline for Iraq under a new U.S./U.K./Spain resolution. Slight adjustment, but big impact -- a deadline for President Saddam Hussein's government to turn over all weapons of mass destruction.
But the U.S. does not have the necessary votes so far in the Security Council. Big powers with vetoes, France, Russia and China, don't accept another resolution. They think the inspectors are working, and they are making progress. Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency was asked today, what would be the impact of a war?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, IAEA: We are making progress in the nuclear area. Hans Blix also said he is making some progress. Not as much as he would like to do. And whether Security Council would give us additional time to complete the job, whether they think that's not in the cards, that Iraq is not cooperating enough, and we should think of other alternatives, that's obviously the prerogative of the Security Council.
I believe that we still have a chance. I believe that war is not inevitable. But the ball is very much in Iraq's court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Well, ElBaradei also said, in effect, to the Security Council, Iraq has given no signs and based on their inspections no indication that it's reviving its nuclear program of the early '90s, late '80s.
Diplomatically, the U.N. building as a whole is quiet for the weekend, but as you mentioned, Fredricka, the phone calls are going forth. President Bush will resume the calls, we're told, on Monday. He called the president of Chile on Friday.
Various diplomats here expect consultations on Monday afternoon to probably not resolve differences. The big question will be, will the U.S. give more time to opponents of the resolution in order to get the votes, or will it test the veto gauntlet posed by Russia, China and France as early as Tuesday? Ambassador Negroponte of the United States has put the council on notice that Tuesday would be the first day for a potential vote -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Richard, if Iraq does live up to its promise of providing evidence of its destruction of chemical and biological weapons, might that impact those very undecided countries?
ROTH: Well, they would have to start turning -- they don't have to really convince them, because they like the rate of cooperation. They think they're doing enough right now. They believe that the private interviews with the scientists, which have been stepped up, the destruction of dozens of Al Samoud 2 missiles, U-2 reconnaissance are good indications, and Blix has praised them, the chief U.N. weapons inspector. But Blix himself said he needs months more. The U.S. and U.K. said yesterday it could take a decade at that rate.
WHITFIELD: Richard Roth, thank you very much -- Renay.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, here's how the Security Council members look to be standing at this hour. The U.S., Britain, Bulgaria and Spain are for the resolution, setting the March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm. The deadline was Britain's idea. France, China, Russia, Syria and Germany are against it. They argue that Friday's report from U.N. weapons inspectors show Baghdad is making progress and should get more time. The votes of Mexico, Pakistan, Chile, Cameroon, Guinea and Angola are still up for grabs, but Chile's president says U.N. inspectors need more time in Iraq. Mexico and Pakistan also are reportedly voicing objections.
Wolf Blitzer will interview Secretary of State Colin Powell about the U.N. decision. That's tomorrow at noon Eastern on CNN's "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk.
Among those working the phones this weekend, the White House, trying to muster support from Security Council members. But President Bush still insists he's doing all he can to avoid war with Iraq. Let's check in now with CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, as you've been discussing, the administration did agree to give a deadline in their new resolution. They hope it will be voted on next week. That would be a March 17 deadline. But here at the White House, they are pretty candid in saying that they don't expect Saddam Hussein to fully disarm before March 17. And bearing that in mind, the president used his weekly radio address to warn that military action could be imminent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're determined to confront threats wherever they arise, and, as a last resort, we must be willing to use military force. We're doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein does not disarm peacefully, he will be disarmed by force.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Meanwhile, anti-war demonstrators gathered in Washington today, about 3,000, we are told, not too far from the White House for International Women's Day. A group called Code Pink, a feminist anti- war group, marched and protested the war with Iraq.
While that was going on, here at the White House this morning, there was a meeting in the Situation Room of some of the president's top national security advisers, some war planning going on, as the protests were going on just down the street.
And while the administration is doing everything it can in the days ahead to try to get the votes for that resolution, they are working the phones over the next few days, as Richard said. The president will resume his calls that he has already been making last week. He will resume those calls to world leaders, particularly on Security Council, start talking to them on Monday again. We are told that he is going to say to them that the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. as a whole, their relevance is at stake here, and he will also say that he already has the authority that he needs, he thinks, to disarm Saddam Hussein, whether or not there is a positive vote for them in the Security Council -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash at the White House. Thank you.
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 March 8, 2003 - 17:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The phone lines are burning as the U.N. Security Council faces a vote perhaps early next week on a March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm. CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is following the last ditch efforts to line up votes for and against the U.S.-backed resolution -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, if those phone calls don't manage to come up with some sort of compromise that may not be the only thing burning in about a week or so. March 17, the deadline for Iraq under a new U.S./U.K./Spain resolution. Slight adjustment, but big impact -- a deadline for President Saddam Hussein's government to turn over all weapons of mass destruction.
But the U.S. does not have the necessary votes so far in the Security Council. Big powers with vetoes, France, Russia and China, don't accept another resolution. They think the inspectors are working, and they are making progress. Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency was asked today, what would be the impact of a war?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, IAEA: We are making progress in the nuclear area. Hans Blix also said he is making some progress. Not as much as he would like to do. And whether Security Council would give us additional time to complete the job, whether they think that's not in the cards, that Iraq is not cooperating enough, and we should think of other alternatives, that's obviously the prerogative of the Security Council.
I believe that we still have a chance. I believe that war is not inevitable. But the ball is very much in Iraq's court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Well, ElBaradei also said, in effect, to the Security Council, Iraq has given no signs and based on their inspections no indication that it's reviving its nuclear program of the early '90s, late '80s.
Diplomatically, the U.N. building as a whole is quiet for the weekend, but as you mentioned, Fredricka, the phone calls are going forth. President Bush will resume the calls, we're told, on Monday. He called the president of Chile on Friday.
Various diplomats here expect consultations on Monday afternoon to probably not resolve differences. The big question will be, will the U.S. give more time to opponents of the resolution in order to get the votes, or will it test the veto gauntlet posed by Russia, China and France as early as Tuesday? Ambassador Negroponte of the United States has put the council on notice that Tuesday would be the first day for a potential vote -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Richard, if Iraq does live up to its promise of providing evidence of its destruction of chemical and biological weapons, might that impact those very undecided countries?
ROTH: Well, they would have to start turning -- they don't have to really convince them, because they like the rate of cooperation. They think they're doing enough right now. They believe that the private interviews with the scientists, which have been stepped up, the destruction of dozens of Al Samoud 2 missiles, U-2 reconnaissance are good indications, and Blix has praised them, the chief U.N. weapons inspector. But Blix himself said he needs months more. The U.S. and U.K. said yesterday it could take a decade at that rate.
WHITFIELD: Richard Roth, thank you very much -- Renay.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, here's how the Security Council members look to be standing at this hour. The U.S., Britain, Bulgaria and Spain are for the resolution, setting the March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm. The deadline was Britain's idea. France, China, Russia, Syria and Germany are against it. They argue that Friday's report from U.N. weapons inspectors show Baghdad is making progress and should get more time. The votes of Mexico, Pakistan, Chile, Cameroon, Guinea and Angola are still up for grabs, but Chile's president says U.N. inspectors need more time in Iraq. Mexico and Pakistan also are reportedly voicing objections.
Wolf Blitzer will interview Secretary of State Colin Powell about the U.N. decision. That's tomorrow at noon Eastern on CNN's "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk.
Among those working the phones this weekend, the White House, trying to muster support from Security Council members. But President Bush still insists he's doing all he can to avoid war with Iraq. Let's check in now with CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, as you've been discussing, the administration did agree to give a deadline in their new resolution. They hope it will be voted on next week. That would be a March 17 deadline. But here at the White House, they are pretty candid in saying that they don't expect Saddam Hussein to fully disarm before March 17. And bearing that in mind, the president used his weekly radio address to warn that military action could be imminent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're determined to confront threats wherever they arise, and, as a last resort, we must be willing to use military force. We're doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein does not disarm peacefully, he will be disarmed by force.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Meanwhile, anti-war demonstrators gathered in Washington today, about 3,000, we are told, not too far from the White House for International Women's Day. A group called Code Pink, a feminist anti- war group, marched and protested the war with Iraq.
While that was going on, here at the White House this morning, there was a meeting in the Situation Room of some of the president's top national security advisers, some war planning going on, as the protests were going on just down the street.
And while the administration is doing everything it can in the days ahead to try to get the votes for that resolution, they are working the phones over the next few days, as Richard said. The president will resume his calls that he has already been making last week. He will resume those calls to world leaders, particularly on Security Council, start talking to them on Monday again. We are told that he is going to say to them that the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. as a whole, their relevance is at stake here, and he will also say that he already has the authority that he needs, he thinks, to disarm Saddam Hussein, whether or not there is a positive vote for them in the Security Council -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash at the White House. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
