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Iraq's Foreign Minister Speaks to the U.N.
Aired September 19, 2002 - 14:05 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: But for days you've been hearing what the U.S. thinks should happen in Iraq. Now the Iraqis are making their case. About an hour ago, its foreign minister appeared before the United Nations general assembly. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is here to fill us in on what he said -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the man before the general assembly of the United Nations was Iraq's foreign minister Naji Sabri. But the words came from Iraq's President Saddam Hussein. Exactly one week after U.S. President George Bush came up with a long list of Iraqi violations, especially regarding weapons of mass destruction, through the Iraqi president, Iraq's foreign minister said, in effect, that his country was free of weapons of mass destruction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJI SABRI, IRAQ FOREIGN MINISTER: Iraq is totally clear of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. If there are anyone amongst you who might still worry that the fabrications announced by American officials about Iraq may possibly be true, our country is ready to receive any scientific experts, accompanied by politicians. You choose to present any one of your countries to, tell us which places and scientific and industrial installations they wish to see, particularly those about which the American officials have been publicating false stories.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The U.N. Weapons Inspection Agency wants its inspectors to see, not outside consultants or scientists, and the inspectors have gaps still especially, in the biological and chemical fields, as to what exactly Iraq still may possess.
The Iraqi foreign minister, speaking for the Iraqi president, accused President Bush of whipping up hysteria in America in trying to link Iraq with the September 11th terrorist attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SABRI: After a long time of utilizing the American propaganda machine, along with official statements of lies, distortion and falsehood, the forecast was deliberately intent on inciting the American public against Iraq and pushing them to believe the U.S. administration schemes of aggression as a fait accompli, as if it were the solution of the necessary (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that would allow American citizens to live in security and stability after what they had gone through in September 11 events.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The foreign minister offered some sympathy for the victims and families of the September 11th attacks. However, he accused President Bush of being very narrow minded and should pay more attention to the common interests of every person and not just focus on September 11th -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, 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 September 19, 2002 - 14:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: But for days you've been hearing what the U.S. thinks should happen in Iraq. Now the Iraqis are making their case. About an hour ago, its foreign minister appeared before the United Nations general assembly. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is here to fill us in on what he said -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the man before the general assembly of the United Nations was Iraq's foreign minister Naji Sabri. But the words came from Iraq's President Saddam Hussein. Exactly one week after U.S. President George Bush came up with a long list of Iraqi violations, especially regarding weapons of mass destruction, through the Iraqi president, Iraq's foreign minister said, in effect, that his country was free of weapons of mass destruction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJI SABRI, IRAQ FOREIGN MINISTER: Iraq is totally clear of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. If there are anyone amongst you who might still worry that the fabrications announced by American officials about Iraq may possibly be true, our country is ready to receive any scientific experts, accompanied by politicians. You choose to present any one of your countries to, tell us which places and scientific and industrial installations they wish to see, particularly those about which the American officials have been publicating false stories.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The U.N. Weapons Inspection Agency wants its inspectors to see, not outside consultants or scientists, and the inspectors have gaps still especially, in the biological and chemical fields, as to what exactly Iraq still may possess.
The Iraqi foreign minister, speaking for the Iraqi president, accused President Bush of whipping up hysteria in America in trying to link Iraq with the September 11th terrorist attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SABRI: After a long time of utilizing the American propaganda machine, along with official statements of lies, distortion and falsehood, the forecast was deliberately intent on inciting the American public against Iraq and pushing them to believe the U.S. administration schemes of aggression as a fait accompli, as if it were the solution of the necessary (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that would allow American citizens to live in security and stability after what they had gone through in September 11 events.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The foreign minister offered some sympathy for the victims and families of the September 11th attacks. However, he accused President Bush of being very narrow minded and should pay more attention to the common interests of every person and not just focus on September 11th -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, 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
