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U.N. Weapons Inspectors Ask Security Council for 'Explicit Authority'
Aired October 28, 2002 - 14:38 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: At U.N. headquarters today, the men in charge of the weapons inspections program pleaded with an undecided Security Council for "explicit authority" and "good practical arrangements." Those are quotes. Baghdad, meanwhile, is accusing the Bush administration of trying to colonize Iraq under cover of an iron- fisted U.N. resolution. CNN's Nic Robertson is live from the capital there, and Nic, the talk just seems to get tougher and tougher.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Marty. In fact, just in the last few minutes here on Iraqi satellite station, the vice president, Taha Yassin Ramadan, reiterating again that Iraq does not see a need for new resolution, saying that the United States is trying to initiate an evil aggression, an evil terrorism against Iraq. That has been the position of the Iraqi government here. There is no need for a resolution.
Also, he said -- and again, this is nothing new but a reiteration of the government's position here, and an indication of how firmly they are digging in their heels, if you will, at the moment. The fact that U.N. weapons inspectors did not come to Iraq on the 19th of October, he said, as was agreed between Iraq and the U.N. weapons inspectors at their meeting in Vienna at the beginning of October was a violation of their agreement. That was something very negative in the eyes of the government here.
The rhetoric stepping up. The foreign minister just late last night as well, saying that the U.N. resolution sponsored by the United States was, in fact, an effort to colonize Iraq, under the auspices of the U.N., something, he said, that was an insult to the international community and an insult to the United Nations.
The newspapers here as well carrying stories such as the United States is perpetrating terrorism inside the U.N. Security Council. The rhetoric very strong this week -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Nic, what is the reception likely to be for weapons inspectors when or if they eventually get to Iraq?
ROBERTSON: The Iraqi government has said that they are ready to accept them, that they are ready to facilitate their work, their travel inside Baghdad and inside Iraq in general. They've indicated that they can set up operations outside of Baghdad, in Basra in the south and Mossil (ph) in the north.
They have said, however, on the specifics of the presidential palaces, the eight sites where there was a memorandum of understanding signed in the beginning of 1998, when Kofi Annan came to Baghdad and made that agreement here, that those sites would be treated specially, that there should be advanced warning, that there should be diplomats present when those sites were inspected.
The Iraqis still stand by that position. However, on all other levels, the Iraqis at the moment are saying yes, the doors are open and you can come.
SAVIDGE: CNN's Nic Robertson reporting to us live from Baghdad. Thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired October 28, 2002 - 14:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: At U.N. headquarters today, the men in charge of the weapons inspections program pleaded with an undecided Security Council for "explicit authority" and "good practical arrangements." Those are quotes. Baghdad, meanwhile, is accusing the Bush administration of trying to colonize Iraq under cover of an iron- fisted U.N. resolution. CNN's Nic Robertson is live from the capital there, and Nic, the talk just seems to get tougher and tougher.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Marty. In fact, just in the last few minutes here on Iraqi satellite station, the vice president, Taha Yassin Ramadan, reiterating again that Iraq does not see a need for new resolution, saying that the United States is trying to initiate an evil aggression, an evil terrorism against Iraq. That has been the position of the Iraqi government here. There is no need for a resolution.
Also, he said -- and again, this is nothing new but a reiteration of the government's position here, and an indication of how firmly they are digging in their heels, if you will, at the moment. The fact that U.N. weapons inspectors did not come to Iraq on the 19th of October, he said, as was agreed between Iraq and the U.N. weapons inspectors at their meeting in Vienna at the beginning of October was a violation of their agreement. That was something very negative in the eyes of the government here.
The rhetoric stepping up. The foreign minister just late last night as well, saying that the U.N. resolution sponsored by the United States was, in fact, an effort to colonize Iraq, under the auspices of the U.N., something, he said, that was an insult to the international community and an insult to the United Nations.
The newspapers here as well carrying stories such as the United States is perpetrating terrorism inside the U.N. Security Council. The rhetoric very strong this week -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Nic, what is the reception likely to be for weapons inspectors when or if they eventually get to Iraq?
ROBERTSON: The Iraqi government has said that they are ready to accept them, that they are ready to facilitate their work, their travel inside Baghdad and inside Iraq in general. They've indicated that they can set up operations outside of Baghdad, in Basra in the south and Mossil (ph) in the north.
They have said, however, on the specifics of the presidential palaces, the eight sites where there was a memorandum of understanding signed in the beginning of 1998, when Kofi Annan came to Baghdad and made that agreement here, that those sites would be treated specially, that there should be advanced warning, that there should be diplomats present when those sites were inspected.
The Iraqis still stand by that position. However, on all other levels, the Iraqis at the moment are saying yes, the doors are open and you can come.
SAVIDGE: CNN's Nic Robertson reporting to us live from Baghdad. Thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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