Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Iraq's Bitterly Worded Acceptance Hasn't Eased Tensions
Aired November 14, 2002 - 13:12 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: Iraq's bitterly worded acceptance of U.N. demands has hardly eased any of the tension between Baghdad and Washington.
CNN's Frank Buckley is covering this story now from the White House.
Frank, the White House not feeling too good about the letter it got, is it?
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, Marty.
But the White House officials are largely ignoring the bluster that was contained within this nine-page letter that was from the foreign minister of Iraq to the United Nations, signaling that Iraq would allow inspectors back in.
The letter used phrases like "gang of evil" to refer to the U.S., referred to Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain as a "lackey." White House officials say that it's time now for Saddam Hussein to turn to action, not words. White House officials clearly skeptical of anything that Saddam Hussein has to say or anything that Iraq has to say of what it considers 11 years of broken promises on inspections.
The U.S. believes that Iraq clearly does have chemical and biological weapons. President Bush has indicated that there will be a zero tolerance policy with regard to violations in Iraq, if inspectors are blocked in any way.
We caught a glimpse of the president today, but so far, he's not spoken on the subject. The president has said in the past that, it has taken 16 previous resolutions and 11 years to do nothing.
He has said the U.S. will not tolerate, as he put it, a few people going into Iraq and taking a look at a milk factory.
Now, yesterday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was here at the White House to go over the letter with President Bush. The letter was made public yesterday. The president congratulated the U.N. for, as the president put it, stepping up to its responsibilities.
Kofi Annan echoing the White House position that the proof will come in the performance when the inspectors are on the ground in Iraq -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Frank, what is meant by the statement that's coming from some officials in Washington that Iraq may be already attempting war with some of language in that letter?
BUCKLEY: Well, some of the language suggests that Iraq is not going to allow inspectors in unconditionally as is required under the Security Council resolution. I have got the letter here in front of me. Some of language suggest, for example, that they will deal with the resolution rather than an unconditional acceptance.
They say here that it's important that the Iraqi government is safeguarding our people's dignity, security, independence, and protecting our country, it's sovereignty and sublime values is a sacred duty in our leadership's and government's agenda. Some people wondering if that perhaps means that these are some of the issues that the Iraqis will raise in trying to block inspectors. The U.S. position that none of that will be allowed, none of it will be tolerated. The president saying there will be a zero-tolerance policy.
SAVIDGE: Frank Buckley, live from the White House.
Thanks very much for the information.
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 November 14, 2002 - 13:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's bitterly worded acceptance of U.N. demands has hardly eased any of the tension between Baghdad and Washington.
CNN's Frank Buckley is covering this story now from the White House.
Frank, the White House not feeling too good about the letter it got, is it?
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, Marty.
But the White House officials are largely ignoring the bluster that was contained within this nine-page letter that was from the foreign minister of Iraq to the United Nations, signaling that Iraq would allow inspectors back in.
The letter used phrases like "gang of evil" to refer to the U.S., referred to Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain as a "lackey." White House officials say that it's time now for Saddam Hussein to turn to action, not words. White House officials clearly skeptical of anything that Saddam Hussein has to say or anything that Iraq has to say of what it considers 11 years of broken promises on inspections.
The U.S. believes that Iraq clearly does have chemical and biological weapons. President Bush has indicated that there will be a zero tolerance policy with regard to violations in Iraq, if inspectors are blocked in any way.
We caught a glimpse of the president today, but so far, he's not spoken on the subject. The president has said in the past that, it has taken 16 previous resolutions and 11 years to do nothing.
He has said the U.S. will not tolerate, as he put it, a few people going into Iraq and taking a look at a milk factory.
Now, yesterday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was here at the White House to go over the letter with President Bush. The letter was made public yesterday. The president congratulated the U.N. for, as the president put it, stepping up to its responsibilities.
Kofi Annan echoing the White House position that the proof will come in the performance when the inspectors are on the ground in Iraq -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Frank, what is meant by the statement that's coming from some officials in Washington that Iraq may be already attempting war with some of language in that letter?
BUCKLEY: Well, some of the language suggests that Iraq is not going to allow inspectors in unconditionally as is required under the Security Council resolution. I have got the letter here in front of me. Some of language suggest, for example, that they will deal with the resolution rather than an unconditional acceptance.
They say here that it's important that the Iraqi government is safeguarding our people's dignity, security, independence, and protecting our country, it's sovereignty and sublime values is a sacred duty in our leadership's and government's agenda. Some people wondering if that perhaps means that these are some of the issues that the Iraqis will raise in trying to block inspectors. The U.S. position that none of that will be allowed, none of it will be tolerated. The president saying there will be a zero-tolerance policy.
SAVIDGE: Frank Buckley, live from the White House.
Thanks very much for the information.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
