Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
U.N. Operations in Cyprus
Aired November 14, 2002 - 13:35 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: Before U.N. weapons inspectors head to Iraq, they are stopping off in Cyprus. The Mediterranean Island is the staging post for U.N. operations in Iraq. It seems weapon monitors are slowly starting now to move in.
Our Nic Robertson is already about their, live from Larnaca, Cyprus, and joins us by videophone with the latest -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Marty, some of those members of new U.N. weapons inspectors team are here. They are an advanced team. They are involved with the communications and the logistics. They are gathering here in advance of arrival of Hans Blix, the head of mission, who will arrive in Larnaca on Sunday. They will then fly to Baghdad on Monday.
Now at about lunchtime today, Cyprus time, about nine hours ago here, a large U.N. transport, C-130 Hercules aircraft, landed here. It is painted white. It has a large U.N. decal on the side, and that is the aircraft that will take this inspection team, this advanced logistics team to Baghdad on Monday.
Now, when they get there, they are going to go to their former offices. They were left when the last U.N. team left in 1998, and they will begin putting in their secure communications, reinstalling computers, organizing vehicles when the actual inspection teams begin to arrive in the weeks after that -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Nic, the first job of this team when it hits the ground is to what, find space, workspace, and get ready for the rest?
ROBERTSON: They have work space. They are going to use the same offices they used in 1998 there when the team left in December. They are going to put in, reconstitute the equipment for testing. They're going to put in new computers. They're going to organize vehicles for the teams. They're going to prepare landing areas for the helicopters that they are going to use in their missions. They are going to assess exactly what is going to take to get their teams up logistically up and running.
Now not until the -- probably the November 25th when the real inspection teams will begin to go with the inspection work -- just under a couple of weeks, rather. Now, those teams, perhaps as many as 80 to 100 inspectors inside of Iraq at any one time.
But right now just advanced logistics and secured communications that is so vital for the U.N. inspection mission there in Baghdad. SAVIDGE: Nic, what that team goes in on Monday, is there going to be some sort of formal reception to meet them, or it is going to be an awkward moment? How is that going to be handled?
ROBERTSON: Well, Kofi Annan...
SAVIDGE: Well, we just lost signal from Nic Robertson. When we get it back, we will go back to him.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
u
Aired November 14, 2002 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Before U.N. weapons inspectors head to Iraq, they are stopping off in Cyprus. The Mediterranean Island is the staging post for U.N. operations in Iraq. It seems weapon monitors are slowly starting now to move in.
Our Nic Robertson is already about their, live from Larnaca, Cyprus, and joins us by videophone with the latest -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Marty, some of those members of new U.N. weapons inspectors team are here. They are an advanced team. They are involved with the communications and the logistics. They are gathering here in advance of arrival of Hans Blix, the head of mission, who will arrive in Larnaca on Sunday. They will then fly to Baghdad on Monday.
Now at about lunchtime today, Cyprus time, about nine hours ago here, a large U.N. transport, C-130 Hercules aircraft, landed here. It is painted white. It has a large U.N. decal on the side, and that is the aircraft that will take this inspection team, this advanced logistics team to Baghdad on Monday.
Now, when they get there, they are going to go to their former offices. They were left when the last U.N. team left in 1998, and they will begin putting in their secure communications, reinstalling computers, organizing vehicles when the actual inspection teams begin to arrive in the weeks after that -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Nic, the first job of this team when it hits the ground is to what, find space, workspace, and get ready for the rest?
ROBERTSON: They have work space. They are going to use the same offices they used in 1998 there when the team left in December. They are going to put in, reconstitute the equipment for testing. They're going to put in new computers. They're going to organize vehicles for the teams. They're going to prepare landing areas for the helicopters that they are going to use in their missions. They are going to assess exactly what is going to take to get their teams up logistically up and running.
Now not until the -- probably the November 25th when the real inspection teams will begin to go with the inspection work -- just under a couple of weeks, rather. Now, those teams, perhaps as many as 80 to 100 inspectors inside of Iraq at any one time.
But right now just advanced logistics and secured communications that is so vital for the U.N. inspection mission there in Baghdad. SAVIDGE: Nic, what that team goes in on Monday, is there going to be some sort of formal reception to meet them, or it is going to be an awkward moment? How is that going to be handled?
ROBERTSON: Well, Kofi Annan...
SAVIDGE: Well, we just lost signal from Nic Robertson. When we get it back, we will go back to him.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
u
