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Iraqi Opposition Leaders Make Small Agreements
Aired December 16, 2002 - 14:34 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: Meanwhile, Iraqi opposition groups have been meeting in London with the purpose of plotting a future after Saddam Hussein, but it has been tough going. They're united in their opposition to the current regime, but apparently not much else.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has been monitoring the meeting which was supposed to end today, but has been extended -- Jim, what's the latest from there?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, extended until tomorrow. They have come to broad agreement on two working papers that deal with the political future of Iraq and a post-Saddam period, and another paper that deals with how to get from there to here -- or here to there, rather, and how to handle that transition period after Saddam falls. Given the fact that some of these delegates off and on over the last few decades have actually tried to kill each other, it's amazing they were able to sit down and stay together throughout the weekend. Some seemed quite proud of that accomplishment.
Here's the way one of Kurdish delegates put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LATIF RASHID, PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN: We have agreed quite a lot. The Iraqi opposition groups have gathered here. They have agreed that there's really a need for change in Iraq from dictatorship to a democratic system, a democratic Iraq which respects human rights, which respects the national rights, where a multi-party system can be achieved in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: Now, one of the things not agreed upon is exactly how they're going to pick the members, and who the members will be. A 50 member working committee, coordinating committee that is going to take over after this conference breaks up, a coordinating committee that will speak for the opposition parties here.
Now, a lot of the people in this conference believe that coordinating committee could be the nucleus of some sort of transitional government, perhaps some successor government to Saddam Hussein's regime. So they think that it's quite important who gets to serve on that committee. And the committee is important for other reasons. Here is a way an independent delegate put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAHMOUD OSMAN, INDEPENDENT KURDISH DELEGATE: The committees will pursue the job and try to do their best in relations with the Americans on one side, and also in rallying Iraqi people around them so that the efforts to oust Saddam Hussein and topple his regime through outside help will be easier and in a better way that serves Iraqi people's interests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: Kyra, in a separate but related development here, an American general arrived overnight, and a lot of the delegates took heart from that idea, that it showed some substance, the American promises to come to the aid of the Iraqi opposition and help overthrow Saddam Hussein. The general is here to talk -- not here at the conference, but at another location in London, to some of the Iraqi opposition, talk about the idea of setting up an independent opposition force -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jim Bittermann from London. Thanks, Jim.
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 December 16, 2002 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile, Iraqi opposition groups have been meeting in London with the purpose of plotting a future after Saddam Hussein, but it has been tough going. They're united in their opposition to the current regime, but apparently not much else.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has been monitoring the meeting which was supposed to end today, but has been extended -- Jim, what's the latest from there?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, extended until tomorrow. They have come to broad agreement on two working papers that deal with the political future of Iraq and a post-Saddam period, and another paper that deals with how to get from there to here -- or here to there, rather, and how to handle that transition period after Saddam falls. Given the fact that some of these delegates off and on over the last few decades have actually tried to kill each other, it's amazing they were able to sit down and stay together throughout the weekend. Some seemed quite proud of that accomplishment.
Here's the way one of Kurdish delegates put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LATIF RASHID, PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN: We have agreed quite a lot. The Iraqi opposition groups have gathered here. They have agreed that there's really a need for change in Iraq from dictatorship to a democratic system, a democratic Iraq which respects human rights, which respects the national rights, where a multi-party system can be achieved in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: Now, one of the things not agreed upon is exactly how they're going to pick the members, and who the members will be. A 50 member working committee, coordinating committee that is going to take over after this conference breaks up, a coordinating committee that will speak for the opposition parties here.
Now, a lot of the people in this conference believe that coordinating committee could be the nucleus of some sort of transitional government, perhaps some successor government to Saddam Hussein's regime. So they think that it's quite important who gets to serve on that committee. And the committee is important for other reasons. Here is a way an independent delegate put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAHMOUD OSMAN, INDEPENDENT KURDISH DELEGATE: The committees will pursue the job and try to do their best in relations with the Americans on one side, and also in rallying Iraqi people around them so that the efforts to oust Saddam Hussein and topple his regime through outside help will be easier and in a better way that serves Iraqi people's interests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: Kyra, in a separate but related development here, an American general arrived overnight, and a lot of the delegates took heart from that idea, that it showed some substance, the American promises to come to the aid of the Iraqi opposition and help overthrow Saddam Hussein. The general is here to talk -- not here at the conference, but at another location in London, to some of the Iraqi opposition, talk about the idea of setting up an independent opposition force -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jim Bittermann from London. Thanks, Jim.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
