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World Opinion Slightly Swayed by Powell Report
Aired February 06, 2003 - 14:09 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: Even though Iraqi leaders denouncing the U.S. presentation should come as no surprise, they are still vowing more cooperation, but the world is beginning to realize inspections can't go on forever. That is what Powell told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Within weeks, as the president has said, we will know enough to bring this to a conclusion one way or the other.
I can't tell you today when such a resolution might be appropriate to be offered by one member of the council or another, or when there might be a vote on such a resolution, but I think we are reaching an end game in a matter of weeks, not a matter of months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The secretary told senators that he views this weekend's visit to Baghdad by the chief weapons inspectors as the key to winning support of fellow Security Council members.
And just where do some of those members stand now?
CNN's Michael Okwu at the U.N., Robin Oakley in Paris, and Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers in London. Let's begin with you, Michael.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, one day after Secretary Powell made his argument here at the United Nations, this is still very much a divided Security Council. While the U.S. is saying we should at at least start thinking about preparing for war, France is pushing for stronger inspections.
Just moments ago, the French ambassador saying that he will begin consulting with other members on the Security Council to basically start doubling the number of inspectors on the ground. U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Negroponte responding by saying, essentially, if the lights are out in Baghdad, it won't make a difference whether there are 100 inspectors or 300 inspectors.
In the meantime, diplomats arrived here at the United Nations to discuss other matters. That is the Russian ambassador there. Russia and Germany back the French, for at least continued inspections without any deadlines at this point. That is the German ambassador arriving. Great Britain, of course, and Bulgaria were staunchly supportive of Powell's statements yesterday. The Spanish ambassador said Powell's arguments were convincing, but diplomatic sources say if there were a vote today, essentially to continue inspections or to start preparing for war, the United States would lose 11-4.
In the meantime, diplomats casting watchful eyes towards Baghdad. That's where the chief weapons inspectors are going to be talking to officials. They're increasingly looking at those talks as very decisive.
Here is Robin Oakley in Paris.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SENIOR EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: ... across Europe today as European leaders have digested Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations. Solid supporting noises coming from Spain and Italy. Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign relations chief saying that it was very solid evidence, but saying that the EU would still require a U.N. resolution backing force before it could support it.
In France and Germany, the basic reaction has been that there was nothing that constituted a major surprise, no new compelling proof. And the French attitude remains that they're going to put the emphasis on those U.N. inspectors.
President Chirac has said tonight that nothing that he heard from Colin Powell has essentially changed his mind. He has had talks on the phone today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. After those talks, the Kremlin said that the two men had agreed that it was still best to solve these matters by diplomatic and political means.
Meanwhile, the Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, has been saying that it could come to war as a last resort. He's not ruling out French participation in the use of force eventually, but he's saying it's too early at this stage for a second U.N. Security Council resolution.
What we are getting, though, here in Paris is less talk of the French possibly using a veto against that second resolution when it does come to the Security Council.
And now for the view from London, over to my colleague, Walter Rodgers.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Robin.
Here in Britain, there was an interesting hardening of positions today, a hardening of positions against the Iraqis, but it wasn't coming from Prime Minister Tony Blair. Ironically, it was coming from two key United Nations officials on their way to Baghdad.
The two officials, Mohamed ElBaradei, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, plus Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, met with Prime Minister Blair at Downing Street. Afterwards, they came out and Mr. ElBaradei said that there has to be a drastic change on the part of Iraq in terms of accommodating the U.N. weapons inspectors.
What makes this so interesting is that it was just ten days ago when Mr. ElBaradei was saying that the inspectors needed months and months. More time is what he was looking for.
In point of fact, after Secretary Powell's speech at the United Nations yesterday, the same two individuals are now going to Baghdad as if to say, this is Iraq's last chance -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Walter Rodgers, 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 February 6, 2003 - 14:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Even though Iraqi leaders denouncing the U.S. presentation should come as no surprise, they are still vowing more cooperation, but the world is beginning to realize inspections can't go on forever. That is what Powell told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Within weeks, as the president has said, we will know enough to bring this to a conclusion one way or the other.
I can't tell you today when such a resolution might be appropriate to be offered by one member of the council or another, or when there might be a vote on such a resolution, but I think we are reaching an end game in a matter of weeks, not a matter of months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The secretary told senators that he views this weekend's visit to Baghdad by the chief weapons inspectors as the key to winning support of fellow Security Council members.
And just where do some of those members stand now?
CNN's Michael Okwu at the U.N., Robin Oakley in Paris, and Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers in London. Let's begin with you, Michael.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, one day after Secretary Powell made his argument here at the United Nations, this is still very much a divided Security Council. While the U.S. is saying we should at at least start thinking about preparing for war, France is pushing for stronger inspections.
Just moments ago, the French ambassador saying that he will begin consulting with other members on the Security Council to basically start doubling the number of inspectors on the ground. U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Negroponte responding by saying, essentially, if the lights are out in Baghdad, it won't make a difference whether there are 100 inspectors or 300 inspectors.
In the meantime, diplomats arrived here at the United Nations to discuss other matters. That is the Russian ambassador there. Russia and Germany back the French, for at least continued inspections without any deadlines at this point. That is the German ambassador arriving. Great Britain, of course, and Bulgaria were staunchly supportive of Powell's statements yesterday. The Spanish ambassador said Powell's arguments were convincing, but diplomatic sources say if there were a vote today, essentially to continue inspections or to start preparing for war, the United States would lose 11-4.
In the meantime, diplomats casting watchful eyes towards Baghdad. That's where the chief weapons inspectors are going to be talking to officials. They're increasingly looking at those talks as very decisive.
Here is Robin Oakley in Paris.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SENIOR EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: ... across Europe today as European leaders have digested Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations. Solid supporting noises coming from Spain and Italy. Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign relations chief saying that it was very solid evidence, but saying that the EU would still require a U.N. resolution backing force before it could support it.
In France and Germany, the basic reaction has been that there was nothing that constituted a major surprise, no new compelling proof. And the French attitude remains that they're going to put the emphasis on those U.N. inspectors.
President Chirac has said tonight that nothing that he heard from Colin Powell has essentially changed his mind. He has had talks on the phone today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. After those talks, the Kremlin said that the two men had agreed that it was still best to solve these matters by diplomatic and political means.
Meanwhile, the Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, has been saying that it could come to war as a last resort. He's not ruling out French participation in the use of force eventually, but he's saying it's too early at this stage for a second U.N. Security Council resolution.
What we are getting, though, here in Paris is less talk of the French possibly using a veto against that second resolution when it does come to the Security Council.
And now for the view from London, over to my colleague, Walter Rodgers.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Robin.
Here in Britain, there was an interesting hardening of positions today, a hardening of positions against the Iraqis, but it wasn't coming from Prime Minister Tony Blair. Ironically, it was coming from two key United Nations officials on their way to Baghdad.
The two officials, Mohamed ElBaradei, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, plus Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, met with Prime Minister Blair at Downing Street. Afterwards, they came out and Mr. ElBaradei said that there has to be a drastic change on the part of Iraq in terms of accommodating the U.N. weapons inspectors.
What makes this so interesting is that it was just ten days ago when Mr. ElBaradei was saying that the inspectors needed months and months. More time is what he was looking for.
In point of fact, after Secretary Powell's speech at the United Nations yesterday, the same two individuals are now going to Baghdad as if to say, this is Iraq's last chance -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Walter Rodgers, 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
