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Second Resolution Likely to Appear Next Week

Aired February 19, 2003 - 14:26   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: Expect more talking at the United Nations. The White House is planning to propose another resolution on Iraq. At the moment, dozens of countries who don't often have a very big voice are speaking out against the use of force.
CNN Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth monitoring it all -- Richard, let's talk about what happened today and who is in favor of going at it.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was kind of the opening act before the big show, that second resolution. We had the second and final day of debate, speeches really by members of the United Nations who do not sit on the powerful United Nations Security Council.

They didn't hold back. Most of them, though, saying it's got to be peace, not war at this time. Whether it was Costa Rica or Saudi Arabia or Nicaragua, all regions coming out really in favor of disarming Iraq, but only through the inspection process. And, of course, Iraq's ambassador spoke a second time, and his lines stayed the same. His country is obeying the first resolution, and the inspectors can try all they want. Iraq doesn't have weapons of mass destruction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (through translator): What is wanted from Iraq is not to hand over WMDs. Iraq is to hand over documents and evidence that it is free of weapons of mass destruction.

This is, Mr. President, what Iraq is doing. We are confident that no one will find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, because there are none.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The United States and United Kingdom disagree. They say there are weapons of mass destruction there.

These two men have said it before. President Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, their governments ready to deliver a second resolution here, maybe in a matter of days, maybe early next week.

They're certainly tinkering with the language because they are going to need votes to get nine in favor on the council with no permanent members vetoing the resolution. Abstentions, though, are allowed. British Ambassador, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, who sat in on the Security Council debate by the non-members thinks disarming Iraq can only go so far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: This is the test. Is there voluntary disarmament by Iraq? Is there that kind of cooperation being reported by the inspectors that will achieve complete disarmament by peaceful means? And the answer so far is that the inspectors have not reported Iraqi voluntary disarmament. So the test for the Security Council is how do we deal with that defiance?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The U.S. is working on this resolution also, obviously, and the White House says it can be expected either later this week, or early next week. The permanent deputy representative from Chile said he expects to get a text early next week. How does he know? He said because one of the countries working on it gave it to him -- back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Live from the U.N., Richard Roth.

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 19, 2003 - 14:26   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Expect more talking at the United Nations. The White House is planning to propose another resolution on Iraq. At the moment, dozens of countries who don't often have a very big voice are speaking out against the use of force.
CNN Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth monitoring it all -- Richard, let's talk about what happened today and who is in favor of going at it.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was kind of the opening act before the big show, that second resolution. We had the second and final day of debate, speeches really by members of the United Nations who do not sit on the powerful United Nations Security Council.

They didn't hold back. Most of them, though, saying it's got to be peace, not war at this time. Whether it was Costa Rica or Saudi Arabia or Nicaragua, all regions coming out really in favor of disarming Iraq, but only through the inspection process. And, of course, Iraq's ambassador spoke a second time, and his lines stayed the same. His country is obeying the first resolution, and the inspectors can try all they want. Iraq doesn't have weapons of mass destruction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (through translator): What is wanted from Iraq is not to hand over WMDs. Iraq is to hand over documents and evidence that it is free of weapons of mass destruction.

This is, Mr. President, what Iraq is doing. We are confident that no one will find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, because there are none.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The United States and United Kingdom disagree. They say there are weapons of mass destruction there.

These two men have said it before. President Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, their governments ready to deliver a second resolution here, maybe in a matter of days, maybe early next week.

They're certainly tinkering with the language because they are going to need votes to get nine in favor on the council with no permanent members vetoing the resolution. Abstentions, though, are allowed. British Ambassador, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, who sat in on the Security Council debate by the non-members thinks disarming Iraq can only go so far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: This is the test. Is there voluntary disarmament by Iraq? Is there that kind of cooperation being reported by the inspectors that will achieve complete disarmament by peaceful means? And the answer so far is that the inspectors have not reported Iraqi voluntary disarmament. So the test for the Security Council is how do we deal with that defiance?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The U.S. is working on this resolution also, obviously, and the White House says it can be expected either later this week, or early next week. The permanent deputy representative from Chile said he expects to get a text early next week. How does he know? He said because one of the countries working on it gave it to him -- back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Live from the U.N., Richard Roth.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com