Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Tug of War at U.N.
Aired February 24, 2003 - 14:02 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, up first this hour, tug of war at the U.N. Security Council. The subject is the next, maybe final chapter in the showdown with Iraq. The U.S. and Britain are about to circulate a new resolution declaring Iraq in material breach of prior resolutions and warning of serious consequences. But council members France, Russia, and Germany, two of whom have veto power, will introduce their own proposition to beef up inspections, and try to forestall talk of war.
CNN's Richard Roth is live from U.N. headquarters with the prospects for consensus on anything -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this resolution does not say the word "war," but it's a short, simple statement at the end of the proposed resolution by the U.S., U.K. and Spain which sort of says it all for now.
It says -- it decides that Iraq has failed to take the final opportunity afforded to it in Resolution 1441. That was the last time we saw Security Council unity, November 8, when 15 countries voted to get those inspectors back into Iraq, armed with the threat of serious consequences if Iraq fails to comply, and cooperate on following up on its weapons of mass destruction program.
Now the U.S., U.K., Spain will be introducing this resolution in about 90 minutes. No votes expected today. It could be two weeks before it's taken under consideration for a vote. First, chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has to give a written and oral report updating what he believes is Iraq's cooperation on the weapons of mass destruction.
But there is a counter proposal, as you hinted, Anderson. Before the Security Council today, a two-page memo circulated by France, Germany, and Russia. And this memo says basically that these countries think the inspectors should be given more time, that there is no time right now for war.
It says the military option should -- quote -- "only be the last resort" -- end quote. So far, the conditions for using force against Iraq are not fulfilled. This memorandum, which was not a resolution -- sort of talking points and ideas of these three powerful countries -- wants to have the inspections regime enhanced. More inspectors, more planes, something that Washington thinks is not needed. There's no time left. That Iraq, according to Washington, has lived up -- used up all of its nine diplomatic lives, you might say.
Security Council tug of war on these pieces of paper begins later this afternoon -- Anderson.
COOPER: So the tug of war begins, the debate begins. When does it end?
ROTH: Well, it could end shortly after Hans Blix briefs March 7 perhaps. Then the next week, the U.S., U.K. try to get a vote, if they can get a vote. Right now, they have only got four in favor, several against, firmly, and a huge gap in the middle of non-permanent members such as Angola, Cameroon, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Chile. No one knows which way they will eventually go. They will certainly be the most favored nations, you might say, inside the Security Council in the next two weeks.
COOPER: All right. Richard Roth live from the U.N. Thanks very much.
Well, a senior Bush administration official tells CNN the U.S. is subjecting itself to potential embarrassment on the world stage -- quote -- "because the Brits want a second resolution."
Just last week, President Bush said a new resolution is desirable, but not mandatory for U.S. plans to disarm Saddam Hussein.
CNN's Dana Bash is live this hour from the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, well, as you just said, the president has said for weeks that a second U.N. resolution is not necessary because the White House feels that under Resolution 1441, they have all the authority they need to use military action against Iraq if the president feels the need to do that.
However, in announcing that he is going to present this resolution later on this afternoon, the president said that Saddam Hussein just has not disarmed, has not complied with Resolution 1441, and he said that the relevancy now of the United Nations is at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to work with the members of the Security Council in the days ahead. To make it clear to Saddam that the demands of the world and the United Nations will be enforced.
It's an interesting moment for the Security Council, and the United Nations.
It's a moment to determine for this body that we hope succeeds to determine whether or not it is going to be relevant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, the White House is making clear that the president wants this process to finish in -- quote -- "short order," but the White House, along with the British, are saying that they were going to give the process about two weeks at the United Nations. Within the next two weeks, you're going to have a couple of reports from the chief weapons inspectors there talking about the progress or lack thereof that Iraq has been making in disarming.
And also, that will give the United States and Great Britain and Spain time to push the very reluctant members of the U.N. Security Council, particularly three members -- three permanent members, France and Russia and China -- excuse me -- to have push them to say that, Look, inspections are not working, and it is time to use military action against Saddam Hussein. And the White House is saying that even if they don't get the final vote, even if they don't get nine votes -- that's a majority of the Security Council -- or they get one of the permanent members to veto, then at least they know that they have given it the college try, so to speak. And the White House spokesman Ari Fleischer referred to the situation in Kosovo earlier today, saying that in that situation, the U.N. just didn't -- simply did not act, but the U.S., along with a lot of other nations, did go ahead and topple Slobodan Milosevic. That is something that the White House probably will be pressing in the weeks ahead just in case they don't get the resolution to pass.
COOPER: All right. Dana Bash, live from the White House. Thanks very much. We will be watching.
Just to do it: that's how the U.N. chief weapons inspector views his order to Iraq, just to do it, to destroy certain missiles. Iraq doesn't see it quite that way.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by with more live from Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, of course, it isn't just the missiles. Hans Blix, U.N. weapons chief has told Iraqis that they must destroy the warheads for the missiles, the propellants for the missiles, some 380 missile engines that they imported outside of the U.N.'s import-export restrictions, software that was involved in the development of the missiles. The launcher systems, the propellant for it.
So Iraqi officials have been saying that they would like this to be resolved, not through destruction. They are indicating that they would like this to happen through some technical discussions, within the framework of cooperation that they have with the U.N. weapons inspectors at the moment.
However, on that issue of the March 1, Saturday deadline, officials are, however, saying that they will consider it, and give a response fairly soon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. AMER AL-SAADI, IRAQI SCIENTIFIC ADVISER: I said that this is being studied very carefully, and the channels are still open between us, and we will come up with a decision quite soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTSON: And a new channel offering Iraq the opportunity to show the world that it is going to comply with U.N. Resolution 1441, they've opened talks here with South African weapons experts, the scientists from South Africa -- or the scientists who were involved in South Africa's efforts and worked to get rid of its own weapons of mass destruction back in the 1990s. The talks they have with Iraqi officials today, both sides saying that the talks went well, that there was an exchange of views how both sides have coped with this up to now.
But South Africans are hoping that what their team can do here is give Iraq essentially a lifeline to get out of the possibility of war and demonstrate to the world that they are willing to -- that they are willing to get rid of their weapons of mass destruction.
Another interesting development over the weekend, opening up an old channel of communication, Russia's former prime minister, Yevgeny Primakov flew into Baghdad, met with Saddam Hussein. He hasn't done that since he came here during the Gulf War, bringing President Gorbachev's peace message to the Iraqi leader at that time.
Now, Iraqi -- rather, Russian officials in Russia's foreign ministry are saying that he came here to tell the Iraqi leader Russia's current position on the U.N. weapons inspectors, but also to get assurances from President Saddam Hussein that he will cooperate and comply with U.N. Resolution 1441, and that he won't obstruct the work of the weapons inspectors.
Now, according to Russia's foreign minister, President Saddam Hussein did say that he would not obstruct the U.N.'s work here -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad. Thanks very much.
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 24, 2003 - 14:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, up first this hour, tug of war at the U.N. Security Council. The subject is the next, maybe final chapter in the showdown with Iraq. The U.S. and Britain are about to circulate a new resolution declaring Iraq in material breach of prior resolutions and warning of serious consequences. But council members France, Russia, and Germany, two of whom have veto power, will introduce their own proposition to beef up inspections, and try to forestall talk of war.
CNN's Richard Roth is live from U.N. headquarters with the prospects for consensus on anything -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this resolution does not say the word "war," but it's a short, simple statement at the end of the proposed resolution by the U.S., U.K. and Spain which sort of says it all for now.
It says -- it decides that Iraq has failed to take the final opportunity afforded to it in Resolution 1441. That was the last time we saw Security Council unity, November 8, when 15 countries voted to get those inspectors back into Iraq, armed with the threat of serious consequences if Iraq fails to comply, and cooperate on following up on its weapons of mass destruction program.
Now the U.S., U.K., Spain will be introducing this resolution in about 90 minutes. No votes expected today. It could be two weeks before it's taken under consideration for a vote. First, chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has to give a written and oral report updating what he believes is Iraq's cooperation on the weapons of mass destruction.
But there is a counter proposal, as you hinted, Anderson. Before the Security Council today, a two-page memo circulated by France, Germany, and Russia. And this memo says basically that these countries think the inspectors should be given more time, that there is no time right now for war.
It says the military option should -- quote -- "only be the last resort" -- end quote. So far, the conditions for using force against Iraq are not fulfilled. This memorandum, which was not a resolution -- sort of talking points and ideas of these three powerful countries -- wants to have the inspections regime enhanced. More inspectors, more planes, something that Washington thinks is not needed. There's no time left. That Iraq, according to Washington, has lived up -- used up all of its nine diplomatic lives, you might say.
Security Council tug of war on these pieces of paper begins later this afternoon -- Anderson.
COOPER: So the tug of war begins, the debate begins. When does it end?
ROTH: Well, it could end shortly after Hans Blix briefs March 7 perhaps. Then the next week, the U.S., U.K. try to get a vote, if they can get a vote. Right now, they have only got four in favor, several against, firmly, and a huge gap in the middle of non-permanent members such as Angola, Cameroon, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Chile. No one knows which way they will eventually go. They will certainly be the most favored nations, you might say, inside the Security Council in the next two weeks.
COOPER: All right. Richard Roth live from the U.N. Thanks very much.
Well, a senior Bush administration official tells CNN the U.S. is subjecting itself to potential embarrassment on the world stage -- quote -- "because the Brits want a second resolution."
Just last week, President Bush said a new resolution is desirable, but not mandatory for U.S. plans to disarm Saddam Hussein.
CNN's Dana Bash is live this hour from the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, well, as you just said, the president has said for weeks that a second U.N. resolution is not necessary because the White House feels that under Resolution 1441, they have all the authority they need to use military action against Iraq if the president feels the need to do that.
However, in announcing that he is going to present this resolution later on this afternoon, the president said that Saddam Hussein just has not disarmed, has not complied with Resolution 1441, and he said that the relevancy now of the United Nations is at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to work with the members of the Security Council in the days ahead. To make it clear to Saddam that the demands of the world and the United Nations will be enforced.
It's an interesting moment for the Security Council, and the United Nations.
It's a moment to determine for this body that we hope succeeds to determine whether or not it is going to be relevant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, the White House is making clear that the president wants this process to finish in -- quote -- "short order," but the White House, along with the British, are saying that they were going to give the process about two weeks at the United Nations. Within the next two weeks, you're going to have a couple of reports from the chief weapons inspectors there talking about the progress or lack thereof that Iraq has been making in disarming.
And also, that will give the United States and Great Britain and Spain time to push the very reluctant members of the U.N. Security Council, particularly three members -- three permanent members, France and Russia and China -- excuse me -- to have push them to say that, Look, inspections are not working, and it is time to use military action against Saddam Hussein. And the White House is saying that even if they don't get the final vote, even if they don't get nine votes -- that's a majority of the Security Council -- or they get one of the permanent members to veto, then at least they know that they have given it the college try, so to speak. And the White House spokesman Ari Fleischer referred to the situation in Kosovo earlier today, saying that in that situation, the U.N. just didn't -- simply did not act, but the U.S., along with a lot of other nations, did go ahead and topple Slobodan Milosevic. That is something that the White House probably will be pressing in the weeks ahead just in case they don't get the resolution to pass.
COOPER: All right. Dana Bash, live from the White House. Thanks very much. We will be watching.
Just to do it: that's how the U.N. chief weapons inspector views his order to Iraq, just to do it, to destroy certain missiles. Iraq doesn't see it quite that way.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by with more live from Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, of course, it isn't just the missiles. Hans Blix, U.N. weapons chief has told Iraqis that they must destroy the warheads for the missiles, the propellants for the missiles, some 380 missile engines that they imported outside of the U.N.'s import-export restrictions, software that was involved in the development of the missiles. The launcher systems, the propellant for it.
So Iraqi officials have been saying that they would like this to be resolved, not through destruction. They are indicating that they would like this to happen through some technical discussions, within the framework of cooperation that they have with the U.N. weapons inspectors at the moment.
However, on that issue of the March 1, Saturday deadline, officials are, however, saying that they will consider it, and give a response fairly soon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. AMER AL-SAADI, IRAQI SCIENTIFIC ADVISER: I said that this is being studied very carefully, and the channels are still open between us, and we will come up with a decision quite soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTSON: And a new channel offering Iraq the opportunity to show the world that it is going to comply with U.N. Resolution 1441, they've opened talks here with South African weapons experts, the scientists from South Africa -- or the scientists who were involved in South Africa's efforts and worked to get rid of its own weapons of mass destruction back in the 1990s. The talks they have with Iraqi officials today, both sides saying that the talks went well, that there was an exchange of views how both sides have coped with this up to now.
But South Africans are hoping that what their team can do here is give Iraq essentially a lifeline to get out of the possibility of war and demonstrate to the world that they are willing to -- that they are willing to get rid of their weapons of mass destruction.
Another interesting development over the weekend, opening up an old channel of communication, Russia's former prime minister, Yevgeny Primakov flew into Baghdad, met with Saddam Hussein. He hasn't done that since he came here during the Gulf War, bringing President Gorbachev's peace message to the Iraqi leader at that time.
Now, Iraqi -- rather, Russian officials in Russia's foreign ministry are saying that he came here to tell the Iraqi leader Russia's current position on the U.N. weapons inspectors, but also to get assurances from President Saddam Hussein that he will cooperate and comply with U.N. Resolution 1441, and that he won't obstruct the work of the weapons inspectors.
Now, according to Russia's foreign minister, President Saddam Hussein did say that he would not obstruct the U.N.'s work here -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad. Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
