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U.S., Britain Frantically Trying to Buy Time
Aired March 11, 2003 - 14:12 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. and Britain are frantically trying to buy time as their resolution faces a killer veto at the United Nations Security Council. Even so, the White House says it will call for a vote on the measure this week.
CNN's Dana Bash standing by at the White House with the very latest from there.
Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.
Well, you're exactly right. Despite the uncertainty of where the votes are and the veto threats from key countries like France and Russia, they are saying here at the White House that they will call for a vote at the U.N. Security Council this week. They are saying that they are open to some changes to the language that they put on the table last week, potentially allowing for so-called benchmarks, specific things that Iraq would have to do to comply to disarm.
Also, they are talking about the fact that they would push back the date just a couple of days, the March 17th deadline date, they would push it back a couple of days. But one thing they are saying here at the White House that an idea floated to push that March 17th date back a whole month is not going to fly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The president thinks that there is a little room for a little more diplomacy, but not much time. Any suggestion of 30 days, 45 days is a non-starter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, the president, for his part, is spending the day on the telephone, again, much like he did yesterday, calling members of the U.N. Security Council, asking for their votes. This morning, he spoke with the president of Angola. Angola is one of the key swing votes on the Security Council. And this afternoon, we are told he will make some additional phone calls.
And all the while, what they're trying to do is even if there is a veto and the resolution dies, they're trying to raise the number, they're trying to at least get a majority of the votes on the Security Council, so that at least they have sort of a symbolic victory at the Security council this coming week. Meanwhile, Miles, while the diplomacy is going on, the war planning continues. Here at the White House, there was a meeting this morning with the president and some of his top Defense Department officials. The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, was here. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Richard Myers as well.
So all the planning on all the fronts continues as we get down to this critical time here, because the president is maintaining that even if the resolution does not pass, he already has the authority to attack Saddam Hussein if chooses to -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Dana Bash at the White House.
Let's turn our attention now to the United Nations. Dana just mentioned Angola. The U.N. ambassador from Angola was quoted yesterday, almost pleading to reporters, we're just not ready yet, we're just not ready.
CNN's Richard Roth talking about Angola and the other five nations sort of caught in the middle of this geopolitical struggle, if you will. These are relatively small nations who are suddenly finding themselves under a white-hot spotlight, aren't they, Richard?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And some of them have big problems at home and will need the financial assistance that the U.S. or France could provide, and since you brought up Angola, well, another interesting quotas to who could unlock this deadlock between the big powers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISMAEL GASPAR MARTINS, ANGOLAN AMB. TO U.N.: There are those countries called big keys. We are pleased that we also have a small key that can make a difference in opening or closing the door. I hope that our key is one which opens the door for diplomacy, for contacts between smaller and bigger nations. It's important that we dialogue in the world. That's what we need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: What it comes down to is that a lot of these countries, the uncommitted six, as you may put it, have been trying to get more time for Iraq to cooperate. That would encourage them to vote for this resolution if amended. They know that Iraq has been falling short on several disarmament tasks, but they think the inspectors are making progress.
Some of those uncommitted six have been saying offhandedly or discussing 30 days, 45 days. The United States and the United Kingdom are not going to go for that. The Pakistani ambassador described what the uncommitted six have been talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUNIR AKRAM, PAKISTANI AMB. TO U.N. There is a general sentiment among the non-committed countries that we need to have more time, and that we need to set some realistic benchmarks or tasks to be accomplished in a reasonable timeframe. So one of the dates that was mentioned was 45 days, 30 days. But there is no specific proposal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: One diplomat opposed to the current resolution said the United States is watching the United Kingdom try to work out with these uncommitted six new language and the U.S., according to this diplomat, is telling the British, come up with the nine required votes, then we'll talk about changes. The U.S. still insisting that a vote will take place later this week, doesn't leave much time for a compromise on these outstanding issues, Miles, which come down to things like interviews with scientists outside of Iraq possibly, anthrax information, sarin gas information. These are items that Iraq, according to weapons inspectors, have not provided for 12 years. Now it may have to come in a few days -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Richard, give us a sense of the kind of enticements these undecided six are being offered for both sides?
ROTH: Well, we don't see the enticements, but we can presume there are promises regarding trade agreements, economic deals, financial assistance. Countries like Angola, 25-year civil war, it received $118 million from the United States last year. Obviously, there could be promises of much more aid. Pakistan and the U.S. have a lot more work to do on a variety of issues, but many may end up abstaining, not wanting to offend either side, or hoping they don't have to make that big call. And if there aren't enough nine votes, it won't get to an abstention process. The resolution would technically be considered not voted on.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Richard Roth at the United Nations. 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 March 11, 2003 - 14:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. and Britain are frantically trying to buy time as their resolution faces a killer veto at the United Nations Security Council. Even so, the White House says it will call for a vote on the measure this week.
CNN's Dana Bash standing by at the White House with the very latest from there.
Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.
Well, you're exactly right. Despite the uncertainty of where the votes are and the veto threats from key countries like France and Russia, they are saying here at the White House that they will call for a vote at the U.N. Security Council this week. They are saying that they are open to some changes to the language that they put on the table last week, potentially allowing for so-called benchmarks, specific things that Iraq would have to do to comply to disarm.
Also, they are talking about the fact that they would push back the date just a couple of days, the March 17th deadline date, they would push it back a couple of days. But one thing they are saying here at the White House that an idea floated to push that March 17th date back a whole month is not going to fly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The president thinks that there is a little room for a little more diplomacy, but not much time. Any suggestion of 30 days, 45 days is a non-starter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, the president, for his part, is spending the day on the telephone, again, much like he did yesterday, calling members of the U.N. Security Council, asking for their votes. This morning, he spoke with the president of Angola. Angola is one of the key swing votes on the Security Council. And this afternoon, we are told he will make some additional phone calls.
And all the while, what they're trying to do is even if there is a veto and the resolution dies, they're trying to raise the number, they're trying to at least get a majority of the votes on the Security Council, so that at least they have sort of a symbolic victory at the Security council this coming week. Meanwhile, Miles, while the diplomacy is going on, the war planning continues. Here at the White House, there was a meeting this morning with the president and some of his top Defense Department officials. The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, was here. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Richard Myers as well.
So all the planning on all the fronts continues as we get down to this critical time here, because the president is maintaining that even if the resolution does not pass, he already has the authority to attack Saddam Hussein if chooses to -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Dana Bash at the White House.
Let's turn our attention now to the United Nations. Dana just mentioned Angola. The U.N. ambassador from Angola was quoted yesterday, almost pleading to reporters, we're just not ready yet, we're just not ready.
CNN's Richard Roth talking about Angola and the other five nations sort of caught in the middle of this geopolitical struggle, if you will. These are relatively small nations who are suddenly finding themselves under a white-hot spotlight, aren't they, Richard?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And some of them have big problems at home and will need the financial assistance that the U.S. or France could provide, and since you brought up Angola, well, another interesting quotas to who could unlock this deadlock between the big powers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISMAEL GASPAR MARTINS, ANGOLAN AMB. TO U.N.: There are those countries called big keys. We are pleased that we also have a small key that can make a difference in opening or closing the door. I hope that our key is one which opens the door for diplomacy, for contacts between smaller and bigger nations. It's important that we dialogue in the world. That's what we need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: What it comes down to is that a lot of these countries, the uncommitted six, as you may put it, have been trying to get more time for Iraq to cooperate. That would encourage them to vote for this resolution if amended. They know that Iraq has been falling short on several disarmament tasks, but they think the inspectors are making progress.
Some of those uncommitted six have been saying offhandedly or discussing 30 days, 45 days. The United States and the United Kingdom are not going to go for that. The Pakistani ambassador described what the uncommitted six have been talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUNIR AKRAM, PAKISTANI AMB. TO U.N. There is a general sentiment among the non-committed countries that we need to have more time, and that we need to set some realistic benchmarks or tasks to be accomplished in a reasonable timeframe. So one of the dates that was mentioned was 45 days, 30 days. But there is no specific proposal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: One diplomat opposed to the current resolution said the United States is watching the United Kingdom try to work out with these uncommitted six new language and the U.S., according to this diplomat, is telling the British, come up with the nine required votes, then we'll talk about changes. The U.S. still insisting that a vote will take place later this week, doesn't leave much time for a compromise on these outstanding issues, Miles, which come down to things like interviews with scientists outside of Iraq possibly, anthrax information, sarin gas information. These are items that Iraq, according to weapons inspectors, have not provided for 12 years. Now it may have to come in a few days -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Richard, give us a sense of the kind of enticements these undecided six are being offered for both sides?
ROTH: Well, we don't see the enticements, but we can presume there are promises regarding trade agreements, economic deals, financial assistance. Countries like Angola, 25-year civil war, it received $118 million from the United States last year. Obviously, there could be promises of much more aid. Pakistan and the U.S. have a lot more work to do on a variety of issues, but many may end up abstaining, not wanting to offend either side, or hoping they don't have to make that big call. And if there aren't enough nine votes, it won't get to an abstention process. The resolution would technically be considered not voted on.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Richard Roth at the United Nations. 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
