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When Will Vote Be, If At All?

Aired March 13, 2003 - 13:32   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now White House officials say the vote could slip to next week or never, perhaps, be held at all. Security Council discussions on Iraq resume two hours from now, and our Richard Roth is live from U.N. headquarters with more on that -- Richard, hello.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Daryn. Well, first of all, never say never when it comes to the U.N. Security Council because we've seen votes come out of nowhere when they look doomed, and then we've also seen resolutions disappear when you spend weeks waiting for them.

First of all, the council has delayed the start of its consultations now to 4:30 Eastern time, originally planned for 3:00. One of the probable reasons, there's a meeting going on right now near the U.N. of the so-called undecided six with the British. Britain trying to rescue this resolution on Iraq, the latest resolution, which contains a March 17 deadline for Iraq to comply with weapons orders. The U-6, or the E-6, or the swinging six, whatever you want to call them, they would like more time for Iraq.

How much time will there be? When will this vote be? A lot of people thought it would be Friday. But if you listen now to Secretary of State Powell in congressional testimony today, it's anybody's guess.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are still talking to the members of the council to see what is possible with respect to coalescing around a position that wouldn't draw a veto. But the option remains to go for -- options remain, go for a vote and see what members say, or not go for a vote. But there are -- all the options that you can imagine are before us, and we'll be examining them today, tomorrow and into the weekend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: U.S. officials say they're going to listen to what other countries have to say about the new British benchmarks that are being discussed right now at the meeting between the British and the undecided six. But right from the start, France and Russia have let it be known that they fear that the benchmarks and the resolution all contain hidden triggers that give automaticity to use of military force.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: What is proposed now is just to ask the council to give a green light carte blanche for the use of force. And I mean, I am sorry to say this, but that's how things stand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The undecided six pondering what the benchmarks indeed mean. One of them is that Saddam Hussein has to go on national TV and radio and say he has hidden weapons of mass destruction and now renounces their use.

British Foreign Secretary Straw said, if that point is the only hangup, Britain would be willing to let that benchmark go. Meanwhile, the weapons inspectors here say they await a report from Baghdad regarding anthrax and VX nerve agent promised more than a week ago by Baghdad -- Miles -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Well, we are both here. We are all here, Richard, watching this develop as you have as well.

Want to get back to -- you were mentioning this benchmark, and the six-point plan that the British came up with. Iraq seemed particularly offended by the one that you mentioned, this idea Saddam Hussein would go on television. They said that it is personal. It singles him out, and it is particularly humiliating, as if that's what the United States is worried about right now. But as you said, the British saying, all right, if that one is a problem, take that one out and make it five benchmarks. How then will that play?

ROTH: Well, indeed, inside the Security Council consultations last evening, one of the uncommitted six ambassadors said, about that point, we can't, at the Security Council, tell a president what to say or how to act despite the council resolutions on the Iraqi leadership on the books for the last 12 years. So that point could be open for negotiations. You've seen the French today say they're still open to other options.

Kofi Annan, the secretary-general, again pounding away at the theme, the council has to stop being divided on this issue and for the good of the organization. We will see if there's any room for negotiations. Diplomacy still hanging around here at the United Nations, the home of peace for now. But everybody knows that the U.S. has a short leash right now on patience.

KAGAN: All right. Richard Roth at the United Nations. Richard, thank you.

Miles, over to you.

O'BRIEN: So will there or will there not be a vote at the United Nations Security Council? The secretary of state, Powell, says there's a lot of work ahead today, tomorrow, and through the weekend.

Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House to tell us a lot about what the administration is going to be doing during that period of time. Suzanne, do you get the sense that we're as far away from a vote, or adoption of that measure as ever today?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, one senior administration official who I spoke with earlier today put it this way. He said, We are in a state of play, everything is in a state of flux. Earlier today, President Bush met with the prime minister of Ireland to thank him for his support for Resolution 1441, calling for Saddam Hussein to disarm.

President Bush also on the phone again with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The administration clearly doing everything it can to get that second resolution passed. All through the week, the administration had insisted that they wanted a vote by the end of the week.

Now administration officials today saying that they will continue with their consultations over the weekend because that is something that the British need, British Prime Minister Tony Blair needing that political cover. Also now, Miles, there seems to be a question of whether or not there is going to be a vote at all with that resolution. It was just last Thursday President Bush was rather insistent on that point. Now, senior administration officials publicly backtracking on that position.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And yes, we'll call for a vote.

QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BUSH: No matter what the whip count is, we're calling for the vote. We want people to stand up and say what their opinion is about Saddam Hussein and the utility of the United Nations Security Council.

And so, you bet. Time for people to show their cards, let the world know where they stand when it comes to Saddam.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POWELL: We are still talking to the members of the council to see what is possible with respect to coalescing around a position that wouldn't draw a veto, but the option remains to go for -- options remain, go for a vote and see what members say, or not go for a vote. But there are -- all the options that you can imagine are before us. We'll be examining them today, tomorrow, and into the weekend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the White House calls it an increase in flexibility. Ari Fleischer saying that the president is going the last mile when it comes to diplomacy, but clearly, this administration needing the support of that second resolution before they move forward -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Suzanne, give me a sense of what portion of those British benchmarks might be negotiable?

MALVEAUX: Well, a senior administration official said everything is on the table now, all of those options, but what some British officials are saying is they're taking the deadline off the table, that that is something that some allies felt uncomfortable with. Also the possibility of this requirement that Saddam Hussein go on television, saying that he has no weapons of mass destruction. That clearly that would be something that the Iraqi leader would not be willing to do, but perhaps some of those other broader requirements -- the criteria, talking about the fact of accounting for the VX nerve gas and missiles and other things of that nature.

O'BRIEN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks very much -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. We are going to talk some more about this compromise proposal from Britain. Iraq's foreign minister already dismissing it, saying the U.S. and Britain merely want international cover for launching a war. Also in Baghdad, a tragedy for weapons inspectors even as they wait for Iraq's reports on VX nerve agents and anthrax.

Our Nic Robertson is live from the Iraqi capital. Nic, hello.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, indeed, a tragedy. U.N. officials here saying that one of their weapons inspectors died in a road traffic accident today. Another weapons inspector is in stable condition in a hospital in Baghdad.

Now, Iraqi officials say the accident happened when the inspectors were returning from an inspection south of Baghdad. It happened shortly after lunchtime here in Iraq. The inspectors were driving back in a convoy with four other inspection vehicles. Their vehicle hit a truck, went off the road. Now Iraqi officials say they provided all the assistance possible, even bringing in a helicopter to medevac the severely injured weapons inspector to a hospital.

The other inspector was taken by ambulance to a hospital and U.N. officials confirm that that particular inspector is now stable. But one weapons inspector died today in a road traffic accident.

Also been hearing from Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, essentially saying that the benchmarks being set by Britain are nothing more than window dressing to try and push the U.N. Security Council towards war with Iraq, saying that this is a plan the United States has had all the time. It has just been trying to find a cover for its aggression, and they are giving Iraq's assessment as well where Iraq believes those six key Security Council members are at this time, those middle nations whose votes are so critical.

Iraq appears to believe that they are swinging towards the position of France, Russia, and China at this time rather than towards the position of the United States and Great Britain. However, Foreign Minister Sabri saying that whatever Iraq thinks, it is preparing for war. Indeed, he said it had been preparing for war ever since the Gulf War in 1991 -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Nic, thank you very much for that.

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 13, 2003 - 13:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now White House officials say the vote could slip to next week or never, perhaps, be held at all. Security Council discussions on Iraq resume two hours from now, and our Richard Roth is live from U.N. headquarters with more on that -- Richard, hello.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Daryn. Well, first of all, never say never when it comes to the U.N. Security Council because we've seen votes come out of nowhere when they look doomed, and then we've also seen resolutions disappear when you spend weeks waiting for them.

First of all, the council has delayed the start of its consultations now to 4:30 Eastern time, originally planned for 3:00. One of the probable reasons, there's a meeting going on right now near the U.N. of the so-called undecided six with the British. Britain trying to rescue this resolution on Iraq, the latest resolution, which contains a March 17 deadline for Iraq to comply with weapons orders. The U-6, or the E-6, or the swinging six, whatever you want to call them, they would like more time for Iraq.

How much time will there be? When will this vote be? A lot of people thought it would be Friday. But if you listen now to Secretary of State Powell in congressional testimony today, it's anybody's guess.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are still talking to the members of the council to see what is possible with respect to coalescing around a position that wouldn't draw a veto. But the option remains to go for -- options remain, go for a vote and see what members say, or not go for a vote. But there are -- all the options that you can imagine are before us, and we'll be examining them today, tomorrow and into the weekend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: U.S. officials say they're going to listen to what other countries have to say about the new British benchmarks that are being discussed right now at the meeting between the British and the undecided six. But right from the start, France and Russia have let it be known that they fear that the benchmarks and the resolution all contain hidden triggers that give automaticity to use of military force.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: What is proposed now is just to ask the council to give a green light carte blanche for the use of force. And I mean, I am sorry to say this, but that's how things stand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The undecided six pondering what the benchmarks indeed mean. One of them is that Saddam Hussein has to go on national TV and radio and say he has hidden weapons of mass destruction and now renounces their use.

British Foreign Secretary Straw said, if that point is the only hangup, Britain would be willing to let that benchmark go. Meanwhile, the weapons inspectors here say they await a report from Baghdad regarding anthrax and VX nerve agent promised more than a week ago by Baghdad -- Miles -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Well, we are both here. We are all here, Richard, watching this develop as you have as well.

Want to get back to -- you were mentioning this benchmark, and the six-point plan that the British came up with. Iraq seemed particularly offended by the one that you mentioned, this idea Saddam Hussein would go on television. They said that it is personal. It singles him out, and it is particularly humiliating, as if that's what the United States is worried about right now. But as you said, the British saying, all right, if that one is a problem, take that one out and make it five benchmarks. How then will that play?

ROTH: Well, indeed, inside the Security Council consultations last evening, one of the uncommitted six ambassadors said, about that point, we can't, at the Security Council, tell a president what to say or how to act despite the council resolutions on the Iraqi leadership on the books for the last 12 years. So that point could be open for negotiations. You've seen the French today say they're still open to other options.

Kofi Annan, the secretary-general, again pounding away at the theme, the council has to stop being divided on this issue and for the good of the organization. We will see if there's any room for negotiations. Diplomacy still hanging around here at the United Nations, the home of peace for now. But everybody knows that the U.S. has a short leash right now on patience.

KAGAN: All right. Richard Roth at the United Nations. Richard, thank you.

Miles, over to you.

O'BRIEN: So will there or will there not be a vote at the United Nations Security Council? The secretary of state, Powell, says there's a lot of work ahead today, tomorrow, and through the weekend.

Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House to tell us a lot about what the administration is going to be doing during that period of time. Suzanne, do you get the sense that we're as far away from a vote, or adoption of that measure as ever today?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, one senior administration official who I spoke with earlier today put it this way. He said, We are in a state of play, everything is in a state of flux. Earlier today, President Bush met with the prime minister of Ireland to thank him for his support for Resolution 1441, calling for Saddam Hussein to disarm.

President Bush also on the phone again with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The administration clearly doing everything it can to get that second resolution passed. All through the week, the administration had insisted that they wanted a vote by the end of the week.

Now administration officials today saying that they will continue with their consultations over the weekend because that is something that the British need, British Prime Minister Tony Blair needing that political cover. Also now, Miles, there seems to be a question of whether or not there is going to be a vote at all with that resolution. It was just last Thursday President Bush was rather insistent on that point. Now, senior administration officials publicly backtracking on that position.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And yes, we'll call for a vote.

QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BUSH: No matter what the whip count is, we're calling for the vote. We want people to stand up and say what their opinion is about Saddam Hussein and the utility of the United Nations Security Council.

And so, you bet. Time for people to show their cards, let the world know where they stand when it comes to Saddam.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POWELL: We are still talking to the members of the council to see what is possible with respect to coalescing around a position that wouldn't draw a veto, but the option remains to go for -- options remain, go for a vote and see what members say, or not go for a vote. But there are -- all the options that you can imagine are before us. We'll be examining them today, tomorrow, and into the weekend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the White House calls it an increase in flexibility. Ari Fleischer saying that the president is going the last mile when it comes to diplomacy, but clearly, this administration needing the support of that second resolution before they move forward -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Suzanne, give me a sense of what portion of those British benchmarks might be negotiable?

MALVEAUX: Well, a senior administration official said everything is on the table now, all of those options, but what some British officials are saying is they're taking the deadline off the table, that that is something that some allies felt uncomfortable with. Also the possibility of this requirement that Saddam Hussein go on television, saying that he has no weapons of mass destruction. That clearly that would be something that the Iraqi leader would not be willing to do, but perhaps some of those other broader requirements -- the criteria, talking about the fact of accounting for the VX nerve gas and missiles and other things of that nature.

O'BRIEN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks very much -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. We are going to talk some more about this compromise proposal from Britain. Iraq's foreign minister already dismissing it, saying the U.S. and Britain merely want international cover for launching a war. Also in Baghdad, a tragedy for weapons inspectors even as they wait for Iraq's reports on VX nerve agents and anthrax.

Our Nic Robertson is live from the Iraqi capital. Nic, hello.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, indeed, a tragedy. U.N. officials here saying that one of their weapons inspectors died in a road traffic accident today. Another weapons inspector is in stable condition in a hospital in Baghdad.

Now, Iraqi officials say the accident happened when the inspectors were returning from an inspection south of Baghdad. It happened shortly after lunchtime here in Iraq. The inspectors were driving back in a convoy with four other inspection vehicles. Their vehicle hit a truck, went off the road. Now Iraqi officials say they provided all the assistance possible, even bringing in a helicopter to medevac the severely injured weapons inspector to a hospital.

The other inspector was taken by ambulance to a hospital and U.N. officials confirm that that particular inspector is now stable. But one weapons inspector died today in a road traffic accident.

Also been hearing from Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, essentially saying that the benchmarks being set by Britain are nothing more than window dressing to try and push the U.N. Security Council towards war with Iraq, saying that this is a plan the United States has had all the time. It has just been trying to find a cover for its aggression, and they are giving Iraq's assessment as well where Iraq believes those six key Security Council members are at this time, those middle nations whose votes are so critical.

Iraq appears to believe that they are swinging towards the position of France, Russia, and China at this time rather than towards the position of the United States and Great Britain. However, Foreign Minister Sabri saying that whatever Iraq thinks, it is preparing for war. Indeed, he said it had been preparing for war ever since the Gulf War in 1991 -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Nic, thank you very much for that.

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