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Post-War Iraq Was Urgent Focus of Belfast Summit

Aired April 08, 2003 - 12:20   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It may have taken them a little longer, but British troops are crossing this bridge as they enter Basra. They have been controlling the city now for the past couple days. It took a few weeks to consolidate their hold on the second largest city in Iraq, more than a million residents.
Some suggesting that what the British did in Basra to gain control is an example of what the U.S. soldiers, Marines, backed by heavy air power, might eventually wind up doing in Baghdad as well. A similar kind of model. We'll be watching both of those situations unfold.

Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the war in Iraq. President Bush is due at the White House in a few hours after a quick two days of talks with the British prime minister, Tony Blair, in northern Ireland. Here's our senior White House correspondent, John King?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush said it is unclear whether Saddam Hussein was killed in a dramatic Baghdad bomb attack, but that there is no doubt his grip on power and the Iraqi people is slipping.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can't tell you if all 10 fingers are off the throat, but finger by finger is coming off.

KING: Post-war Iraq was the urgent focus of the Belfast summit. And Prime Minister Blair says Royal Marines in Basra already are meeting Iraqis eager to help in a post-Saddam government.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: And this new Iraq that will emerge is not to be run either by us or indeed by the U.N. That is a false choice. It will be run by the Iraqi people.

KING: A joint summit statement called on the United Nations to play a vital role in the reconstruction of Iraq, and for new Security Council resolutions endorsing a post-war interim Iraqi authority. But the coalition allies envision a largely supportive U.N. role with no formal authority or powers. That is unlikely to satisfy Security Council members who opposed the war to begin with and now worry about too much U.S. influence when the shooting stops.

BUSH: I hear a lot talk here about how we're going to impose this leader or that leader. Forget it. From day one we have said the Iraqi people are capable of running their own country.

KING: Iraq was not the only focus. Mr. Bush came to help the prime minister's effort to revive the stalled northern Ireland peace process, and he promises to devote similar energy to a new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But selling their vision of post-war Iraq is the immediate challenge, and it won't be easy.

(on camera): President Bush promises to prove his skeptics wrong by keeping the United Nations involved. And Prime Minister Blair is warning that the Iraqi people will suffer the most if the pre-war bitterness resurfaces now in the U.N.'s debate over post-war Iraq. John King, CNN, Belfast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)






Aired April 8, 2003 - 12:20   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It may have taken them a little longer, but British troops are crossing this bridge as they enter Basra. They have been controlling the city now for the past couple days. It took a few weeks to consolidate their hold on the second largest city in Iraq, more than a million residents.
Some suggesting that what the British did in Basra to gain control is an example of what the U.S. soldiers, Marines, backed by heavy air power, might eventually wind up doing in Baghdad as well. A similar kind of model. We'll be watching both of those situations unfold.

Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the war in Iraq. President Bush is due at the White House in a few hours after a quick two days of talks with the British prime minister, Tony Blair, in northern Ireland. Here's our senior White House correspondent, John King?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush said it is unclear whether Saddam Hussein was killed in a dramatic Baghdad bomb attack, but that there is no doubt his grip on power and the Iraqi people is slipping.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can't tell you if all 10 fingers are off the throat, but finger by finger is coming off.

KING: Post-war Iraq was the urgent focus of the Belfast summit. And Prime Minister Blair says Royal Marines in Basra already are meeting Iraqis eager to help in a post-Saddam government.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: And this new Iraq that will emerge is not to be run either by us or indeed by the U.N. That is a false choice. It will be run by the Iraqi people.

KING: A joint summit statement called on the United Nations to play a vital role in the reconstruction of Iraq, and for new Security Council resolutions endorsing a post-war interim Iraqi authority. But the coalition allies envision a largely supportive U.N. role with no formal authority or powers. That is unlikely to satisfy Security Council members who opposed the war to begin with and now worry about too much U.S. influence when the shooting stops.

BUSH: I hear a lot talk here about how we're going to impose this leader or that leader. Forget it. From day one we have said the Iraqi people are capable of running their own country.

KING: Iraq was not the only focus. Mr. Bush came to help the prime minister's effort to revive the stalled northern Ireland peace process, and he promises to devote similar energy to a new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But selling their vision of post-war Iraq is the immediate challenge, and it won't be easy.

(on camera): President Bush promises to prove his skeptics wrong by keeping the United Nations involved. And Prime Minister Blair is warning that the Iraqi people will suffer the most if the pre-war bitterness resurfaces now in the U.N.'s debate over post-war Iraq. John King, CNN, Belfast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)