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Bush Administration Skeptical of Putting U.N. Inspectors Back in Iraq

Aired April 17, 2003 - 15:38   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: The fate of Saddam Hussein remains a nagging issue and the source of a lot of speculation for the Bush station administration. White House chief of staff Andrew Card even went on line and said he thinks the ousted Iraqi leader is dead.
With us now from Crawford, Texas, White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. What do you know, Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Kyra, there was a lot of speculation, and White House officials said it was just that. Until they have evidence to prove that Saddam Hussein is dead, they really don't know.

President Bush, of course, keeping an high on all those developments from his Crawford ranch, really focusing on two things. First of all, the economy here in the United States, but also improving the economic situation in Iraq. The first step to doing that is getting the United Nations lift economic sanctions against Iraq so they can provide that oil revenue to use it for reconstruction.

It's something that the president had asked for yesterday in St. Louis. It is also something that his spokesperson, Claire Buchan, also emphasized, making that case today. She said, "The sanctions clearly don't reflect the current situation in Iraq. The weapons of mass destruction are not in the control of Saddam Hussein's regime. And we look forward to at some point in the future working with the United Nations to lift those sanctions so that Iraq can participate in a global economy."

Now how does that happen, lifting those sanctions? Well, it requires that the United Nations certify that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction. We saw a very familiar face today. Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix today asking, calling for inspectors to get back on the ground, working side by side with the United States.

He says it will lend more credibility to the process. It will actually prove in some ways those suspicions that perhaps the U.S. would even plant those weapons of mass destruction -- Hans Blix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I have not seen any indication that the U.S. would be ready to accept international verification again. Though it is true that the credibility of any finds, I think, would be much better with international inspection. And I think we had credibility.

I know that Washington was disappointed that we did not present evidence that would have suited their argument at a given time, but I think, if anything, that increased our credibility in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, not surprising, the Bush administration very skeptical about getting those inspectors on the ground, at least for now. Claire Buchan saying the military operations are still underway in Iraq, and finding weapons of mass destruction continues to be one of their goals. At some point, the U.N. inspections will be an issue that will need to be addressed -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne, meanwhile, another country that the White House is talking about, Cuba. What's the latest?

MALVEAUX: Well absolutely. The White House administration, including Secretary Powell, saying that they clearly are distressed by what is happening in Cuba, the crisis there. That they that are actually cracking down on dissidents that they are imprisoning. Journalists, as well as activists there.

That the White House is considering a number of options, including family members perhaps not being able to contribute cash to those in Cuba, as well as curbing travel. Those are just some of the options. But clearly today the administration denouncing what is happening there.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you.

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




Back in Iraq>


Aired April 17, 2003 - 15:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The fate of Saddam Hussein remains a nagging issue and the source of a lot of speculation for the Bush station administration. White House chief of staff Andrew Card even went on line and said he thinks the ousted Iraqi leader is dead.
With us now from Crawford, Texas, White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. What do you know, Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Kyra, there was a lot of speculation, and White House officials said it was just that. Until they have evidence to prove that Saddam Hussein is dead, they really don't know.

President Bush, of course, keeping an high on all those developments from his Crawford ranch, really focusing on two things. First of all, the economy here in the United States, but also improving the economic situation in Iraq. The first step to doing that is getting the United Nations lift economic sanctions against Iraq so they can provide that oil revenue to use it for reconstruction.

It's something that the president had asked for yesterday in St. Louis. It is also something that his spokesperson, Claire Buchan, also emphasized, making that case today. She said, "The sanctions clearly don't reflect the current situation in Iraq. The weapons of mass destruction are not in the control of Saddam Hussein's regime. And we look forward to at some point in the future working with the United Nations to lift those sanctions so that Iraq can participate in a global economy."

Now how does that happen, lifting those sanctions? Well, it requires that the United Nations certify that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction. We saw a very familiar face today. Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix today asking, calling for inspectors to get back on the ground, working side by side with the United States.

He says it will lend more credibility to the process. It will actually prove in some ways those suspicions that perhaps the U.S. would even plant those weapons of mass destruction -- Hans Blix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I have not seen any indication that the U.S. would be ready to accept international verification again. Though it is true that the credibility of any finds, I think, would be much better with international inspection. And I think we had credibility.

I know that Washington was disappointed that we did not present evidence that would have suited their argument at a given time, but I think, if anything, that increased our credibility in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, not surprising, the Bush administration very skeptical about getting those inspectors on the ground, at least for now. Claire Buchan saying the military operations are still underway in Iraq, and finding weapons of mass destruction continues to be one of their goals. At some point, the U.N. inspections will be an issue that will need to be addressed -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne, meanwhile, another country that the White House is talking about, Cuba. What's the latest?

MALVEAUX: Well absolutely. The White House administration, including Secretary Powell, saying that they clearly are distressed by what is happening in Cuba, the crisis there. That they that are actually cracking down on dissidents that they are imprisoning. Journalists, as well as activists there.

That the White House is considering a number of options, including family members perhaps not being able to contribute cash to those in Cuba, as well as curbing travel. Those are just some of the options. But clearly today the administration denouncing what is happening there.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you.

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




Back in Iraq>