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How Involved Should United Nations be in Post War Iraq Weapons Inspections?
Aired April 22, 2003 - 15:20 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Chief United Nations weapons inspector, Hans Blix, told the Security Council he's prepared to lead his inspection team back into Iraq. At the White House there was little enthusiasm for U.N. assistance in the hunt for Iraqi weapons.
For more on all the developments at the U.N., CNN's Michael Okwu.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The chief weapons inspector Hans Blix Says he has some 85 inspectors waiting if are the call to return to Baghdad. He told Security Council diplomats they could do just that in a two-week period of time if need be. And he repeated the argument that the weapons inspectors from the United Nations could confer some international legitimacy on the inspections process. He also spent quite a great deal of time answering questions from reporters about some of the intelligence that he received from the United States and Great Britain while his inspectors were still on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Out of the many sites that were given to us by intelligence in which we visited, only in a few instances did we find anything and nothing related to weapons of mass destruction. Now I have not criticized intelligence for this. I have simply said it is difficult and the results that have come out have, therefore, not had a shortcoming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: While Blix may be ready to go back, the United States has completely other ideas. In fact, U.S. officials have been saying for quite some time now that they see no imminent reason for inspectors from the United Nations to go back into the country. In fact, the U.S. ambassador John Negroponte making the point today that his coalition troops are on the ground and they have inspectors who ironically enough have been hired away from the United Nations. Here's John Negroponte.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMB. TO U.N.: The coalition has assumed responsibility for disarming of Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. Some additional work was done during the phase in which we were conducting active military operations. Now that there is a somewhat more permissive military environment, the coalition effort will be substantially increased and expanded. (END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: The name on everybody's lips this morning was Hans Blix, but by this afternoon it is John (UNINTELLIGIBLE), he was the French ambassador to the United Nations. In a bit of surprise move, Judy, he came forward to say that he would like to make the proposal to drop all civilian sanctions on Iraq. Clearly there is no specific resolution on the table at this point. It is something that one U.N. official said is an issue that they will have to come together and talk about in the coming weeks -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right, Michael Okwu reporting from the United Nations. And you're right, Michael, that was a surprise, the French proposal.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Weapons Inspections?>
Aired April 22, 2003 - 15:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Chief United Nations weapons inspector, Hans Blix, told the Security Council he's prepared to lead his inspection team back into Iraq. At the White House there was little enthusiasm for U.N. assistance in the hunt for Iraqi weapons.
For more on all the developments at the U.N., CNN's Michael Okwu.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The chief weapons inspector Hans Blix Says he has some 85 inspectors waiting if are the call to return to Baghdad. He told Security Council diplomats they could do just that in a two-week period of time if need be. And he repeated the argument that the weapons inspectors from the United Nations could confer some international legitimacy on the inspections process. He also spent quite a great deal of time answering questions from reporters about some of the intelligence that he received from the United States and Great Britain while his inspectors were still on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Out of the many sites that were given to us by intelligence in which we visited, only in a few instances did we find anything and nothing related to weapons of mass destruction. Now I have not criticized intelligence for this. I have simply said it is difficult and the results that have come out have, therefore, not had a shortcoming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: While Blix may be ready to go back, the United States has completely other ideas. In fact, U.S. officials have been saying for quite some time now that they see no imminent reason for inspectors from the United Nations to go back into the country. In fact, the U.S. ambassador John Negroponte making the point today that his coalition troops are on the ground and they have inspectors who ironically enough have been hired away from the United Nations. Here's John Negroponte.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMB. TO U.N.: The coalition has assumed responsibility for disarming of Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. Some additional work was done during the phase in which we were conducting active military operations. Now that there is a somewhat more permissive military environment, the coalition effort will be substantially increased and expanded. (END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: The name on everybody's lips this morning was Hans Blix, but by this afternoon it is John (UNINTELLIGIBLE), he was the French ambassador to the United Nations. In a bit of surprise move, Judy, he came forward to say that he would like to make the proposal to drop all civilian sanctions on Iraq. Clearly there is no specific resolution on the table at this point. It is something that one U.N. official said is an issue that they will have to come together and talk about in the coming weeks -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right, Michael Okwu reporting from the United Nations. And you're right, Michael, that was a surprise, the French proposal.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Weapons Inspections?>
