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Look at How Permanent Members of Security Council Responding to Iraq Situation
Aired December 20, 2002 - 10:19 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, a look at how other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are responding to the situation with Iraq.
Our correspondents are positioned in key capitals, in London, in Paris and Moscow, and to provide insight into the momentum and where it lies right now.
We'll start in London with our Robin Oakley.
Robin, go ahead.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony Blair in a Christmas message to troops, British troops, has warned them that they have got to be ready for action against Saddam Hussein. He said to them, he's sorry about the uncertainty, he can't be sure if Saddam Hussein is going to be found in material breach of the U.N. stipulations about his weapons program. But in the meantime, they have to go on building up their force, to have a credible threat of force, which is the only way that Saddam Hussein is going to be persuaded to cooperate.
His message still is that war is not imminent or inevitable, and that Britain will go back to the United Nations and seek another Security Council resolution, if it does come to military action.
But, of course, Mr. Blair is having to swing British public opinion, as well as get his troops into line, and some of the media have been pretty critical of what he's been doing. Here is "The Daily Mirror," depicting Tony Blair as a lap dog in George Bush's hands. In the edition of the mirror today, says over a picture of George Bush, "There is a lunatic with weapons of mass destruction ramping up for a war that will imperil the whole world."
British public opinion, 44 percent against the war, 36 percent in favor, and 20 percent still undecided. But it will be interesting to see if that's reflected more widely across the continent.
In Paris is my colleague Jim Bittermann.
Jim, what's the picture there?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Robin, basically the attitude of the government hasn't changed much since Jacques Chirac outlined it back on September 3 in a newspaper interview. His feelings back then were we've got a Security Council resolution saying that inspectors had to be allowed back into Iraq, let the inspectors do their job. and then if they were prevented from doing their job or impeded, there should be a second meeting of the Security Council to decide on what action should be taken, and that's exactly where things stands.
Having said that, in the last 24 hours here, there have been some more nuanced approaches to the question. Dominick DeVille (ph), who is the foreign minister here, said there are some gray areas. He agreed with Hans Blix. There are some gray areas that Iraqi report, and he was depending on the international weapons inspectors to clear up the gray areas.
And he said, repeated once again what Chirac said, if the international community decides to take action, France will live up to his commitments.
Now the French prime minister this morning was down in the heartland of France, in Fatier (ph), he said that the international community should do everything it can to avoid war, that war should only be the last resort. And the French defense minister, who is out in the gulf area, she said that, in fact, it will be up to those on the ground to sort out whether or not there are omissions in the Iraqi report.
Now, the papers here have been basically reflecting what's happening in Washington more than anything else.
Here is Colin Powell this morning on the cover of "Liberation." The headline says that Iraq is aggravating its case with the report. And inside the newspaper, the paper editorialized -- in an editorial said that France is basically resigning itself to a conflict, because neither George Bush, nor Saddam Hussein can back out of this situation without some kind of political risk. To see how things are going in Moscow, let's go over to Jill Dougherty, where she is.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, in order to figure out what the Russians are thinking I picked up the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which is basically like the "New York Times" here in Russia, very respected newspaper, and it took me a while to find the article. There was a big one on President Putin in the front. And up here, you can see an article about Miss Universe and her new boyfriend.
Back here, finally, on page eight, an article that says, Saddam is a bad writer. And it says the new report, the Iraqi report, is not pleasing to the Americans. Essentially, it's a pretty straight read. It simply says that although the United States is not at this point declaring war on Iraq, it does reserve the right to take unilateral action.
So really, no editorial content, other than that. It's very, very different from what happened last week, when there was a big article about Iraq, and it had to do with an oil company, Russian oil company, whose contract was unexpectedly ripped up by the Iraqis. That was splashed all over the newspaper.
So what do you deduce from this? Basically, that the Russians at this point have no vested interest in getting rid of Saddam Hussein, and they're not going to say much of anything. They'll play it straight down the middle, until they have something more to say. What they want right now, is keep it in the United Nations, and don't, United States or anyone else, take any unilateral action.
Back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Fascinating to get a look all the way around the world.
Jill, Jim and Robin, thank you so 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
Responding to Iraq Situation>
Aired December 20, 2002 - 10:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, a look at how other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are responding to the situation with Iraq.
Our correspondents are positioned in key capitals, in London, in Paris and Moscow, and to provide insight into the momentum and where it lies right now.
We'll start in London with our Robin Oakley.
Robin, go ahead.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony Blair in a Christmas message to troops, British troops, has warned them that they have got to be ready for action against Saddam Hussein. He said to them, he's sorry about the uncertainty, he can't be sure if Saddam Hussein is going to be found in material breach of the U.N. stipulations about his weapons program. But in the meantime, they have to go on building up their force, to have a credible threat of force, which is the only way that Saddam Hussein is going to be persuaded to cooperate.
His message still is that war is not imminent or inevitable, and that Britain will go back to the United Nations and seek another Security Council resolution, if it does come to military action.
But, of course, Mr. Blair is having to swing British public opinion, as well as get his troops into line, and some of the media have been pretty critical of what he's been doing. Here is "The Daily Mirror," depicting Tony Blair as a lap dog in George Bush's hands. In the edition of the mirror today, says over a picture of George Bush, "There is a lunatic with weapons of mass destruction ramping up for a war that will imperil the whole world."
British public opinion, 44 percent against the war, 36 percent in favor, and 20 percent still undecided. But it will be interesting to see if that's reflected more widely across the continent.
In Paris is my colleague Jim Bittermann.
Jim, what's the picture there?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Robin, basically the attitude of the government hasn't changed much since Jacques Chirac outlined it back on September 3 in a newspaper interview. His feelings back then were we've got a Security Council resolution saying that inspectors had to be allowed back into Iraq, let the inspectors do their job. and then if they were prevented from doing their job or impeded, there should be a second meeting of the Security Council to decide on what action should be taken, and that's exactly where things stands.
Having said that, in the last 24 hours here, there have been some more nuanced approaches to the question. Dominick DeVille (ph), who is the foreign minister here, said there are some gray areas. He agreed with Hans Blix. There are some gray areas that Iraqi report, and he was depending on the international weapons inspectors to clear up the gray areas.
And he said, repeated once again what Chirac said, if the international community decides to take action, France will live up to his commitments.
Now the French prime minister this morning was down in the heartland of France, in Fatier (ph), he said that the international community should do everything it can to avoid war, that war should only be the last resort. And the French defense minister, who is out in the gulf area, she said that, in fact, it will be up to those on the ground to sort out whether or not there are omissions in the Iraqi report.
Now, the papers here have been basically reflecting what's happening in Washington more than anything else.
Here is Colin Powell this morning on the cover of "Liberation." The headline says that Iraq is aggravating its case with the report. And inside the newspaper, the paper editorialized -- in an editorial said that France is basically resigning itself to a conflict, because neither George Bush, nor Saddam Hussein can back out of this situation without some kind of political risk. To see how things are going in Moscow, let's go over to Jill Dougherty, where she is.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, in order to figure out what the Russians are thinking I picked up the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which is basically like the "New York Times" here in Russia, very respected newspaper, and it took me a while to find the article. There was a big one on President Putin in the front. And up here, you can see an article about Miss Universe and her new boyfriend.
Back here, finally, on page eight, an article that says, Saddam is a bad writer. And it says the new report, the Iraqi report, is not pleasing to the Americans. Essentially, it's a pretty straight read. It simply says that although the United States is not at this point declaring war on Iraq, it does reserve the right to take unilateral action.
So really, no editorial content, other than that. It's very, very different from what happened last week, when there was a big article about Iraq, and it had to do with an oil company, Russian oil company, whose contract was unexpectedly ripped up by the Iraqis. That was splashed all over the newspaper.
So what do you deduce from this? Basically, that the Russians at this point have no vested interest in getting rid of Saddam Hussein, and they're not going to say much of anything. They'll play it straight down the middle, until they have something more to say. What they want right now, is keep it in the United Nations, and don't, United States or anyone else, take any unilateral action.
Back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Fascinating to get a look all the way around the world.
Jill, Jim and Robin, thank you so 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
Responding to Iraq Situation>
