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American Morning
Caution Greets Iraq Offer
Aired September 17, 2002 - 07:02 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House says Iraq's offer to readmit weapons inspectors unconditionally does not change the administration's position one bit. The U.S. continues meetings today with U.N. Security Council members, and we are going to talk with John King at the White House in a moment.
First, let's travel to Baghdad. Rula Amin is standing by in Iraq's capital with more on this announcement.
Good morning -- Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Now, Paula, here, it is relief and relief and relief. No one here has any illusions that this is the end of the crisis, but they know that, at least for now, the immediate future, there will be no confrontation. And they think maybe there is a chance to try to resolve this conflict through dialogue.
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, who met today with delegates from different parts of the world who came to support Iraq and oppose any war against it, he says that his country is very serious about its intent to allow the inspectors back into Baghdad without any restrictions. He called that decision by the Iraqi government as courageous and valiant.
Now, the U.S. says this is just a claim on a piece of paper, and that the Iraqis will try to evade it. The Iraqis are saying the U.S. response actually proves their suspicions that the U.S. was looking for a pretext to attack Iraq, it was not a matter of weapons inspectors coming back here, and that the U.S. plans on attacking them anyway.
But, however, for now, people are relieved -- Paula.
ZAHN: Rula, thanks so much.
Let's go to the White House now to get the perspective from there from our own John King.
First off, John, you heard Rula say that the Iraqi perception is that, in some way, because of the administration's response here, they still believe that there is -- the administration wanted a pretext for going in for a pre-emptive strike.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, the administration says no decision is made on any military action yet, and it depends on how the debate in the United Nations goes.
But the White House is also saying this is a debate that goes well beyond weapons inspections, and even if Iraq wants to let the weapons inspectors back in, the terms will be set by the United States and the United Nations, not the government in Baghdad.
Openly dismissive, the White House is of this latest offer. You see the president returning back to the White House yesterday afternoon here. He was informed of this letter.
And the White House, last night, released a statement from the deputy press secretary that says, in part -- quote: "This is not a matter of inspections. It is about disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime's compliance with all other Security Council resolutions. This is a tactical step by Iraq in hopes of avoiding strong U.N. Security Council action. As such, it is a tactic that will fail. It is time for the Security Council to act."
Now, note the reference in there to "all other Security Council resolutions," and go back to the president's speech last week. He said, this is not just about disbarment. Iraq promised at the end of the Persian Gulf War to stop repressing minorities within the country, to make reparations to Kuwait, to give a full accounting of all of the military personnel -- Kuwaitis, Egyptians, Syrians, one U.S. pilot missing in action still.
The United States views this as a stalling tactic, and it says if the inspectors go back in, it won't be through discussions with Baghdad. It will be because the United States and the United Nations sends them knocking at the door -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John -- John King reporting from the White House for us this morning.
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 September 17, 2002 - 07:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House says Iraq's offer to readmit weapons inspectors unconditionally does not change the administration's position one bit. The U.S. continues meetings today with U.N. Security Council members, and we are going to talk with John King at the White House in a moment.
First, let's travel to Baghdad. Rula Amin is standing by in Iraq's capital with more on this announcement.
Good morning -- Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Now, Paula, here, it is relief and relief and relief. No one here has any illusions that this is the end of the crisis, but they know that, at least for now, the immediate future, there will be no confrontation. And they think maybe there is a chance to try to resolve this conflict through dialogue.
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, who met today with delegates from different parts of the world who came to support Iraq and oppose any war against it, he says that his country is very serious about its intent to allow the inspectors back into Baghdad without any restrictions. He called that decision by the Iraqi government as courageous and valiant.
Now, the U.S. says this is just a claim on a piece of paper, and that the Iraqis will try to evade it. The Iraqis are saying the U.S. response actually proves their suspicions that the U.S. was looking for a pretext to attack Iraq, it was not a matter of weapons inspectors coming back here, and that the U.S. plans on attacking them anyway.
But, however, for now, people are relieved -- Paula.
ZAHN: Rula, thanks so much.
Let's go to the White House now to get the perspective from there from our own John King.
First off, John, you heard Rula say that the Iraqi perception is that, in some way, because of the administration's response here, they still believe that there is -- the administration wanted a pretext for going in for a pre-emptive strike.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, the administration says no decision is made on any military action yet, and it depends on how the debate in the United Nations goes.
But the White House is also saying this is a debate that goes well beyond weapons inspections, and even if Iraq wants to let the weapons inspectors back in, the terms will be set by the United States and the United Nations, not the government in Baghdad.
Openly dismissive, the White House is of this latest offer. You see the president returning back to the White House yesterday afternoon here. He was informed of this letter.
And the White House, last night, released a statement from the deputy press secretary that says, in part -- quote: "This is not a matter of inspections. It is about disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime's compliance with all other Security Council resolutions. This is a tactical step by Iraq in hopes of avoiding strong U.N. Security Council action. As such, it is a tactic that will fail. It is time for the Security Council to act."
Now, note the reference in there to "all other Security Council resolutions," and go back to the president's speech last week. He said, this is not just about disbarment. Iraq promised at the end of the Persian Gulf War to stop repressing minorities within the country, to make reparations to Kuwait, to give a full accounting of all of the military personnel -- Kuwaitis, Egyptians, Syrians, one U.S. pilot missing in action still.
The United States views this as a stalling tactic, and it says if the inspectors go back in, it won't be through discussions with Baghdad. It will be because the United States and the United Nations sends them knocking at the door -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John -- John King reporting from the White House for us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
