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American Morning

World Reaction to Iraqi Offer Mixed

Aired September 18, 2002 - 09:03   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: World reaction to the Iraqi offer has been mixed. Russia now says a new U.N. resolution is not necessary, which may be a signal Russia could use its veto power to block new reaction.
Let's get reaction now from America's most stalwart ally.

Christiane Amanpour is outside parliament in London this morning.

Good morning, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning from London, in fact, riverside in London, Paula.

The British government admits that Saddam Hussein's basic capitulation in this instance basically has taken them off guard. They never expected the Iraqis to react so quickly, following the president's speech at the United Nations.

What seems to have happened is that what Saddam Hussein has done is now dividing some of the U.S. allies and some of the permanent members of Security Council. Russia, as you mentioned, is now questioning whether a new resolution would be necessary. It doesn't seem to be that Russia is actually opposing it right now, but it's questioning weathering a new resolution would be necessary to force these inspectors back, and perhaps even back up that resolution with force.

France, another key member of the Security Council, is saying that it still backs its two-pronged resolution strategy, one to make sure the inspectors go back, and the other, to back it up with force if that becomes necessary. Britain, Tony Blair, who has stood unflinchingly and shoulder to shoulder with President Bush is saying that it has only been this incredibly hard line that the U.S. and the U.K. have taken that have brought Saddam this far, and that that needs to be continued if necessary, and most likely, with a new resolution in the Security Council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We have got to keep up the pressure. Nobody should be in any doubt this is not because Saddam wants to let them inspectors back in. He's played around for years. The U.N. had to break off negotiations back in July because he wasn't cooperating.

It's the pressure that has brought him to this position. We have got to keep up that pressure and make sure that weapons inspectors actually go in, not when says they'll go in, but they actually go in and then can do their job. Now those are still the obligations that Iraq has got to fulfill, and we've got to keep up the pressure and make sure they fulfill it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: Now those were Blair's first public comments since Monday when Saddam Hussein allowed agreed to allow the inspectors back in. Certainly diplomats at the United Nations will be trying to huddle to figure out what is the next move and how they do that.

But of course, since President Bush's speech at the United Nations, a very skeptical, if not outright hostile world, has come more toward the U.S. and the U.K. position. There's much more support that's being demonstrated now that the U.S. has shown that it is willing at least willing at least to appear to act within the international community and within the United Nations -- Paula.

ZAHN: Obviously, Christiane, the reaction to Iraqis offer to allow weapons inspectors back in without conditions, has sparked tremendously mixed reaction. If you would, walk us through some of the reaction coming from Europe right now.

AMANPOUR: Well, as I say, it's taken them by surprise. A lot of them are saying, we've been here before. Will Saddam Hussein actually allow these inspectors to go in? is he just playing for time? Is it is falling? And if they do go in, will they actually have free and unfettered access in a meaningful way, not just to run around and look at what's going on, but in a meaningful way, to make sure that they're is disarmament.

Again, this is the first time Saddam Hussein has seriously said, yes, basically, to the United Nations and the United States in four years, so that is a change in the Iraqis position.

People in Europe and in the rest of the world, knowing the U.S. hardline position is wondering whether at this point, the United States will take yes for an answer, and others are wondering whether Saddam Hussein will play the game right to avert war.

So we're still in a critical and crucial period now.

ZAHN: Thanks so much, Christiane. Appreciate that update.

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 18, 2002 - 09:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: World reaction to the Iraqi offer has been mixed. Russia now says a new U.N. resolution is not necessary, which may be a signal Russia could use its veto power to block new reaction.
Let's get reaction now from America's most stalwart ally.

Christiane Amanpour is outside parliament in London this morning.

Good morning, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning from London, in fact, riverside in London, Paula.

The British government admits that Saddam Hussein's basic capitulation in this instance basically has taken them off guard. They never expected the Iraqis to react so quickly, following the president's speech at the United Nations.

What seems to have happened is that what Saddam Hussein has done is now dividing some of the U.S. allies and some of the permanent members of Security Council. Russia, as you mentioned, is now questioning whether a new resolution would be necessary. It doesn't seem to be that Russia is actually opposing it right now, but it's questioning weathering a new resolution would be necessary to force these inspectors back, and perhaps even back up that resolution with force.

France, another key member of the Security Council, is saying that it still backs its two-pronged resolution strategy, one to make sure the inspectors go back, and the other, to back it up with force if that becomes necessary. Britain, Tony Blair, who has stood unflinchingly and shoulder to shoulder with President Bush is saying that it has only been this incredibly hard line that the U.S. and the U.K. have taken that have brought Saddam this far, and that that needs to be continued if necessary, and most likely, with a new resolution in the Security Council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We have got to keep up the pressure. Nobody should be in any doubt this is not because Saddam wants to let them inspectors back in. He's played around for years. The U.N. had to break off negotiations back in July because he wasn't cooperating.

It's the pressure that has brought him to this position. We have got to keep up that pressure and make sure that weapons inspectors actually go in, not when says they'll go in, but they actually go in and then can do their job. Now those are still the obligations that Iraq has got to fulfill, and we've got to keep up the pressure and make sure they fulfill it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: Now those were Blair's first public comments since Monday when Saddam Hussein allowed agreed to allow the inspectors back in. Certainly diplomats at the United Nations will be trying to huddle to figure out what is the next move and how they do that.

But of course, since President Bush's speech at the United Nations, a very skeptical, if not outright hostile world, has come more toward the U.S. and the U.K. position. There's much more support that's being demonstrated now that the U.S. has shown that it is willing at least willing at least to appear to act within the international community and within the United Nations -- Paula.

ZAHN: Obviously, Christiane, the reaction to Iraqis offer to allow weapons inspectors back in without conditions, has sparked tremendously mixed reaction. If you would, walk us through some of the reaction coming from Europe right now.

AMANPOUR: Well, as I say, it's taken them by surprise. A lot of them are saying, we've been here before. Will Saddam Hussein actually allow these inspectors to go in? is he just playing for time? Is it is falling? And if they do go in, will they actually have free and unfettered access in a meaningful way, not just to run around and look at what's going on, but in a meaningful way, to make sure that they're is disarmament.

Again, this is the first time Saddam Hussein has seriously said, yes, basically, to the United Nations and the United States in four years, so that is a change in the Iraqis position.

People in Europe and in the rest of the world, knowing the U.S. hardline position is wondering whether at this point, the United States will take yes for an answer, and others are wondering whether Saddam Hussein will play the game right to avert war.

So we're still in a critical and crucial period now.

ZAHN: Thanks so much, Christiane. Appreciate that update.

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