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American Morning
NATO Alliance Supports U.N. Resolution on Iraq
Aired November 21, 2002 - 09:08 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: NATO expanding eastward today, officially inviting seven former communist nations to join their ranks, and just as that alliance grows, it now is also throwing its weight behind the U.N. resolution against Iraq, partly anyway.
Chris Burns in Prague for more.
Chris, hello. Good afternoon to you there.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill.
Yes, that's right, turning up the pressure on Saddam Hussein, his statement, it's not entirely what Washington would have liked, but they did got something here. The statement reading, the NATO allies stand united in their commitment to take effective action to assist and support the efforts of the U.N., to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions with UNSCR 1441. That's the U.N. Security Council resolution pressing Iraq to accept these inspectors who are there right now.
It also reiterates a Security Council's threat of serious consequences if Iraq does not follow through. Now that is not entirely what Washington would have liked. It would have liked the NATO alliance instead of the NATO allies, this being because the France and Germany did not want a sort of an endorsement by NATO of direct action in the event Saddam does not follow through. They want to go through the United Nations. Germany, of course, saying that it won't commit its troops at all. so there is disunity on that angle, but there is unity on pressing Saddam Hussein. There is, of course, though, support, very strong support from Britain. Tony Blair, the prime minister, met with President Bush earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: But if he fails to cooperate with them. If he fails to do all he can and it is within his power to help that process of disarmament through the United Nations, then he will be disarmed by force, and that is the clear will of the international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: But historic action today, too. Seven former communist nations being invited into the 19-nation NATO alliance. Some of those countries not expected to join until after September 11th. September 11th really changed things where the U.S. is looking for forward bases toward Central Asia, and also the Russians less resistant to pulling in former Soviet countries like the three Baltic nations.
Also, adaptation and transportation, because now at this point, this is the first NATO summit that is inside the former Warsaw Pact territory, taking in these Warsaw Pact, former Warsaw Pact nations. What does this mean? It swallowed up their former adversary. They have to transform. They're going to create a rapid deployment force. They've agreed on that today, 20,000 troops that could deploy anywhere in the world -- Bill.
Chris Burns in Prague.
HEMMER: Thanks, Chris.
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 November 21, 2002 - 09:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: NATO expanding eastward today, officially inviting seven former communist nations to join their ranks, and just as that alliance grows, it now is also throwing its weight behind the U.N. resolution against Iraq, partly anyway.
Chris Burns in Prague for more.
Chris, hello. Good afternoon to you there.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill.
Yes, that's right, turning up the pressure on Saddam Hussein, his statement, it's not entirely what Washington would have liked, but they did got something here. The statement reading, the NATO allies stand united in their commitment to take effective action to assist and support the efforts of the U.N., to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions with UNSCR 1441. That's the U.N. Security Council resolution pressing Iraq to accept these inspectors who are there right now.
It also reiterates a Security Council's threat of serious consequences if Iraq does not follow through. Now that is not entirely what Washington would have liked. It would have liked the NATO alliance instead of the NATO allies, this being because the France and Germany did not want a sort of an endorsement by NATO of direct action in the event Saddam does not follow through. They want to go through the United Nations. Germany, of course, saying that it won't commit its troops at all. so there is disunity on that angle, but there is unity on pressing Saddam Hussein. There is, of course, though, support, very strong support from Britain. Tony Blair, the prime minister, met with President Bush earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: But if he fails to cooperate with them. If he fails to do all he can and it is within his power to help that process of disarmament through the United Nations, then he will be disarmed by force, and that is the clear will of the international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: But historic action today, too. Seven former communist nations being invited into the 19-nation NATO alliance. Some of those countries not expected to join until after September 11th. September 11th really changed things where the U.S. is looking for forward bases toward Central Asia, and also the Russians less resistant to pulling in former Soviet countries like the three Baltic nations.
Also, adaptation and transportation, because now at this point, this is the first NATO summit that is inside the former Warsaw Pact territory, taking in these Warsaw Pact, former Warsaw Pact nations. What does this mean? It swallowed up their former adversary. They have to transform. They're going to create a rapid deployment force. They've agreed on that today, 20,000 troops that could deploy anywhere in the world -- Bill.
Chris Burns in Prague.
HEMMER: Thanks, Chris.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
