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American Morning
Interview With Terence Taylor, Former U.N. Weapons Inspector
Aired January 15, 2003 - 07:06 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: We turn our attention now to Iraq. U.N. weapons inspectors searched one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, what is described as his main palace, in Baghdad today.
Meanwhile, new comments this morning from the chief inspector of the U.N.'s atomic agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, saying he intends -- quote -- "To impress upon Iraq the need to shift gears from passive cooperation to active cooperation."
The Bush administration has been pressuring the U.N. to step up its activities. And in Washington yesterday, President Bush says time is running out for Saddam Hussein to disarm.
Let's turn our attention to Terry (ph) Taylor of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He happens to be a former U.N. weapons inspector, and he joins us from Washington this morning.
Good morning, and welcome back, Terry (ph).
TERENCE TAYLOR, FRM. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Good morning.
ZAHN: What did you make of what the president had to say of his...
TAYLOR: Well...
ZAHN: ... patience (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
TAYLOR: ... I'm not surprised to hear that. It's certainly clear, as Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency also said, is that the Iraqis really have to step up to the plate and deliver new information, explain all of the outstanding questions that have been laid before them time and time again.
So, it's not just efficient for the inspectors to try to turn over every stone all over Iraq, a country the size of California, with only 100 to 150 inspectors. So, the Iraqis really have to show that they're genuinely cooperating, and that hasn't happened yet.
ZAHN: So, how much time do you think the inspectors really need? We've heard Hans Blix say anywhere from three months more to possibly as long as a year.
TAYLOR: Well, it will take a very long time. As those -- my colleagues know in the 1990s, we were at this task for years. It took us four-and-a-half years to find the hard evidence of a biological weapons program, for example, against Iraqi concealment plans and denial. So, that's how long it takes if the Iraqis don't cooperate. I think we've been through this before. We don't want a repeat of the 1990s. That's what President Bush was saying. And I think the Iraqis have to come forward with new information.
ZAHN: What is a legitimate out (ph) date as far as you're concerned?
TAYLOR: Well, I think they have to -- I think really, I suppose we need more inspectors and more intensive activities, more equipment. But there is a whole list of questions that the Iraqis were required to answer in their so-called full and final and complete declaration they delivered on the 7th of December last. They didn't answer any of these questions. Mr. Blix, the head of the U.N. agency inspecting in Iraq, said this himself. He said it was disappointing.
So, I think the pressure is on, and we may see something happen possibly when the heads of the two inspection agencies go to Baghdad, I think on the 19th and 20th of this month. So, we may see some action there, and Dr. Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei have to report on the 27th of January to the Security Council. So, there is a little bit of time now, but the clock is ticking.
ZAHN: We know that Condoleezza Rice made a trip to New York yesterday to sit down with chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to encourage him to try to spirit some Iraqi scientists out of the country, something that he has been reluctant to do so far. How critical is that to moving this process along?
TAYLOR: Well, I have some misgivings about that as to how important that will be. I think it's not just a question of whether Mr. Blix is willing to do it. I think he will carry out the mandate. He has it. But the real problem is getting Iraqi scientists or technicians in the program to willingly come forward in this kind of public defection.
So, I think there is a problem internally in Iraq over this particular issue. So, I hope we're not banking too much on that particular provision in the U.N. Security Council resolution.
ZAHN: Terence Taylor, we always appreciate your time and your input. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
TAYLOR: Thank you very 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.
Inspector>
Aired January 15, 2003 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now to Iraq. U.N. weapons inspectors searched one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, what is described as his main palace, in Baghdad today.
Meanwhile, new comments this morning from the chief inspector of the U.N.'s atomic agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, saying he intends -- quote -- "To impress upon Iraq the need to shift gears from passive cooperation to active cooperation."
The Bush administration has been pressuring the U.N. to step up its activities. And in Washington yesterday, President Bush says time is running out for Saddam Hussein to disarm.
Let's turn our attention to Terry (ph) Taylor of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He happens to be a former U.N. weapons inspector, and he joins us from Washington this morning.
Good morning, and welcome back, Terry (ph).
TERENCE TAYLOR, FRM. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Good morning.
ZAHN: What did you make of what the president had to say of his...
TAYLOR: Well...
ZAHN: ... patience (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
TAYLOR: ... I'm not surprised to hear that. It's certainly clear, as Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency also said, is that the Iraqis really have to step up to the plate and deliver new information, explain all of the outstanding questions that have been laid before them time and time again.
So, it's not just efficient for the inspectors to try to turn over every stone all over Iraq, a country the size of California, with only 100 to 150 inspectors. So, the Iraqis really have to show that they're genuinely cooperating, and that hasn't happened yet.
ZAHN: So, how much time do you think the inspectors really need? We've heard Hans Blix say anywhere from three months more to possibly as long as a year.
TAYLOR: Well, it will take a very long time. As those -- my colleagues know in the 1990s, we were at this task for years. It took us four-and-a-half years to find the hard evidence of a biological weapons program, for example, against Iraqi concealment plans and denial. So, that's how long it takes if the Iraqis don't cooperate. I think we've been through this before. We don't want a repeat of the 1990s. That's what President Bush was saying. And I think the Iraqis have to come forward with new information.
ZAHN: What is a legitimate out (ph) date as far as you're concerned?
TAYLOR: Well, I think they have to -- I think really, I suppose we need more inspectors and more intensive activities, more equipment. But there is a whole list of questions that the Iraqis were required to answer in their so-called full and final and complete declaration they delivered on the 7th of December last. They didn't answer any of these questions. Mr. Blix, the head of the U.N. agency inspecting in Iraq, said this himself. He said it was disappointing.
So, I think the pressure is on, and we may see something happen possibly when the heads of the two inspection agencies go to Baghdad, I think on the 19th and 20th of this month. So, we may see some action there, and Dr. Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei have to report on the 27th of January to the Security Council. So, there is a little bit of time now, but the clock is ticking.
ZAHN: We know that Condoleezza Rice made a trip to New York yesterday to sit down with chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to encourage him to try to spirit some Iraqi scientists out of the country, something that he has been reluctant to do so far. How critical is that to moving this process along?
TAYLOR: Well, I have some misgivings about that as to how important that will be. I think it's not just a question of whether Mr. Blix is willing to do it. I think he will carry out the mandate. He has it. But the real problem is getting Iraqi scientists or technicians in the program to willingly come forward in this kind of public defection.
So, I think there is a problem internally in Iraq over this particular issue. So, I hope we're not banking too much on that particular provision in the U.N. Security Council resolution.
ZAHN: Terence Taylor, we always appreciate your time and your input. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
TAYLOR: Thank you very 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.
Inspector>
