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American Morning
Hans Blix: Cooperate or Face War
Aired January 16, 2003 - 08:00 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: Our top story at this hour, cooperate or face war. That is what the U.N.'s chief weapons inspector is telling Iraq. Hans Blix briefed representatives of the European Union today as he makes his way to Baghdad for a weekend meeting. Blix informed the E.U. that inspectors in Iraq have uncovered illegally imported arms materials.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We have found things that have been illegally imported, even in 2001 and 2002. The question whether they are related to weapons of mass destruction is something that requires further technical evaluation. But we certainly have seen imported, the import of conventional things that are related to the conventional field and might also be fitted into the weapons of mass destruction.
So it's clear that they have violated the bans of the United Nations in terms of the import.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: John King is following the developing story from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the president will speak later today -- John, any reaction from the White House yet?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For the most part, the White House quite encouraged by what it heard, especially the tone of what it heard this morning from Dr. Blix. White House officials saying Dr. Blix now being much more consistent with the president's message. Dr. Blix not only said that Iraq has violated U.N. weapons resolutions, he said Iraq must quickly choose one of two avenues -- deal with the inspectors, cooperating with the inspectors, come clean about all weapons programs and present the evidence, or the second avenue, Dr. Blix said, would be the use of military force to disarm Iraq.
White House officials say they believe Dr. Blix is coming to the same sense that the president has had for months, that only pressure, only the threat of military force will get the attention and perhaps the cooperation of the Iraqi government.
So the White House happy with what it hears so far. It wants to see that carried out, though, through robust inspections in the days ahead and even as they celebrate and compliment Dr. Blix on his rhetoric this morning, still a disagreement with Dr. Blix over the timetable here. The White House wants a comprehensive report from Dr. Blix and the inspectors presented to the Security Council at the end of January. Dr. Blix still saying he thinks under prior U.N. resolutions he should have until at least March to present a comprehensive report. Pressure on Dr. Blix from the White House and on other members of the Security Council from the White House to make January 27th the next big timetable here.
So they're happy to have Dr. Blix putting more pressure on Saddam Hussein, but still some disagreements between the White House and the chief weapons inspector -- Paula.
ZAHN: I guess it's quite clear from most editorials you read this morning how the administration feels about Hans Blix. I'm just wondering if they were at all caught off guard by his comments today, because they have been privately so critical of Hans Blix. In an editorial this morning in the "Washington Post," someone accusing him of essentially hijacking the investigation and creating his own timetable.
KING: Well, they welcomed the comments today. As to whether they were caught off guard by them, hard to speculate. We do know that National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had what officials describe as a frank and blunt meeting with Dr. Blix earlier this week. U.S. officials refusing to say whether she encouraged him to be tougher in his rhetoric, whether she urged any specific steps, whether they had any arguments over the timetable.
White House officials saying Dr. Rice does not want her meeting discussed publicly, especially with the news media. But we do know that meeting took place.
Overall, the White House has generally welcomed the work of Dr. Blix. But there has been new frustration over his insistence that this could go on for months, perhaps even longer. That worries the White House.
ZAHN: John King reporting from Scranton, p.a. this morning, thanks 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
Aired January 16, 2003 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story at this hour, cooperate or face war. That is what the U.N.'s chief weapons inspector is telling Iraq. Hans Blix briefed representatives of the European Union today as he makes his way to Baghdad for a weekend meeting. Blix informed the E.U. that inspectors in Iraq have uncovered illegally imported arms materials.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: We have found things that have been illegally imported, even in 2001 and 2002. The question whether they are related to weapons of mass destruction is something that requires further technical evaluation. But we certainly have seen imported, the import of conventional things that are related to the conventional field and might also be fitted into the weapons of mass destruction.
So it's clear that they have violated the bans of the United Nations in terms of the import.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: John King is following the developing story from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the president will speak later today -- John, any reaction from the White House yet?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For the most part, the White House quite encouraged by what it heard, especially the tone of what it heard this morning from Dr. Blix. White House officials saying Dr. Blix now being much more consistent with the president's message. Dr. Blix not only said that Iraq has violated U.N. weapons resolutions, he said Iraq must quickly choose one of two avenues -- deal with the inspectors, cooperating with the inspectors, come clean about all weapons programs and present the evidence, or the second avenue, Dr. Blix said, would be the use of military force to disarm Iraq.
White House officials say they believe Dr. Blix is coming to the same sense that the president has had for months, that only pressure, only the threat of military force will get the attention and perhaps the cooperation of the Iraqi government.
So the White House happy with what it hears so far. It wants to see that carried out, though, through robust inspections in the days ahead and even as they celebrate and compliment Dr. Blix on his rhetoric this morning, still a disagreement with Dr. Blix over the timetable here. The White House wants a comprehensive report from Dr. Blix and the inspectors presented to the Security Council at the end of January. Dr. Blix still saying he thinks under prior U.N. resolutions he should have until at least March to present a comprehensive report. Pressure on Dr. Blix from the White House and on other members of the Security Council from the White House to make January 27th the next big timetable here.
So they're happy to have Dr. Blix putting more pressure on Saddam Hussein, but still some disagreements between the White House and the chief weapons inspector -- Paula.
ZAHN: I guess it's quite clear from most editorials you read this morning how the administration feels about Hans Blix. I'm just wondering if they were at all caught off guard by his comments today, because they have been privately so critical of Hans Blix. In an editorial this morning in the "Washington Post," someone accusing him of essentially hijacking the investigation and creating his own timetable.
KING: Well, they welcomed the comments today. As to whether they were caught off guard by them, hard to speculate. We do know that National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had what officials describe as a frank and blunt meeting with Dr. Blix earlier this week. U.S. officials refusing to say whether she encouraged him to be tougher in his rhetoric, whether she urged any specific steps, whether they had any arguments over the timetable.
White House officials saying Dr. Rice does not want her meeting discussed publicly, especially with the news media. But we do know that meeting took place.
Overall, the White House has generally welcomed the work of Dr. Blix. But there has been new frustration over his insistence that this could go on for months, perhaps even longer. That worries the White House.
ZAHN: John King reporting from Scranton, p.a. this morning, thanks 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
