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American Morning

Iraq Asks Top U.N. Weapons Inspectors to Return to Baghdad

Aired January 31, 2003 - 09:33   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: Iraq has asked the top U.N. weapons inspectors to return to Baghdad, but Hans Blix and Mohammed El-Baradei say they won't consider it unless Baghdad makes some changes.
Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us now live from Baghdad.

Good morning, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Those two issues, the same two issues that have been dogging U.N.-Iraqi relationships here for the last few weeks. That is the private interviews with Iraqi scientists, the U.N. inspectors believe that through those interviews, they'll get vital information about Iraq's possible weapons of mass destruction. The other issue is the use of U-2 surveillance aircraft. The U.S. wants to fly those over Iraq in support of the U.N. inspection on the ground. No agreement on that. The Iraqi officials here say they want to see the end to the flights in the northern and southern no-fly zones before they will allow the U-2 aircraft to fly over Iraq.

Another thing we're hearing from Iraqi officials today, the top Iraqi official that deals with U.N. weapons inspectors here, saying what he expects to hear from Secretary of State Colin Powell at the U.N. next week will be no evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. He says whatever it is, it will put Iraq in a bad light, and he offered to the United States to send the CIA here, he said. This is repeating a previous offer to send CIA agents, he said, to check out and make sure Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction -- Paula.

ZAHN: Thank you, Nic. Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad.

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Baghdad>


Aired January 31, 2003 - 09:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq has asked the top U.N. weapons inspectors to return to Baghdad, but Hans Blix and Mohammed El-Baradei say they won't consider it unless Baghdad makes some changes.
Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us now live from Baghdad.

Good morning, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Those two issues, the same two issues that have been dogging U.N.-Iraqi relationships here for the last few weeks. That is the private interviews with Iraqi scientists, the U.N. inspectors believe that through those interviews, they'll get vital information about Iraq's possible weapons of mass destruction. The other issue is the use of U-2 surveillance aircraft. The U.S. wants to fly those over Iraq in support of the U.N. inspection on the ground. No agreement on that. The Iraqi officials here say they want to see the end to the flights in the northern and southern no-fly zones before they will allow the U-2 aircraft to fly over Iraq.

Another thing we're hearing from Iraqi officials today, the top Iraqi official that deals with U.N. weapons inspectors here, saying what he expects to hear from Secretary of State Colin Powell at the U.N. next week will be no evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. He says whatever it is, it will put Iraq in a bad light, and he offered to the United States to send the CIA here, he said. This is repeating a previous offer to send CIA agents, he said, to check out and make sure Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction -- Paula.

ZAHN: Thank you, Nic. Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad.

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




Baghdad>