Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Colin Powell's U.N. Presentation Getting High Remarks from Allies

Aired February 06, 2003 - 08:23   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: Colin Powell's U.N. presentation getting high remarks even from U.S. allies who oppose war against Iraq. The foreign ministers of France and Germany, as of yesterday, saying that Powell made a convincing argument for more inspections. More reaction now, 24 hours later, the presentation, how it's playing overseas.
Patricia Schlesinger, senior correspondent for ARD German TV. She is in D.C. this morning. From Moscow, Christian Malard, senior foreign analyst for France 3 TV.

Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.

Good to have you back both with us here.

CHRISTIAN MALARD, FRANCE 3 TV: Good morning.

PATRICIA SCHESLINGER, ARD GERMAN TELEVISION: Good morning.

HEMMER: I want to, Christian, I want to get the French perspective on this. You told our producers essentially that Colin Powell showed us proof and that France is one step closer to moving in the direction to follow the Bush administration. Is that the case? And, if so, is there slight movement from the French right now?

MALARD: Yes, you're right, Bill. I think there is a slight movement. A high ranking official close to the president whom I was talking to yesterday gave me, we talked and she said that they understand that Colin Powell scored, "scored one point," showering that to some certain specific points that Saddam Hussein has been lying, has been cheating. So it's brand new in the French approach to the Iraqi problem.

Of course, as you know, they still want the inspectors to go on their job on the ground there for a few more weeks. Not a few more months. I think it's a matter of weeks. And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) personally told me that...

HEMMER: Have they stated that, Christian?

I'm sorry about the interruption. Have they stated it is weeks and not months? Have you heard that publicly?

MALARD: Well, according -- no. According to what I understood, they would like to give a little bit more time to the inspectors on the ground to make sure that they want to tighten the restraint for Saddam Hussein and really compel him to tell the truth about all what he has or what he has been hidden until now. And if after a certain period, which should not be too long, if we have the proof through the inspectors that he has been cheating or trying to gain time, it is clear that the French probably would decide, would accept the principle that we go.

Such a point for a second resolution, where the U.N. Security Council will take its responsibilities. Which means launch, decide about the launching of a new attack against Iraq. But there is a slight movement, a slight movement -- this is new -- a slight movement from the French acknowledging that Colin Powell has been scoring one point, showing that Saddam Hussein has been lying on certain specific points. I don't have got the details.

HEMMER: All right, OK.

MALARD: But it's a brand new approach. And I think...

HEMMER: All right, Christian...

MALARD: ... it's, as you said, Bill, it's one step closer.

HEMMER: Got it.

Patricia, are you getting a similar reaction or not?

SCHLESINGER: Not really. And that's not unexpected, I would say. Of course, some parts were new, what Colin Powell said and showed us yesterday, but some weren't. And I'm sure our, not only our, but the intelligence services knew what was coming up there. So that couldn't really mean a new stand for the few of Germany.

HEMMER: Yes, but don't you think, Patricia...

SCHLESINGER: The German government...

HEMMER: ... that some people probably...

SCHLESINGER: Sorry, the German have

HEMMER: ... weren't going to change their minds at all despite the evidence and despite the message of yesterday?

SCHLESINGER: Well, I think you have to make, perhaps, a difference between the German public. The German public and the government. The German public is really opposed still about any war. And, of course, you have a lot of people in the peace movement you will never, ever convince them for any war.

But the majority of people, I think you could, you could get on your side. But I mean it's all about time right now and it's not to fire away from Russia or France, their points of view. It's all about time. Give the inspectors more time and that they can get more evidence.

I think many Germans would see rather a deployment of more inspectors with a lot of time than seeing the deployment of more soldiers right now.

HEMMER: Yes, listen, we're running out of time here because of the president's speech in D.C.

Christian, quickly, you're going to talk with Vladimir Putin. Is there any change in Russia's position right now? Ten seconds.

MALARD: I'm going to interview President Putin in three hours and I think he is on the same wavelength as President Chirac. He is going to meet in Paris next week. The French and the Russians are very close right now. A little bit more time to the inspectors, see if we are cheated. If we are cheated, we go with the United States. If we are not cheated or we don't have enough proofs, we stick to our position.

HEMMER: You seem to indicate the onus is on Baghdad, as many people have stated before.

Thank you, Christian.

Patricia Schlesinger, Christian Malard in D.C. and in Moscow with the view from overseas today.

MALARD: Thank you. Good to be with you.

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





Allies>


Aired February 6, 2003 - 08:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Colin Powell's U.N. presentation getting high remarks even from U.S. allies who oppose war against Iraq. The foreign ministers of France and Germany, as of yesterday, saying that Powell made a convincing argument for more inspections. More reaction now, 24 hours later, the presentation, how it's playing overseas.
Patricia Schlesinger, senior correspondent for ARD German TV. She is in D.C. this morning. From Moscow, Christian Malard, senior foreign analyst for France 3 TV.

Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.

Good to have you back both with us here.

CHRISTIAN MALARD, FRANCE 3 TV: Good morning.

PATRICIA SCHESLINGER, ARD GERMAN TELEVISION: Good morning.

HEMMER: I want to, Christian, I want to get the French perspective on this. You told our producers essentially that Colin Powell showed us proof and that France is one step closer to moving in the direction to follow the Bush administration. Is that the case? And, if so, is there slight movement from the French right now?

MALARD: Yes, you're right, Bill. I think there is a slight movement. A high ranking official close to the president whom I was talking to yesterday gave me, we talked and she said that they understand that Colin Powell scored, "scored one point," showering that to some certain specific points that Saddam Hussein has been lying, has been cheating. So it's brand new in the French approach to the Iraqi problem.

Of course, as you know, they still want the inspectors to go on their job on the ground there for a few more weeks. Not a few more months. I think it's a matter of weeks. And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) personally told me that...

HEMMER: Have they stated that, Christian?

I'm sorry about the interruption. Have they stated it is weeks and not months? Have you heard that publicly?

MALARD: Well, according -- no. According to what I understood, they would like to give a little bit more time to the inspectors on the ground to make sure that they want to tighten the restraint for Saddam Hussein and really compel him to tell the truth about all what he has or what he has been hidden until now. And if after a certain period, which should not be too long, if we have the proof through the inspectors that he has been cheating or trying to gain time, it is clear that the French probably would decide, would accept the principle that we go.

Such a point for a second resolution, where the U.N. Security Council will take its responsibilities. Which means launch, decide about the launching of a new attack against Iraq. But there is a slight movement, a slight movement -- this is new -- a slight movement from the French acknowledging that Colin Powell has been scoring one point, showing that Saddam Hussein has been lying on certain specific points. I don't have got the details.

HEMMER: All right, OK.

MALARD: But it's a brand new approach. And I think...

HEMMER: All right, Christian...

MALARD: ... it's, as you said, Bill, it's one step closer.

HEMMER: Got it.

Patricia, are you getting a similar reaction or not?

SCHLESINGER: Not really. And that's not unexpected, I would say. Of course, some parts were new, what Colin Powell said and showed us yesterday, but some weren't. And I'm sure our, not only our, but the intelligence services knew what was coming up there. So that couldn't really mean a new stand for the few of Germany.

HEMMER: Yes, but don't you think, Patricia...

SCHLESINGER: The German government...

HEMMER: ... that some people probably...

SCHLESINGER: Sorry, the German have

HEMMER: ... weren't going to change their minds at all despite the evidence and despite the message of yesterday?

SCHLESINGER: Well, I think you have to make, perhaps, a difference between the German public. The German public and the government. The German public is really opposed still about any war. And, of course, you have a lot of people in the peace movement you will never, ever convince them for any war.

But the majority of people, I think you could, you could get on your side. But I mean it's all about time right now and it's not to fire away from Russia or France, their points of view. It's all about time. Give the inspectors more time and that they can get more evidence.

I think many Germans would see rather a deployment of more inspectors with a lot of time than seeing the deployment of more soldiers right now.

HEMMER: Yes, listen, we're running out of time here because of the president's speech in D.C.

Christian, quickly, you're going to talk with Vladimir Putin. Is there any change in Russia's position right now? Ten seconds.

MALARD: I'm going to interview President Putin in three hours and I think he is on the same wavelength as President Chirac. He is going to meet in Paris next week. The French and the Russians are very close right now. A little bit more time to the inspectors, see if we are cheated. If we are cheated, we go with the United States. If we are not cheated or we don't have enough proofs, we stick to our position.

HEMMER: You seem to indicate the onus is on Baghdad, as many people have stated before.

Thank you, Christian.

Patricia Schlesinger, Christian Malard in D.C. and in Moscow with the view from overseas today.

MALARD: Thank you. Good to be with you.

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





Allies>