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American Morning
White House Push for Resolution Vote on Iraq
Aired March 11, 2003 - 07:04 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: More on our top story. The Bush administration puts on a full court press to win over Security Council members on Iraq.
Suzanne Malveaux is standing by at the White House with the very latest.
Good morning -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Paula. That's absolutely right, the Bush administration really is fully engaged in the diplomatic effort here.
Now, U.S. officials say that they are open to extending that March 17 deadline for Saddam Hussein by days, perhaps even a week, not weeks or months as some U.N. Security Council members would like. But the administration also insisting they want that vote on the U.N. resolution some time this week.
And the president yesterday making a number of phone calls to world leaders, eight world leaders, including critical members of the U.N. Security Council -- Spain which supports the resolution, China which does not. The negotiations are really in high gear.
And what the British are talking about now is establishing some benchmarks within that resolution. They're talking about arranging for those Iraqi scientists to be interviewed outside of the country, for Saddam Hussein to account for the VX nerve gas, for anthrax, and those prohibited missiles and aircraft. All of this they want to see in the resolution. They are hoping desperately that they can go ahead and get the support of those nine members needed.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair this morning:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: My concern is that if countries talk about using a veto in all sorts of circumstances, the message that sends to Saddam is, you're off the hook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Paula, there have been threats from France and Russia that they will use their veto; that they are not going to support this resolution in any form. So the question is: Why is the administration bothering? Well, they say, yes, that they will go forward with an international coalition of the willing, but they certainly do not want their efforts to win the support of this international body to go down in flames -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much for the live update.
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 March 11, 2003 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: More on our top story. The Bush administration puts on a full court press to win over Security Council members on Iraq.
Suzanne Malveaux is standing by at the White House with the very latest.
Good morning -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Paula. That's absolutely right, the Bush administration really is fully engaged in the diplomatic effort here.
Now, U.S. officials say that they are open to extending that March 17 deadline for Saddam Hussein by days, perhaps even a week, not weeks or months as some U.N. Security Council members would like. But the administration also insisting they want that vote on the U.N. resolution some time this week.
And the president yesterday making a number of phone calls to world leaders, eight world leaders, including critical members of the U.N. Security Council -- Spain which supports the resolution, China which does not. The negotiations are really in high gear.
And what the British are talking about now is establishing some benchmarks within that resolution. They're talking about arranging for those Iraqi scientists to be interviewed outside of the country, for Saddam Hussein to account for the VX nerve gas, for anthrax, and those prohibited missiles and aircraft. All of this they want to see in the resolution. They are hoping desperately that they can go ahead and get the support of those nine members needed.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair this morning:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: My concern is that if countries talk about using a veto in all sorts of circumstances, the message that sends to Saddam is, you're off the hook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Paula, there have been threats from France and Russia that they will use their veto; that they are not going to support this resolution in any form. So the question is: Why is the administration bothering? Well, they say, yes, that they will go forward with an international coalition of the willing, but they certainly do not want their efforts to win the support of this international body to go down in flames -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much for the live update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
