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American Morning

French Opposition

Aired March 18, 2003 - 08:41   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: French President Jacques Chirac is denouncing the White House ultimatum to Baghdad, saying inspections should continue, and force must be the very last resort.
Jim Bittermann standing by in Paris following reaction there.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

It was about 2:00 in the morning local time when President Bush spoke last night. And President Jacques Chirac wasted no time at all reacting to the speech. By breakfast time this morning, he had a communique out, suggest that the United States is defying the will of the international community; that will, he says, is that the inspects and disarmament continue in Iraq.

And shortly thereafter, he took to the airwaves for kind of a mini address to the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): The United States presented an ultimatum to Iraq. Whether or not this is concerned with the disarmament of Iraq or of much hope for regime change inside the country. There's no justification for this unilateral resort to war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMANN: And the other thing that's come out of here this morning is that the French foreign minister, Dominique De Villepin, says -- quote -- "The game's not over." He's intending to fly to New York tomorrow for a United Nations Security Council meeting. The French called for a United Nations security council meeting at ministerial level. He's going to be there; it's not clear how many other foreign ministers may show up for that, but basically, he wants to talk about how the inspections routine might be restarted, despite the threat of war -- Paula.

ZAHN: That should be one interesting discussion at the U.N. tomorrow.

Jim Bittermann, thanks so much for the 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 18, 2003 - 08:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: French President Jacques Chirac is denouncing the White House ultimatum to Baghdad, saying inspections should continue, and force must be the very last resort.
Jim Bittermann standing by in Paris following reaction there.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

It was about 2:00 in the morning local time when President Bush spoke last night. And President Jacques Chirac wasted no time at all reacting to the speech. By breakfast time this morning, he had a communique out, suggest that the United States is defying the will of the international community; that will, he says, is that the inspects and disarmament continue in Iraq.

And shortly thereafter, he took to the airwaves for kind of a mini address to the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): The United States presented an ultimatum to Iraq. Whether or not this is concerned with the disarmament of Iraq or of much hope for regime change inside the country. There's no justification for this unilateral resort to war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMANN: And the other thing that's come out of here this morning is that the French foreign minister, Dominique De Villepin, says -- quote -- "The game's not over." He's intending to fly to New York tomorrow for a United Nations Security Council meeting. The French called for a United Nations security council meeting at ministerial level. He's going to be there; it's not clear how many other foreign ministers may show up for that, but basically, he wants to talk about how the inspections routine might be restarted, despite the threat of war -- Paula.

ZAHN: That should be one interesting discussion at the U.N. tomorrow.

Jim Bittermann, thanks so much for the 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