Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

U.S. Sending Message to U.N. Regarding Iraq

Aired September 04, 2003 - 08:03   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: The U.S. is sending a message to the U.N. regarding Iraq. The sign is out -- help wanted. The White House is pushing a proposed U.N. resolution that calls for a greater international role in rebuilding that country.
To the U.N. today and Richard Roth at his post, as he always is. And a bit later this hour, Richard, the leaders in France and Germany to hold a news conference. What do we expect to come from this regarding Iraq and the future there?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yesterday it was Secretary of State Powell explaining the new proposed U.S. resolution on Iraq, to invite more U.N. involvement. This, today, from Schroeder of Germany and Chirac of France, the early staking out of their positions. And those are two key countries that the U.S. will need to get on board for passage of this resolution.

Yesterday, the Security Council huddled on other matters, but behind closed doors and in the corridors and on the telephones around the world, the diplomats were beginning the process of combing over the proposed early text from the United States.

The U.S. still says it's going to be playing the dominant role in Iraq, and that's not going to sit well with France and Germany. And no doubt those leaders, at their press conference, are going to give early indications on how it all sits with them. Council diplomats believe France is going to want to play a bigger role in politics and economic reconstruction. One independent analyst who watches the U.N. closely thinks Washington is going to have to budge a bit on several issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MALONE, INTERNATIONAL PEACE ACADEMY: What Washington's going to have to give up and start changing in its approach is this idea that it will dictate what will happen on the ground in Iraq. It hasn't worked, and furthermore, if it wants to attract valued partners and allies, it's going to have to share responsibility for the political strategy with them, possibly through the United Nations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The entire negotiating process may be capped off by the big General Assembly annual meeting less than three weeks from today. President Bush will be here, along with the German chancellor and other key figures -- Bill.

HEMMER: Richard Roth, thanks, at the U.N.

James Rubin, former assistant U.S. secretary of state with us now here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Nice to see you.

Good morning.

JAMES RUBIN, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: I gave you a bit of a promotion a short time ago to cabinet level.

RUBIN: Yes.

HEMMER: Great to see you, as always.

RUBIN: Nice to see you.

HEMMER: Basically, the structure, if it plays out the way we're led to believe, is that the U.N. would take care of the political side, Iraqi Governing Council, help set up the constitution in that country. The U.S., then, still manages the military side and still hunts down the bad guys. A framework that's possible or not?

RUBIN: Well, if the administration accepts the Bill Hemmer framework, I think things will work very well. Unfortunately, the initial draft the United States put forward doesn't do that. The United States currently is still insisting on playing the dominant political role. In other words, Paul Bremmer, the U.S. consul there, would still make all the major decisions.

The key will be, in negotiating this resolution at the United Nations, is whether the U.S. understands that it has to give other players not only a responsibility to participate politically, militarily, and, crucially, financially, but they also have to give them a seat at the table at decision-making involvement. And it doesn't have to mean that other countries decide what happens to the U.S. forces. That's never going to happen and nobody expects that. But it does mean that U.S. forces need to consult with the U.N. political authorities, U.S. forces need to consult with the new Iraqi political authorities.

HEMMER: So a seat at the table, is that the carrot that says come on in, you're invited, we'll work with you?

RUBIN: Yes. That is the carrot. But tragically for the United States, for the Iraqi people and for the world, frankly, the Bush administration has been very, very late in doing this. The moment to be humble, to be magnanimous was right after the victory. And had we gone to the U.N. Security Council at that time, we wouldn't need to have offered them very much of a role at all, but just a seat at the table, a respect that other countries, if they're going to be asked to send troops, to contribute billions of dollars, that they're going to have a seat at the table. Now, with all the disasters that have occurred in Iraq, the bombing of the U.N., the bombing of the Jordanian embassy, with terrorists returning to the country, it's going to be -- require us to pay a higher price to get the same level of support.

HEMMER: There are some who are questioning what the U.N. can really do in Iraq, based on its history, the way the organization has changed and different conflicts around the world. A piece in the "Washington Post" today says, "Will the U.N. be able to handle quasi guerilla war environments while in Iraq?"

The U.N. learned some very tough lessons in Somalia.

RUBIN: Absolutely. And I think what's important for people to understand is nobody is suggesting that the U.N. is going to conduct military operations. That day has come and gone. Military operations, even under this new proposal, would still be run primarily by the United States, with the 150,000 plus forces we have there, and any new forces brought in would report to the American military commander. The U.N. is not in the tracking down of terrorists or any other military business.

HEMMER: Less than a minute to go here. Two more topics I want to get to quickly. Yesterday we asked our viewers online if the U.N. had an obligation right now to contribute in Iraq. Does it, in your estimation?

RUBIN: Well, I think everyone who cares about the Iraqi people has an obligation to try to help and to put behind them the bitterness of last spring and last -- and over the summer. That means Washington has an obligation to put behind them the bitterness. So do the French.

HEMMER: Also a report earlier today, indications out of Moscow that the Russians are ready to send peacekeepers. Don't know if that's a done deal yet, but across the wires several hours ago. If Moscow and Paris want to get on board here, what is the likelihood, do you think, that they're going to come in there and say you cannot give all these contracts to American companies? We need a piece of the pie, as well.

RUBIN: Well, the big unanswered question in the new U.N. draft that the U.S. has put forward is who controls the fund where Iraqi oil comes in. That is the economic piece of the puzzle. If we want the rest of the world to help us with this $100 billion burden we're going to have in Iraq, we have to let them participate in economic decision- making, and maybe even get some of the contracts.

HEMMER: And that's if you can keep that pipeline safe and secure.

RUBIN: That's right.

HEMMER: Jamie Rubin, thanks.

RUBIN: Thank you. HEMMER: We'll talk again.

RUBIN: Nice to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: OK.

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 September 4, 2003 - 08:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is sending a message to the U.N. regarding Iraq. The sign is out -- help wanted. The White House is pushing a proposed U.N. resolution that calls for a greater international role in rebuilding that country.
To the U.N. today and Richard Roth at his post, as he always is. And a bit later this hour, Richard, the leaders in France and Germany to hold a news conference. What do we expect to come from this regarding Iraq and the future there?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yesterday it was Secretary of State Powell explaining the new proposed U.S. resolution on Iraq, to invite more U.N. involvement. This, today, from Schroeder of Germany and Chirac of France, the early staking out of their positions. And those are two key countries that the U.S. will need to get on board for passage of this resolution.

Yesterday, the Security Council huddled on other matters, but behind closed doors and in the corridors and on the telephones around the world, the diplomats were beginning the process of combing over the proposed early text from the United States.

The U.S. still says it's going to be playing the dominant role in Iraq, and that's not going to sit well with France and Germany. And no doubt those leaders, at their press conference, are going to give early indications on how it all sits with them. Council diplomats believe France is going to want to play a bigger role in politics and economic reconstruction. One independent analyst who watches the U.N. closely thinks Washington is going to have to budge a bit on several issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MALONE, INTERNATIONAL PEACE ACADEMY: What Washington's going to have to give up and start changing in its approach is this idea that it will dictate what will happen on the ground in Iraq. It hasn't worked, and furthermore, if it wants to attract valued partners and allies, it's going to have to share responsibility for the political strategy with them, possibly through the United Nations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: The entire negotiating process may be capped off by the big General Assembly annual meeting less than three weeks from today. President Bush will be here, along with the German chancellor and other key figures -- Bill.

HEMMER: Richard Roth, thanks, at the U.N.

James Rubin, former assistant U.S. secretary of state with us now here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Nice to see you.

Good morning.

JAMES RUBIN, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: I gave you a bit of a promotion a short time ago to cabinet level.

RUBIN: Yes.

HEMMER: Great to see you, as always.

RUBIN: Nice to see you.

HEMMER: Basically, the structure, if it plays out the way we're led to believe, is that the U.N. would take care of the political side, Iraqi Governing Council, help set up the constitution in that country. The U.S., then, still manages the military side and still hunts down the bad guys. A framework that's possible or not?

RUBIN: Well, if the administration accepts the Bill Hemmer framework, I think things will work very well. Unfortunately, the initial draft the United States put forward doesn't do that. The United States currently is still insisting on playing the dominant political role. In other words, Paul Bremmer, the U.S. consul there, would still make all the major decisions.

The key will be, in negotiating this resolution at the United Nations, is whether the U.S. understands that it has to give other players not only a responsibility to participate politically, militarily, and, crucially, financially, but they also have to give them a seat at the table at decision-making involvement. And it doesn't have to mean that other countries decide what happens to the U.S. forces. That's never going to happen and nobody expects that. But it does mean that U.S. forces need to consult with the U.N. political authorities, U.S. forces need to consult with the new Iraqi political authorities.

HEMMER: So a seat at the table, is that the carrot that says come on in, you're invited, we'll work with you?

RUBIN: Yes. That is the carrot. But tragically for the United States, for the Iraqi people and for the world, frankly, the Bush administration has been very, very late in doing this. The moment to be humble, to be magnanimous was right after the victory. And had we gone to the U.N. Security Council at that time, we wouldn't need to have offered them very much of a role at all, but just a seat at the table, a respect that other countries, if they're going to be asked to send troops, to contribute billions of dollars, that they're going to have a seat at the table. Now, with all the disasters that have occurred in Iraq, the bombing of the U.N., the bombing of the Jordanian embassy, with terrorists returning to the country, it's going to be -- require us to pay a higher price to get the same level of support.

HEMMER: There are some who are questioning what the U.N. can really do in Iraq, based on its history, the way the organization has changed and different conflicts around the world. A piece in the "Washington Post" today says, "Will the U.N. be able to handle quasi guerilla war environments while in Iraq?"

The U.N. learned some very tough lessons in Somalia.

RUBIN: Absolutely. And I think what's important for people to understand is nobody is suggesting that the U.N. is going to conduct military operations. That day has come and gone. Military operations, even under this new proposal, would still be run primarily by the United States, with the 150,000 plus forces we have there, and any new forces brought in would report to the American military commander. The U.N. is not in the tracking down of terrorists or any other military business.

HEMMER: Less than a minute to go here. Two more topics I want to get to quickly. Yesterday we asked our viewers online if the U.N. had an obligation right now to contribute in Iraq. Does it, in your estimation?

RUBIN: Well, I think everyone who cares about the Iraqi people has an obligation to try to help and to put behind them the bitterness of last spring and last -- and over the summer. That means Washington has an obligation to put behind them the bitterness. So do the French.

HEMMER: Also a report earlier today, indications out of Moscow that the Russians are ready to send peacekeepers. Don't know if that's a done deal yet, but across the wires several hours ago. If Moscow and Paris want to get on board here, what is the likelihood, do you think, that they're going to come in there and say you cannot give all these contracts to American companies? We need a piece of the pie, as well.

RUBIN: Well, the big unanswered question in the new U.N. draft that the U.S. has put forward is who controls the fund where Iraqi oil comes in. That is the economic piece of the puzzle. If we want the rest of the world to help us with this $100 billion burden we're going to have in Iraq, we have to let them participate in economic decision- making, and maybe even get some of the contracts.

HEMMER: And that's if you can keep that pipeline safe and secure.

RUBIN: That's right.

HEMMER: Jamie Rubin, thanks.

RUBIN: Thank you. HEMMER: We'll talk again.

RUBIN: Nice to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: OK.

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