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CNN Live Event/Special

U.S. Wants U.N. To Stop Talking, Start Voting

Aired November 07, 2002 - 12:00   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration wants to wrap up two full months of U.N. deliberations with a Security Council vote sometime tomorrow.
Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, is ready to bring us up-to-date on where this stands right now -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're getting closer, but we've heard that for a while, Wolf. The Security Council resumed deliberations today. Some countries giving the United States and the United Kingdom their ideas on the latest revised draft, the third proposal by the United States. And there you see in the distance, the U.S. ambassador, John Negroponte.

The U.S. had been pressing for a vote on Friday, but chances seem to be ebbing a little bit on that. Syria wants a vote Monday. The problem remains concerns over use of force. Russia is very worried about that, along with some other countries. But Russia is the main holdout on that. France is also edging a little bit closer.

But this resolution will give the U.N. weapons inspectors more power and more access should they, indeed, get into Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, there is the change that's in regards access. I mean, in Vienna, we did clear up with the Iraqis that we can go to more (ph) sensitive sites. So, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) normal (ph) sites, and in the resolution, the sites -- the presidential sites will also be normal ones.

And apart from that, well, we will have the right to use all of the techniques and all of the interviewing of whoever we want -- lots of things that are underlying, which I think are helpful. So, it is the general strengthening of the inspectors' position, strengthening our hands as they wanted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Iraq would have seven days in which to accept the terms of this resolution; 30 days in which to fully disclose its program of weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is edging closer to saying yes, it is going to accept this resolution.

The Iraqi ambassador just wants the resolution to preserve the dignity of the Iraqi state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: The respect of the charter, the respect of international law, the respect of Iraq's sovereignty, the respect of Iraq security -- those are very important elements. And certainly, we would like to see a resolution which would not cover -- be used by America as a justification to attack my country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: So, the consultations will continue. Other countries are going to be coming up with some other ideas. The U.S. would like to get as many on board and, naturally, avoid a veto -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard Roth at the United Nations, thanks very much.

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 November 7, 2002 - 12:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration wants to wrap up two full months of U.N. deliberations with a Security Council vote sometime tomorrow.
Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, is ready to bring us up-to-date on where this stands right now -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're getting closer, but we've heard that for a while, Wolf. The Security Council resumed deliberations today. Some countries giving the United States and the United Kingdom their ideas on the latest revised draft, the third proposal by the United States. And there you see in the distance, the U.S. ambassador, John Negroponte.

The U.S. had been pressing for a vote on Friday, but chances seem to be ebbing a little bit on that. Syria wants a vote Monday. The problem remains concerns over use of force. Russia is very worried about that, along with some other countries. But Russia is the main holdout on that. France is also edging a little bit closer.

But this resolution will give the U.N. weapons inspectors more power and more access should they, indeed, get into Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, there is the change that's in regards access. I mean, in Vienna, we did clear up with the Iraqis that we can go to more (ph) sensitive sites. So, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) normal (ph) sites, and in the resolution, the sites -- the presidential sites will also be normal ones.

And apart from that, well, we will have the right to use all of the techniques and all of the interviewing of whoever we want -- lots of things that are underlying, which I think are helpful. So, it is the general strengthening of the inspectors' position, strengthening our hands as they wanted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Iraq would have seven days in which to accept the terms of this resolution; 30 days in which to fully disclose its program of weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is edging closer to saying yes, it is going to accept this resolution.

The Iraqi ambassador just wants the resolution to preserve the dignity of the Iraqi state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: The respect of the charter, the respect of international law, the respect of Iraq's sovereignty, the respect of Iraq security -- those are very important elements. And certainly, we would like to see a resolution which would not cover -- be used by America as a justification to attack my country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: So, the consultations will continue. Other countries are going to be coming up with some other ideas. The U.S. would like to get as many on board and, naturally, avoid a veto -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard Roth at the United Nations, thanks very much.

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