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CNN Live Event/Special
French, German Ambassadors to U.N. Address Reporters
Aired January 27, 2003 - 13:54 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.N. weapons inspectors' report is in, and now speaking, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the U.N. Security Council president -- let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
JEAN-MARC DE LA SABLIERE, PRESIDENT, U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL: ... we do think that the cooperation is satisfactory. But we think that Iraq should be more proactive in its cooperation.
I will add that regarding, for example, the common declaration which were adopted in Baghdad, that there are in these declarations commitment which are interesting, but we want to see Iraq transforming now its commitment into acts. Now, let me add two things; that the system we have set up in Resolution 1441 is producing results, and this is one very important point. That we need now a more active cooperation from Iraq and we need more time. I think that what many delegation said this morning during the consultation is that we need more time.
QUESTION: About the question of time, you said...
SABLIERE: Yes, I said more time. It could be...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Ambassador, Blix pointedly did not ask for more time. He only said that he is at the disposal of council. How do you account for his reluctance to ask for more time?
SABLIERE: It is your interpretation.
How much time? It could be several weeks. It could be few months. As long as the system, the mechanism set up in Resolution 1441 is producing results, as long as the goal, which is our goal -- as long as our prospects to reach the goal, which is our goal -- our common goal of disarming Iraq peacefully the inspection should go on.
I remind that in Resolution -- and there is no time limit in Resolution 1441. And I remind that according to Resolution 1441, at any time Dr. Blix and Dr. ElBaradei can report to the council. And it is in the interest of Iraq to cooperate more actively.
Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: More time, how much more time, is it time for war? All valid questions right now as Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the U.N. Security Council president, addresses reporters after the inspections report has been in.
Now I'm being told Germany's ambassador is stepping to the mike -- let's listen in.
GUNTER PLEUGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: The German delegation this morning welcomed the report of Dr. ElBaradei and Dr. Blix. We are giving this report to our authorities at home and we will discuss this more in detail on Wednesday.
Today I restricted myself to just a few comments. First of all, I reiterated that the common goal of the Security Council is to fully disarm Iraq, and we hope that this can be done peacefully.
On the other hand, the question whether this can be done peacefully is up to Iraq. Iraq has to comply fully, and the report of Dr. Blix and ElBaradei showed that there is ample space for a better cooperation and a more proactive cooperation on the Iraqi side.
My third point was that we have just sharpened the tool of inspections. Never before have the inspectors been so powerful, never before did they have such sophisticated tools at their disposal, never before did they have such great legitimacy by the Security Council. And we think that this sharpened tool of the inspections should be used to the full. And we should give the inspectors a realistic opportunity to achieve their goals in a peaceful manner.
And last but not least, we reiterated our wish that the Security Council remained united on this issue, because only then can we hope that Iraq will comply and that we will achieve our goal of complete and full disarmament of Iraq in a peaceful way.
Thank you very much.
QUESTION: What do you hope to accomplish with the date that you set, February 14th, for another report of Blix? And do you think that member states should reserve any judgment or any action based on today's report until at least that date?
PLEUGER: No, when we were preparing the program for February of our presidency we consulted with member states and also with Dr. Blix and ElBaradei whether it would make sense in these critical times not to wait until March, when the next regular report is due, but also have an update in the middle of this. That's all.
And everybody agreed that this might be useful. And this morning in the discussions most of the delegations felt that it would be useful to have an update on the 14th. That's all.
PHILLIPS: The weapons report in, still more consultations to be had. Right there, German ambassador to the U.N., Gunter Pleuger, addressing reporters.
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 January 27, 2003 - 13:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.N. weapons inspectors' report is in, and now speaking, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the U.N. Security Council president -- let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
JEAN-MARC DE LA SABLIERE, PRESIDENT, U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL: ... we do think that the cooperation is satisfactory. But we think that Iraq should be more proactive in its cooperation.
I will add that regarding, for example, the common declaration which were adopted in Baghdad, that there are in these declarations commitment which are interesting, but we want to see Iraq transforming now its commitment into acts. Now, let me add two things; that the system we have set up in Resolution 1441 is producing results, and this is one very important point. That we need now a more active cooperation from Iraq and we need more time. I think that what many delegation said this morning during the consultation is that we need more time.
QUESTION: About the question of time, you said...
SABLIERE: Yes, I said more time. It could be...
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Ambassador, Blix pointedly did not ask for more time. He only said that he is at the disposal of council. How do you account for his reluctance to ask for more time?
SABLIERE: It is your interpretation.
How much time? It could be several weeks. It could be few months. As long as the system, the mechanism set up in Resolution 1441 is producing results, as long as the goal, which is our goal -- as long as our prospects to reach the goal, which is our goal -- our common goal of disarming Iraq peacefully the inspection should go on.
I remind that in Resolution -- and there is no time limit in Resolution 1441. And I remind that according to Resolution 1441, at any time Dr. Blix and Dr. ElBaradei can report to the council. And it is in the interest of Iraq to cooperate more actively.
Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: More time, how much more time, is it time for war? All valid questions right now as Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the U.N. Security Council president, addresses reporters after the inspections report has been in.
Now I'm being told Germany's ambassador is stepping to the mike -- let's listen in.
GUNTER PLEUGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: The German delegation this morning welcomed the report of Dr. ElBaradei and Dr. Blix. We are giving this report to our authorities at home and we will discuss this more in detail on Wednesday.
Today I restricted myself to just a few comments. First of all, I reiterated that the common goal of the Security Council is to fully disarm Iraq, and we hope that this can be done peacefully.
On the other hand, the question whether this can be done peacefully is up to Iraq. Iraq has to comply fully, and the report of Dr. Blix and ElBaradei showed that there is ample space for a better cooperation and a more proactive cooperation on the Iraqi side.
My third point was that we have just sharpened the tool of inspections. Never before have the inspectors been so powerful, never before did they have such sophisticated tools at their disposal, never before did they have such great legitimacy by the Security Council. And we think that this sharpened tool of the inspections should be used to the full. And we should give the inspectors a realistic opportunity to achieve their goals in a peaceful manner.
And last but not least, we reiterated our wish that the Security Council remained united on this issue, because only then can we hope that Iraq will comply and that we will achieve our goal of complete and full disarmament of Iraq in a peaceful way.
Thank you very much.
QUESTION: What do you hope to accomplish with the date that you set, February 14th, for another report of Blix? And do you think that member states should reserve any judgment or any action based on today's report until at least that date?
PLEUGER: No, when we were preparing the program for February of our presidency we consulted with member states and also with Dr. Blix and ElBaradei whether it would make sense in these critical times not to wait until March, when the next regular report is due, but also have an update in the middle of this. That's all.
And everybody agreed that this might be useful. And this morning in the discussions most of the delegations felt that it would be useful to have an update on the 14th. That's all.
PHILLIPS: The weapons report in, still more consultations to be had. Right there, German ambassador to the U.N., Gunter Pleuger, addressing reporters.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
