Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
Iraqi Ambassador Speaks at U.N.
Aired January 29, 2003 - 12:36 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: There's a development unfolding right now over at the United Nations. I believe the Iraqi ambassador to the U.N., Mohammed al Douri -- there he is -- is speaking. Let's listen.
MOHAMMED AL DOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: ... one piece of evidence.
In 1917, British General Mode (ph) invaded Baghdad, declaring at that time -- and I quote -- "I came not as a conqueror, but as a liberator."
Last night, President Bush echoed that statement almost too accurately, but he neglected to recall that Iraqi people rejected British colonialism, defeated General Mode (ph), and we will do so whenever there's attack their country.
Iraq -- the inspections of suspected sites in the past few weeks dispel the allegations of the British and the American's so-called reports of the alleged Iraqi WMDs. After attacking Iraq in 1998, President Clinton declared that he has successfully destroyed all of Iraqi alleged WMDs.
Is one president contradicting another? We shall not ignore that all too important declaration of Dr. Blix and ElBaradei on the 27th of this month -- and I quote -- "we found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq." They are their words, not mine.
Also, we shall not miss the clear statement of Dr. ElBaradei that same day -- and I quote -- "to conclude, we have to date found no evidence that Iraq has revived its nuclear weapons program" -- end of quote.
Iraq has implemented all resolutions related to the disarmament issues. In spite of that, we are reaching out to the international community, saying we will go a step further and proactively cooperate with the inspectors to prove that these baseless allegations are nothing but fabrications.
We are seeking an end of this evil sanctions regime that killed almost 2 million of Iraq. I would like to remind the Bush administration that the Iraqi people struggled through the first half of the last century to gain their independence from colonialism, and strive through the second half of the century to preserve their independence, our independence...
BLITZER: We're going to leave the United Nations, Mohammed al Douri, the Iraqi ambassador to the U.N., monitor what he is saying, get the news to you later.
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 29, 2003 - 12:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There's a development unfolding right now over at the United Nations. I believe the Iraqi ambassador to the U.N., Mohammed al Douri -- there he is -- is speaking. Let's listen.
MOHAMMED AL DOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: ... one piece of evidence.
In 1917, British General Mode (ph) invaded Baghdad, declaring at that time -- and I quote -- "I came not as a conqueror, but as a liberator."
Last night, President Bush echoed that statement almost too accurately, but he neglected to recall that Iraqi people rejected British colonialism, defeated General Mode (ph), and we will do so whenever there's attack their country.
Iraq -- the inspections of suspected sites in the past few weeks dispel the allegations of the British and the American's so-called reports of the alleged Iraqi WMDs. After attacking Iraq in 1998, President Clinton declared that he has successfully destroyed all of Iraqi alleged WMDs.
Is one president contradicting another? We shall not ignore that all too important declaration of Dr. Blix and ElBaradei on the 27th of this month -- and I quote -- "we found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq." They are their words, not mine.
Also, we shall not miss the clear statement of Dr. ElBaradei that same day -- and I quote -- "to conclude, we have to date found no evidence that Iraq has revived its nuclear weapons program" -- end of quote.
Iraq has implemented all resolutions related to the disarmament issues. In spite of that, we are reaching out to the international community, saying we will go a step further and proactively cooperate with the inspectors to prove that these baseless allegations are nothing but fabrications.
We are seeking an end of this evil sanctions regime that killed almost 2 million of Iraq. I would like to remind the Bush administration that the Iraqi people struggled through the first half of the last century to gain their independence from colonialism, and strive through the second half of the century to preserve their independence, our independence...
BLITZER: We're going to leave the United Nations, Mohammed al Douri, the Iraqi ambassador to the U.N., monitor what he is saying, get the news to you later.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
