Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Saudis Support Action Against Iraq If Endorsed by U.N.

Aired September 15, 2002 - 08:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the issue of Iraq -- Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says his country would back action against Iraq but only if it was endorsed by a U.N. resolution. Meantime, the White House has dismissed an offer by Iraq to let U.N. weapons inspectors inside the country only under certain provisions.
Joining us with details on all of this is CNN White House Correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux. Hello, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles. Well, President Bush is really gaining momentum -- his plea for Saddam Hussein to be held accountable through a new United Nations resolution really gaining a lot of international support.

It was just yesterday that the president met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the Camp David retreat. Berlusconi, a key U.S. ally, said that while he does not support any type of unilateral action by the United States to oust Saddam Hussein, he did praise the president for going before the United Nations.

It was just a day after the one year anniversary of the September 11 attacks President Bush went to the United Nations to make his case for why Saddam Hussein must go. He outlined how Iraq had violated some 16 U.N. resolutions and how the United Nations should hold him accountable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... because they aspire to dominate. Saddam Hussein has defied the United Nations 16 times. Not once, not twice -- 16 times he has defied the U.N..

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, in a sign that also Arab allies are coming onboard, the Arab League voting unanimously that Iraq should allow weapons inspectors back in.

Also, yesterday in an apparent about face, the Saudi foreign minister telling CNN that it would allow military forces -- troops -- on Saudi soil for a possible attack in Iraq but only if it was approved by a U.N. Security Council resolution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Saudi bases would be available to the United States acting in support (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: The United Nations -- if it has every country in the Middle East everywhere hence, if there is a Security Council decision taken -- ask lawyers about this, not mere diplomats. And everybody is obliged to follow through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So the president not only seemingly gaining international support but also domestic support as well. This is the latest figure from the "Newsweek" poll that just came out yesterday saying that 67 percent of Americans support using military force against Iraq.

The president is making his case before the international as well as the domestic community. It seems that the people are listening. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux -- thank you very much for joining us this morning.

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