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Are Iraqi People Aware of U.N. Inspectors' Return?

Aired November 17, 2002 - 09:32   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And now to Baghdad and the return of United Nations weapons inspectors. Hans Blix and his advance team will arrive in the Iraqi capital tomorrow to begin laying the ground work for inspections to resume. So, what's the mood there today? Are the Iraqi people much aware of all of this? For more on this, we turn to CNN's Rym Brahimi, joining us live from the Iraqi capital. Rym, what do the Iraqi people know about the inspection team?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Actually, Miles, that's a really good question, because we only found out yesterday that seems not everybody in Baghdad knows that the inspectors are coming. You know, we went out into the streets to talk to people and ask them how they felt about it, and one of the people said, oh, well, the president is going to refuse, he is going to reject this request. The inspectors aren't coming back. So we had to explain to him that actually he has accepted and they're coming back, and he was really stunned and he said, oh, well, if that's the case, then we're doomed. So it was quite an interesting episode.

But apart from that, most of the people, Miles, do know that inspectors are coming. They've been told in the newspapers, in the official state-run media, also on the TV, the Iraqi state-run TV, that the inspectors are coming. They've been told it's a wise decision because it will prevent for now the threat of a U.S. attack.

They've also been told that basically this would also maybe lead to the lifting of sanctions. So there are a lot of mixed feelings. People don't really know what to make of this. I think for now, the main feeling, though, is maybe some sort of relief at the idea that they won't be bombed right away -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Rym, do you get the sense that the movements of Dr. Blix and his team will be something that the West will have access to, Western media, specifically? Will you be able, in other words, to shadow the inspection process in any way, shape or form, or have you not heard the rules of engagement yet?

BRAHIMI: Well, if we're talking just about Hans Blix and Muhammed El-Baradei's visit, the visit of the two chief weapons inspectors here on Monday, well, I understand that there will be, to a certain extent, some media coverage.

The way things work in Baghdad with the Ministry of Information and with the U.N. is we're often told very much at the last minute. But I think most people now know that he's coming tomorrow. There are -- we're working on arrangements to be made to actually be able to meet him at the airport as well.

In terms of when the other inspectors come and when the teams will start, well, we know that the Iraqi government has said and the vice president of Iraq himself, in the past, has said that he would like international media to cover that visit, to cover the inspections, because he wants to make sure that they'll act, he says, professionally.

Now, that, we're still trying to find out. It's not clear who gets the last word on this. I'm not sure it's completely up to the Iraqi government. This may have to go also to the United Nations -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Very interesting. I'm sure the plot will thicken on that front. Rym Brahimi in Baghdad, we appreciate it as always.

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Aired November 17, 2002 - 09:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And now to Baghdad and the return of United Nations weapons inspectors. Hans Blix and his advance team will arrive in the Iraqi capital tomorrow to begin laying the ground work for inspections to resume. So, what's the mood there today? Are the Iraqi people much aware of all of this? For more on this, we turn to CNN's Rym Brahimi, joining us live from the Iraqi capital. Rym, what do the Iraqi people know about the inspection team?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Actually, Miles, that's a really good question, because we only found out yesterday that seems not everybody in Baghdad knows that the inspectors are coming. You know, we went out into the streets to talk to people and ask them how they felt about it, and one of the people said, oh, well, the president is going to refuse, he is going to reject this request. The inspectors aren't coming back. So we had to explain to him that actually he has accepted and they're coming back, and he was really stunned and he said, oh, well, if that's the case, then we're doomed. So it was quite an interesting episode.

But apart from that, most of the people, Miles, do know that inspectors are coming. They've been told in the newspapers, in the official state-run media, also on the TV, the Iraqi state-run TV, that the inspectors are coming. They've been told it's a wise decision because it will prevent for now the threat of a U.S. attack.

They've also been told that basically this would also maybe lead to the lifting of sanctions. So there are a lot of mixed feelings. People don't really know what to make of this. I think for now, the main feeling, though, is maybe some sort of relief at the idea that they won't be bombed right away -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Rym, do you get the sense that the movements of Dr. Blix and his team will be something that the West will have access to, Western media, specifically? Will you be able, in other words, to shadow the inspection process in any way, shape or form, or have you not heard the rules of engagement yet?

BRAHIMI: Well, if we're talking just about Hans Blix and Muhammed El-Baradei's visit, the visit of the two chief weapons inspectors here on Monday, well, I understand that there will be, to a certain extent, some media coverage.

The way things work in Baghdad with the Ministry of Information and with the U.N. is we're often told very much at the last minute. But I think most people now know that he's coming tomorrow. There are -- we're working on arrangements to be made to actually be able to meet him at the airport as well.

In terms of when the other inspectors come and when the teams will start, well, we know that the Iraqi government has said and the vice president of Iraq himself, in the past, has said that he would like international media to cover that visit, to cover the inspections, because he wants to make sure that they'll act, he says, professionally.

Now, that, we're still trying to find out. It's not clear who gets the last word on this. I'm not sure it's completely up to the Iraqi government. This may have to go also to the United Nations -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Very interesting. I'm sure the plot will thicken on that front. Rym Brahimi in Baghdad, we appreciate it as always.

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