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CNN Sunday Morning
Iraq's Foreign Minister Lodges Complaint Against U.N. Resolution
Aired November 24, 2002 - 11:07 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just as U.N. weapons inspections are to begin this week, Iraq's foreign minister is lodging a complaint about the resolution that requires unfettered arms checks. We go live now to Baghdad, where we find CNN's international correspondent Nic Robertson with the latest there -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Carol, that letter to Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general, from Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri. A 15-page document, very, very detailed, essentially saying that Iraq believes resolution 1441 is contradictory with international law.
Just two of the points he raises in that letter: He says that the accusations that Iraq has used weapons of mass destruction in the past, he says, those allegations are groundless.
He also says that if anyone wants to use force against Iraq in the future, then they must go to the U.N. Security Council first to get approval for that, so Iraq's foreign minister really showing some significant disapproval with U.N. resolution 1441.
However, this does not give any indication that Iraq is going to pull back from its agreement to -- to work with the U.N. weapons inspectors. The first team of those inspectors arrive here tomorrow, less than about 24 hours. There will be 18 members on that team -- 12 of them missile, chemical and biological experts and six nuclear scientists who will investigate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in that area. They will begin work on Wednesday.
We don't know exactly where they're going to go. But U.N. spokesmen have told us that what they will be making a priority in the initial few weeks of inspection will be essentially redrawing their base line, going out to sites where U.N. inspectors have previously put in place monitoring equipment, such as cameras. These sites were typically what were viewed as dual use sites. And they'll be trying to get a grip on what Iraq has been doing in the last four years, Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much. Nic Robertson, live in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Resolution>
Aired November 24, 2002 - 11:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just as U.N. weapons inspections are to begin this week, Iraq's foreign minister is lodging a complaint about the resolution that requires unfettered arms checks. We go live now to Baghdad, where we find CNN's international correspondent Nic Robertson with the latest there -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Carol, that letter to Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general, from Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri. A 15-page document, very, very detailed, essentially saying that Iraq believes resolution 1441 is contradictory with international law.
Just two of the points he raises in that letter: He says that the accusations that Iraq has used weapons of mass destruction in the past, he says, those allegations are groundless.
He also says that if anyone wants to use force against Iraq in the future, then they must go to the U.N. Security Council first to get approval for that, so Iraq's foreign minister really showing some significant disapproval with U.N. resolution 1441.
However, this does not give any indication that Iraq is going to pull back from its agreement to -- to work with the U.N. weapons inspectors. The first team of those inspectors arrive here tomorrow, less than about 24 hours. There will be 18 members on that team -- 12 of them missile, chemical and biological experts and six nuclear scientists who will investigate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in that area. They will begin work on Wednesday.
We don't know exactly where they're going to go. But U.N. spokesmen have told us that what they will be making a priority in the initial few weeks of inspection will be essentially redrawing their base line, going out to sites where U.N. inspectors have previously put in place monitoring equipment, such as cameras. These sites were typically what were viewed as dual use sites. And they'll be trying to get a grip on what Iraq has been doing in the last four years, Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much. Nic Robertson, live in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Resolution>
