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Copies of Iraq's Arms Declaration to Be Flown to U.S., Austria
Aired December 08, 2002 - 07:02 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: This morning three sets of Iraq's arms declaration are being flown to the U.S. and Austria. Two sets going to the United Nations headquarters in New York; one, to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
Now, Iraq submitted that massive document on its arms programs one day ahead of schedule. Let's to CNN's Nic Robertson, who is joining us from Baghdad with the very latest.
Hello, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine.
Well, that Iraq declaration left Baghdad this morning. It flew out on a large U.N. aircraft; went to Cyprus. There, we are told, two sets of the documents already on their way to New York. The other document going to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, that will take off and head to Vienna later today.
Arms inspectors out and about today. One going to a geological institute in Baghdad. That was a nuclear team of experts. The other team headed to the west of Baghdad to Fallujah. Fallujah is a large industrial complex area, several facilities there. U.N. inspectors have been interested in in the past.
They suspect that while the plant produces pesticides and other chemicals for the petrochemical industry, in the past it is believed to have produced chemicals to advance chemical warfare program. Indeed, a United States dossier released a few months ago, the government of the United States said that the plant actually had been -- some parts of it -- rebuilt, some parts of it re-supplied since bombing during the Gulf war.
Now, an interesting statement from Iraq's leadership: A message to the people of Kuwait, delivered on Iraqi television last night by Information Minister Mohammed al Sahhaf, saying to the Kuwaiti people that they need their support at this time.
That they are reaching out, interestingly, to the Kuwaiti people and not to the leadership of Kuwait, because Iraq is trying to gain support for its position at this time. It sees that perhaps the best way of heading off a war is by trying to win over support in neighboring countries. Kuwait obviously important as it would be an ally for Iraq at this time because it will be one of the major launch pads, if there is a war against Iraq. Very interestingly, this announcement to the people of Kuwait, rather than to the leadership of Kuwait. This year Iraq has reached out diplomatically to Kuwaiti leaders on several occasions. Now, reaching out to the people of Kuwait.
Indeed, telling them, surprisingly, that their leadership are now essentially agents for international oil companies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATOR): Pollute your world and turn you into workers under their supervision. And turn your rulers into local managers of petroleum companies, deciding in Washington or New York the amount, the price, and the buyer of your oil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: Now, on the inspectors front today, we are expected to see more U.N. inspectors arriving in Baghdad. Another 35 are expected to arrive later today. They will increase their number of their inspection teams out and about next week -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Nic. Thank you. Nic Robertson with the very latest 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
Austria>
Aired December 8, 2002 - 07:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: This morning three sets of Iraq's arms declaration are being flown to the U.S. and Austria. Two sets going to the United Nations headquarters in New York; one, to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
Now, Iraq submitted that massive document on its arms programs one day ahead of schedule. Let's to CNN's Nic Robertson, who is joining us from Baghdad with the very latest.
Hello, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine.
Well, that Iraq declaration left Baghdad this morning. It flew out on a large U.N. aircraft; went to Cyprus. There, we are told, two sets of the documents already on their way to New York. The other document going to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, that will take off and head to Vienna later today.
Arms inspectors out and about today. One going to a geological institute in Baghdad. That was a nuclear team of experts. The other team headed to the west of Baghdad to Fallujah. Fallujah is a large industrial complex area, several facilities there. U.N. inspectors have been interested in in the past.
They suspect that while the plant produces pesticides and other chemicals for the petrochemical industry, in the past it is believed to have produced chemicals to advance chemical warfare program. Indeed, a United States dossier released a few months ago, the government of the United States said that the plant actually had been -- some parts of it -- rebuilt, some parts of it re-supplied since bombing during the Gulf war.
Now, an interesting statement from Iraq's leadership: A message to the people of Kuwait, delivered on Iraqi television last night by Information Minister Mohammed al Sahhaf, saying to the Kuwaiti people that they need their support at this time.
That they are reaching out, interestingly, to the Kuwaiti people and not to the leadership of Kuwait, because Iraq is trying to gain support for its position at this time. It sees that perhaps the best way of heading off a war is by trying to win over support in neighboring countries. Kuwait obviously important as it would be an ally for Iraq at this time because it will be one of the major launch pads, if there is a war against Iraq. Very interestingly, this announcement to the people of Kuwait, rather than to the leadership of Kuwait. This year Iraq has reached out diplomatically to Kuwaiti leaders on several occasions. Now, reaching out to the people of Kuwait.
Indeed, telling them, surprisingly, that their leadership are now essentially agents for international oil companies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATOR): Pollute your world and turn you into workers under their supervision. And turn your rulers into local managers of petroleum companies, deciding in Washington or New York the amount, the price, and the buyer of your oil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: Now, on the inspectors front today, we are expected to see more U.N. inspectors arriving in Baghdad. Another 35 are expected to arrive later today. They will increase their number of their inspection teams out and about next week -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Nic. Thank you. Nic Robertson with the very latest 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
Austria>
