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CNN Sunday Morning
White House Diplomatic Blitz in Full Swing
Aired February 23, 2003 - 08:04 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.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the showdown with Iraq. A White House diplomacy blitz is in full swing today with the president and key aides working to build support for a new U.N. resolution. Our Suzanne Malveaux joins us from the White House with the latest on this report -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. President Bush is engaged in really high stakes diplomacy to win possible approval of a war with Iraq. President Bush is spending the weekend at his Crawford ranch hosting Spain's prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar. As you know, Aznar is a key ally for the administration, a U.N. Security Council member. Mr. Bush hopes that he can sway the other members, namely of Mexico and Chile. Those are also leaders that he called last night. President Bush issuing a very stern warning not only to the U.N. Security Council, but also to Saddam Hussein that it's his last chance to comply.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Saddam Hussein wants time, and after all, he thinks he will get time because he's deceived the world for 12 years. He'll play like he's going to disarm. He has no intention of disarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: President Bush is spending the weekend with the Prime Minister Aznar. They are crafting this resolution. They're going to be introducing this as early as possibly tomorrow. We are told it is simple language. It is saying that Saddam Hussein has not complied. That the U.N. Security Council must enforce this. We've also heard from Secretary of State Colin Powell making this case. He is now in Beijing, talking about the very important next steps in introducing this resolution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Once it has been tabled, there will be a period of consultation among Security Council members, among international leaders around the world before a judgment is made with respect to bringing that resolution to a vote, or whatever other action the Security Council might consider.
The bottom line, however, is that time is running out for Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: The specific (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- this is a critical benchmark, the new resolution to be introduced perhaps as early as tomorrow. March 1, Iraq faces its first deadline to prove it will destroy prohibited missiles. March 7, the chief inspector, Hans Blix, will address the U.N. Security Council, and the administration is looking for a vote on this resolution soon after, perhaps the second week of March -- Jonathan.
KARL: All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you very much.
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 February 23, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the showdown with Iraq. A White House diplomacy blitz is in full swing today with the president and key aides working to build support for a new U.N. resolution. Our Suzanne Malveaux joins us from the White House with the latest on this report -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. President Bush is engaged in really high stakes diplomacy to win possible approval of a war with Iraq. President Bush is spending the weekend at his Crawford ranch hosting Spain's prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar. As you know, Aznar is a key ally for the administration, a U.N. Security Council member. Mr. Bush hopes that he can sway the other members, namely of Mexico and Chile. Those are also leaders that he called last night. President Bush issuing a very stern warning not only to the U.N. Security Council, but also to Saddam Hussein that it's his last chance to comply.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Saddam Hussein wants time, and after all, he thinks he will get time because he's deceived the world for 12 years. He'll play like he's going to disarm. He has no intention of disarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: President Bush is spending the weekend with the Prime Minister Aznar. They are crafting this resolution. They're going to be introducing this as early as possibly tomorrow. We are told it is simple language. It is saying that Saddam Hussein has not complied. That the U.N. Security Council must enforce this. We've also heard from Secretary of State Colin Powell making this case. He is now in Beijing, talking about the very important next steps in introducing this resolution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Once it has been tabled, there will be a period of consultation among Security Council members, among international leaders around the world before a judgment is made with respect to bringing that resolution to a vote, or whatever other action the Security Council might consider.
The bottom line, however, is that time is running out for Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: The specific (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- this is a critical benchmark, the new resolution to be introduced perhaps as early as tomorrow. March 1, Iraq faces its first deadline to prove it will destroy prohibited missiles. March 7, the chief inspector, Hans Blix, will address the U.N. Security Council, and the administration is looking for a vote on this resolution soon after, perhaps the second week of March -- Jonathan.
KARL: All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
