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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Administration Prepares New U.N. Resolution

Aired February 23, 2003 - 11:02   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Up first this hour, showdown Iraq. The Bush administration is in the midst of a diplomatic blitz as it prepares a new U.N. Resolution that could be a final step on the road to war. Meanwhile U.N. weapons inspectors continue their work on the front line of the weapons unit. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Baghdad. He joins us now with the very latest.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We've just had our weekly briefing from one of the senior Iraqi officials that deals with the U.N. weapons inspectors here, General Hussam Amin. This sort of sets the mood music, if you will, for the current state of relationships between the Iraqi officials and the U.N. weapons inspectors. And he set out to put everything apparently in positive terms, talking about the cooperation that Iraq is giving in terms of the U2 surveillance flights, in terms of access to sites, in terms of new proposals and methods that Iraq is putting forward, such as digging up some old sites where biological weapons have been destroyed, so that the U.N. can discover exactly how those past weapons of mass destruction were disposed of here.

But on the key issue, that is, the issue that Hans Blix, the U.N. weapons chief, has laid down for Iraq, that on March the 1st, Iraq should begin destroying its proscribed banned al Samoud 2 missiles, less than committal. He said that the issue was being given great consideration. He said that he hoped the issue could be resolved peacefully, and he said he hoped that could happen without the interference and the pressure of the United States and Great Britain.

However, when pushed on this issue, would Iraq go ahead and comply and destroy the missile systems and supporting parts, he seemed to indicate that Iraq would prefer to find what he called a technical solution as part of its ongoing cooperation with the U.N. weapons inspectors. And he restated what we've heard on a number of occasions, that Iraqi officials say, the missile wasn't designed to go beyond its 93-mile range and therefore, shouldn't be destroyed. He also said that he didn't think there should be a second U.N. resolution. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: And in fact, Nic, General Amin alluded to that second U.N. resolution as being an American policy, and not necessarily a U.N. Policy, and that's why Iraq is in very much disagreement of it.

ROBERTSON: And Iraq does think that the international mood music at the moment, the fact that Iraq believes the United States and Great Britain are essentially isolated in this move to present a new U.N. resolution, tends to set the tone from here. They do think, or they do give the appearance of thinking, that perhaps if they can comply enough with the U.N. weapons inspectors, that would be enough to keep Russia, France, China, these nations, Germany, on side, if you will. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thank you very much.

From Baghdad, now, to Washington, where President Bush is working the diplomatic channels trying to sell his position on Iraq. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now from her post at the executive mansion. Hi there, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. Senior administration officials say it does not get any more important than this. They are not debating sentences or phrases, but rather, words in that second U.N. Security Council resolution. That is something that they are calling high stakes diplomacy.

President Bush at his Crawford ranch this weekend hosting the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Aznar a very key, important ally of the administration, also a U.N. Security Council member. President Bush making a series of phone calls, as well, to leaders of Mexico, Chile, as well as Britain and Italy; the whole point of this is to try to win over and get those 9 out of 15 required votes necessary to pass this second resolution. At the same time trying to prevent a veto from France, Russia, and China.

Now, also in an interesting twist, Fred, we heard from that Iraqi official who directly challenged the president on the significance of destroying those forbidden missiles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're in the process of discussing the language.

If Iraq decides to destroy the weapons that were long-range weapons, that's just the tip of the iceberg. My question is, why don't they destroy every illegal weapon?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the debate being the Iraqi officials saying that President Bush was wrong in his comment about tip of the iceberg, that there was some sort of significance to this even if they decide to test the missiles and not destroy them themselves. But, Fred, I have to tell you, things will be moving quickly. This resolution could be introduced as early as tomorrow and we are talking about mid-March when they're looking for a vote from the U.N. Security Council. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne, thank you.

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 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Up first this hour, showdown Iraq. The Bush administration is in the midst of a diplomatic blitz as it prepares a new U.N. Resolution that could be a final step on the road to war. Meanwhile U.N. weapons inspectors continue their work on the front line of the weapons unit. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Baghdad. He joins us now with the very latest.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We've just had our weekly briefing from one of the senior Iraqi officials that deals with the U.N. weapons inspectors here, General Hussam Amin. This sort of sets the mood music, if you will, for the current state of relationships between the Iraqi officials and the U.N. weapons inspectors. And he set out to put everything apparently in positive terms, talking about the cooperation that Iraq is giving in terms of the U2 surveillance flights, in terms of access to sites, in terms of new proposals and methods that Iraq is putting forward, such as digging up some old sites where biological weapons have been destroyed, so that the U.N. can discover exactly how those past weapons of mass destruction were disposed of here.

But on the key issue, that is, the issue that Hans Blix, the U.N. weapons chief, has laid down for Iraq, that on March the 1st, Iraq should begin destroying its proscribed banned al Samoud 2 missiles, less than committal. He said that the issue was being given great consideration. He said that he hoped the issue could be resolved peacefully, and he said he hoped that could happen without the interference and the pressure of the United States and Great Britain.

However, when pushed on this issue, would Iraq go ahead and comply and destroy the missile systems and supporting parts, he seemed to indicate that Iraq would prefer to find what he called a technical solution as part of its ongoing cooperation with the U.N. weapons inspectors. And he restated what we've heard on a number of occasions, that Iraqi officials say, the missile wasn't designed to go beyond its 93-mile range and therefore, shouldn't be destroyed. He also said that he didn't think there should be a second U.N. resolution. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: And in fact, Nic, General Amin alluded to that second U.N. resolution as being an American policy, and not necessarily a U.N. Policy, and that's why Iraq is in very much disagreement of it.

ROBERTSON: And Iraq does think that the international mood music at the moment, the fact that Iraq believes the United States and Great Britain are essentially isolated in this move to present a new U.N. resolution, tends to set the tone from here. They do think, or they do give the appearance of thinking, that perhaps if they can comply enough with the U.N. weapons inspectors, that would be enough to keep Russia, France, China, these nations, Germany, on side, if you will. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thank you very much.

From Baghdad, now, to Washington, where President Bush is working the diplomatic channels trying to sell his position on Iraq. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now from her post at the executive mansion. Hi there, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. Senior administration officials say it does not get any more important than this. They are not debating sentences or phrases, but rather, words in that second U.N. Security Council resolution. That is something that they are calling high stakes diplomacy.

President Bush at his Crawford ranch this weekend hosting the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Aznar a very key, important ally of the administration, also a U.N. Security Council member. President Bush making a series of phone calls, as well, to leaders of Mexico, Chile, as well as Britain and Italy; the whole point of this is to try to win over and get those 9 out of 15 required votes necessary to pass this second resolution. At the same time trying to prevent a veto from France, Russia, and China.

Now, also in an interesting twist, Fred, we heard from that Iraqi official who directly challenged the president on the significance of destroying those forbidden missiles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're in the process of discussing the language.

If Iraq decides to destroy the weapons that were long-range weapons, that's just the tip of the iceberg. My question is, why don't they destroy every illegal weapon?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the debate being the Iraqi officials saying that President Bush was wrong in his comment about tip of the iceberg, that there was some sort of significance to this even if they decide to test the missiles and not destroy them themselves. But, Fred, I have to tell you, things will be moving quickly. This resolution could be introduced as early as tomorrow and we are talking about mid-March when they're looking for a vote from the U.N. Security Council. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne, thank you.

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