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CNN Sunday Morning
Iraq Continues to Destroy Al Samoud 2 Missiles
Aired March 02, 2003 - 10:01 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: Top story this hour. New developments on the disarmament front in Iraq. For the second straight day, Iraq is destroying some of its al-Samoud 2 missiles. The number is unclear at this juncture, but four have already been destroyed and that was yesterday. Also, U.N. experts are monitoring some possible biological weapons. For the view from inside Iraq we turn to CNN's Nic Robertson in Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, well, Iraqi officials say six missiles -- six of the al- Samoud 2 missiles have been scheduled for destruction today. We don't yet have confirmation whether or not that has taken place. But those four missiles yesterday were crushed flat by heavy bulldozers.
Also, U.N. officials here reporting some advancement on the issue of private interviews with Iraqi scientists. This is a key thing that they've been pushing for recently. It was a process that had got started and stalled. It appears to have started although not a 100 percent as the U.N. inspectors would like. Last night, they asked for four different, separate, private interviews with Iraqi scientists. One scientist went through with the private interview. Another one wanted to have a tape recorder. Another one wanted a colleague to be present and another one couldn't be located. So one of those four private interviews going ahead.
However, the U.N. is describing the fact that this process has resumed as positive. The U.N. also saying today that it's gone to a site where Iraq destroyed some of its biological bombs back in 1991. The Iraqi authorities have dug up at that location some R-400 bombs. They say they contained biological agents. U.N. inspectors, today, began, for the first time, began taking samples of those biological bombs.
Also, U.N. inspectors about to go into a set of technical talks here in Baghdad. These talks are aimed at analyzing a proposal that Iraq has put forward to figure out and calculate how much VX and anthrax Iraq disposed of into the desert. However, U.N. officials say they're going into this with an open mind, but they're not sure the method Iraq is proposing will actually work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIMITRI PERRICOS, UNMOVIC: The Iraqi site indicates that they've done some testing, some measurements of their own to show that there is some fault in the procedure that they want us to implement together. And, therefore, we are coming -- we, you know, we go with an open mind to this. Personally, I've had my doubts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Now, the reason, Dimitri Perricos, the deputy chief U.N. weapons inspector, says he has doubts is because this material was disposed of a long time ago, that the analysis that they need to do needs to use highly-sophisticated equipment and he's not sure because these agents have been exposed to sunlight. They've been exposed to rain. He's not sure if the results they will get will be accurate. They may be able to determine yes, VX or anthrax was disposed of here, but not exactly how much. However, the U.N. characterizing all these different moves at this time as positive developments -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nic, thank you very much.
Well, the White House indeed is calling Iraq's latest moves, however, games of deception. For the view from Washington, CNN's Chris Burns is at the White House -- hi, Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Yes, the Bush administration having said that they predicted this all along, that Saddam Hussein would be destroying these missiles under pressure, but it's only the tip of the iceberg they say. President Bush is making his way back from a weekend at Camp David, but here is some comment from the Republican leadership on the Senate Arms Services Committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: He failed to account for 26,000 liters of anthrax that we knew he was in possession of in 1998. He failed to account for 1.5 tons of the VX nerve agent that could kill millions of people. He failed to account for 550 artillery shells with mustard gas. He has not accounted for things that we knew he once had. He is playing a game. The game is up, in my opinion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: President Bush is going to continue lobbying later this week various countries have tried to get that second U.N. resolution passed that would authorize, technically authorize, armed intervention in Iraq.
A more pressing note, of course, although is Turkey where the Turkish parliament has not approved the U.S. deployment of forces. So far, Bush administration officials says that it is not a closed matter. They have not yet decided on a Plan B so that remains up in the air at the moment -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Chris, on the issue of Turkey, the prime minister said that despite the fact that the parliament didn't agree with U.S. installations there, the relationship between Turkey and U.S. should still maintain its friendliness. Is the White House commented on that?
BURNS: Well, the White House continuing to say that Turkey is a good friend. They, obviously, have to respect what the democracy decides in Turkey, that that issue remains open at the moment. They have not decided on where to put the troops at this point even though they remain on ships offshore from Turkey, but relations with Turkey, of course, will remain very important. A very important Muslim country within NATO and an important ally.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Burns from the White House, 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 March 2, 2003 - 10:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top story this hour. New developments on the disarmament front in Iraq. For the second straight day, Iraq is destroying some of its al-Samoud 2 missiles. The number is unclear at this juncture, but four have already been destroyed and that was yesterday. Also, U.N. experts are monitoring some possible biological weapons. For the view from inside Iraq we turn to CNN's Nic Robertson in Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, well, Iraqi officials say six missiles -- six of the al- Samoud 2 missiles have been scheduled for destruction today. We don't yet have confirmation whether or not that has taken place. But those four missiles yesterday were crushed flat by heavy bulldozers.
Also, U.N. officials here reporting some advancement on the issue of private interviews with Iraqi scientists. This is a key thing that they've been pushing for recently. It was a process that had got started and stalled. It appears to have started although not a 100 percent as the U.N. inspectors would like. Last night, they asked for four different, separate, private interviews with Iraqi scientists. One scientist went through with the private interview. Another one wanted to have a tape recorder. Another one wanted a colleague to be present and another one couldn't be located. So one of those four private interviews going ahead.
However, the U.N. is describing the fact that this process has resumed as positive. The U.N. also saying today that it's gone to a site where Iraq destroyed some of its biological bombs back in 1991. The Iraqi authorities have dug up at that location some R-400 bombs. They say they contained biological agents. U.N. inspectors, today, began, for the first time, began taking samples of those biological bombs.
Also, U.N. inspectors about to go into a set of technical talks here in Baghdad. These talks are aimed at analyzing a proposal that Iraq has put forward to figure out and calculate how much VX and anthrax Iraq disposed of into the desert. However, U.N. officials say they're going into this with an open mind, but they're not sure the method Iraq is proposing will actually work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIMITRI PERRICOS, UNMOVIC: The Iraqi site indicates that they've done some testing, some measurements of their own to show that there is some fault in the procedure that they want us to implement together. And, therefore, we are coming -- we, you know, we go with an open mind to this. Personally, I've had my doubts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Now, the reason, Dimitri Perricos, the deputy chief U.N. weapons inspector, says he has doubts is because this material was disposed of a long time ago, that the analysis that they need to do needs to use highly-sophisticated equipment and he's not sure because these agents have been exposed to sunlight. They've been exposed to rain. He's not sure if the results they will get will be accurate. They may be able to determine yes, VX or anthrax was disposed of here, but not exactly how much. However, the U.N. characterizing all these different moves at this time as positive developments -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nic, thank you very much.
Well, the White House indeed is calling Iraq's latest moves, however, games of deception. For the view from Washington, CNN's Chris Burns is at the White House -- hi, Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Yes, the Bush administration having said that they predicted this all along, that Saddam Hussein would be destroying these missiles under pressure, but it's only the tip of the iceberg they say. President Bush is making his way back from a weekend at Camp David, but here is some comment from the Republican leadership on the Senate Arms Services Committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: He failed to account for 26,000 liters of anthrax that we knew he was in possession of in 1998. He failed to account for 1.5 tons of the VX nerve agent that could kill millions of people. He failed to account for 550 artillery shells with mustard gas. He has not accounted for things that we knew he once had. He is playing a game. The game is up, in my opinion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: President Bush is going to continue lobbying later this week various countries have tried to get that second U.N. resolution passed that would authorize, technically authorize, armed intervention in Iraq.
A more pressing note, of course, although is Turkey where the Turkish parliament has not approved the U.S. deployment of forces. So far, Bush administration officials says that it is not a closed matter. They have not yet decided on a Plan B so that remains up in the air at the moment -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Chris, on the issue of Turkey, the prime minister said that despite the fact that the parliament didn't agree with U.S. installations there, the relationship between Turkey and U.S. should still maintain its friendliness. Is the White House commented on that?
BURNS: Well, the White House continuing to say that Turkey is a good friend. They, obviously, have to respect what the democracy decides in Turkey, that that issue remains open at the moment. They have not decided on where to put the troops at this point even though they remain on ships offshore from Turkey, but relations with Turkey, of course, will remain very important. A very important Muslim country within NATO and an important ally.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Burns from the White House, 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
