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CNN Saturday Morning News

Fence-sitting Security Council Members Opposed to Deadline On Iraq

Aired March 08, 2003 - 09:01   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as you no doubt know, there is a flurry of diplomatic activity this weekend as the Bush administration tries to persuade fence-sitting Security Council members to impose a deadline on Iraq.
Here's what is expected in the days ahead. On Monday, Iraq may report to weapons inspectors on whether it destroyed its chemical and biological weapons in the 1990s. On Monday, or more likely Tuesday, the Security Council may vote on a new draft resolution which sets a March 17 deadline for Iraq to comply.

Iraq will have failed to take the final opportunity to disarm if the council concludes Baghdad has not demonstrated full, unconditional, and immediate cooperation by Monday, March 17.

Let's get more on the diplomatic maneuvering as the Security Council prepares for that crucial vote.

Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth standing by at the U.N. -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this weekend probably represents the calm before yet another diplomatic storm here at the United Nations. Monday afternoon, 4:00 East Coast time, is when the next round of consultations will begin, and that may be the last session before the U.S. expects to call for some sort of vote on the latest resolution introduced on Iraq.

The changes made on Friday put a deadline on Iraq to cooperate, turn over all weapons of mass destruction. The new deadline date, St. Patrick's Day, March 17, which is a Monday.

The United States' ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte, last evening told the Security Council that the U.S. may call for a vote as early as Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: A resolution is in absolutely final form only when it's put to a vote. So one should never say never to the possibility of changes. But we've been quite clear all along that we would insist on voting on a resolution that contains the substance that this draft does, which is to have the council decide that Iraq is not complying, it is out of compliance with Resolution 1441.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: There's a lot of interesting sidelight stories, of course, in all of the debate yesterday. I mean, inside the Security Council chamber, the French delegate, during the last evening consultation, said and complained of a hidden veto in the now-U.S.-amended resolution.

Spain's ambassador said, quote, "I don't like the veto either. I'm an enemy of the veto." But after listening to the French foreign minister earlier in the day, he said, "I wonder, with one veto the U.S. has suddenly called stinking and reactionary, while, when France wants to use the veto, it is pure religion and idealism."

Other uncommitted members, though, still are skeptical of this U.S. draft. They don't think it gives enough time to Iraq to comply, Anderson.

COOPER: Richard, there's also some reports this morning about possible forged documents, you know, the -- about Iraq attempting to obtain uranium. Do you know anything about that?

ROTH: Well, the International Atomic Energy Agency director, Mohamed ElBaradei, said and implied that documents were forged, which indicates that Iraq was trying to obtain enriched uranium through Niger, an African country, again, calling into question the veracity of U.S. intelligence claims on a lot of fronts.

Once again, inspectors challenging these reports, as Hans Blix did in saying that his inspectors have not been duped and Iraq is not moving weapons of mass destruction just minutes before the inspection teams get there.

So for many council members here, the U.S. may have to put up more intelligence information in order to convince them that Iraq is a threat and is avoiding the resolutions.

COOPER: All right. Richard, that's obviously a story we will be following throughout the day. Richard Roth at the U.N. Thanks 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




On Iraq>


Aired March 8, 2003 - 09:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as you no doubt know, there is a flurry of diplomatic activity this weekend as the Bush administration tries to persuade fence-sitting Security Council members to impose a deadline on Iraq.
Here's what is expected in the days ahead. On Monday, Iraq may report to weapons inspectors on whether it destroyed its chemical and biological weapons in the 1990s. On Monday, or more likely Tuesday, the Security Council may vote on a new draft resolution which sets a March 17 deadline for Iraq to comply.

Iraq will have failed to take the final opportunity to disarm if the council concludes Baghdad has not demonstrated full, unconditional, and immediate cooperation by Monday, March 17.

Let's get more on the diplomatic maneuvering as the Security Council prepares for that crucial vote.

Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth standing by at the U.N. -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this weekend probably represents the calm before yet another diplomatic storm here at the United Nations. Monday afternoon, 4:00 East Coast time, is when the next round of consultations will begin, and that may be the last session before the U.S. expects to call for some sort of vote on the latest resolution introduced on Iraq.

The changes made on Friday put a deadline on Iraq to cooperate, turn over all weapons of mass destruction. The new deadline date, St. Patrick's Day, March 17, which is a Monday.

The United States' ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte, last evening told the Security Council that the U.S. may call for a vote as early as Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: A resolution is in absolutely final form only when it's put to a vote. So one should never say never to the possibility of changes. But we've been quite clear all along that we would insist on voting on a resolution that contains the substance that this draft does, which is to have the council decide that Iraq is not complying, it is out of compliance with Resolution 1441.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: There's a lot of interesting sidelight stories, of course, in all of the debate yesterday. I mean, inside the Security Council chamber, the French delegate, during the last evening consultation, said and complained of a hidden veto in the now-U.S.-amended resolution.

Spain's ambassador said, quote, "I don't like the veto either. I'm an enemy of the veto." But after listening to the French foreign minister earlier in the day, he said, "I wonder, with one veto the U.S. has suddenly called stinking and reactionary, while, when France wants to use the veto, it is pure religion and idealism."

Other uncommitted members, though, still are skeptical of this U.S. draft. They don't think it gives enough time to Iraq to comply, Anderson.

COOPER: Richard, there's also some reports this morning about possible forged documents, you know, the -- about Iraq attempting to obtain uranium. Do you know anything about that?

ROTH: Well, the International Atomic Energy Agency director, Mohamed ElBaradei, said and implied that documents were forged, which indicates that Iraq was trying to obtain enriched uranium through Niger, an African country, again, calling into question the veracity of U.S. intelligence claims on a lot of fronts.

Once again, inspectors challenging these reports, as Hans Blix did in saying that his inspectors have not been duped and Iraq is not moving weapons of mass destruction just minutes before the inspection teams get there.

So for many council members here, the U.S. may have to put up more intelligence information in order to convince them that Iraq is a threat and is avoiding the resolutions.

COOPER: All right. Richard, that's obviously a story we will be following throughout the day. Richard Roth at the U.N. Thanks 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




On Iraq>