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CNN Saturday Morning News
U.N. Staff members Return to work in a Semblance of Normalcy
Aired August 23, 2003 - 09:04 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.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Now more on this hour's top story. In Baghdad, U.N. staff members returned to work in a semblance of normalcy four days after a bomb exploded at their headquarters.
For the latest from the view from the capital, we go to one of our correspondents there, Rym Brahimi. She's on the telephone. She joins us now from Baghdad with more. Quite a wide-ranging press conference just moments ago from Paul Bremer, Rym. What were the highlights?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, definitely, John, it was quite wide-ranging. It began by focusing, obviously,k on what happened with this major U.N. body -- U.N. bombing. You know, it's the deadliest attack here since the end of the war, and it's also the deadliest attack against United Nations personnel alone.
But what was interesting was that Paul Bremer, who did take the time to praise and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- tribute to the -- pay tribute, rather, to the U.N. staff, also very, quickly moved on to pointing out the good things, in his words, that have happened in the week, basically establishing a list.
He went through various things that he said were positive developments, and all of which had happened this week. He mentioned the reconstruction, if you will, or the repair of the water sewage pipe that had been sabotaged, if you will, that had been set on fire by a sabotage act. And he said whereas everybody expected that to be repaired within days, well, the Iraqi staff actually put it back together within the same day.
He mentioned the rebuilding of a certain number of schools. He mentioned a certain number of projects that were coming together, including irrigation projects. All of which, basically, he showed how he was, again, just sort of maybe make people not only focus on what's happened here that is -- that is bad and simplified, but also what happened here that is good.
I think there has been a general concern, John, among CPA authorities, among coalition authorities, that there has been too much focus on the problems in Iraq. And so, clearly, this was an attempt or an effort by Paul Bremer, the head of the coalition authority here, the U.N. Administrator in Iraq, to point out two positive developments, in his words, John.
VAUSE: Rym Brahimi on the telephone there just after that press conference by Paul Bremer. Thank you, Rym.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Normalcy>
Aired August 23, 2003 - 09:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Now more on this hour's top story. In Baghdad, U.N. staff members returned to work in a semblance of normalcy four days after a bomb exploded at their headquarters.
For the latest from the view from the capital, we go to one of our correspondents there, Rym Brahimi. She's on the telephone. She joins us now from Baghdad with more. Quite a wide-ranging press conference just moments ago from Paul Bremer, Rym. What were the highlights?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, definitely, John, it was quite wide-ranging. It began by focusing, obviously,k on what happened with this major U.N. body -- U.N. bombing. You know, it's the deadliest attack here since the end of the war, and it's also the deadliest attack against United Nations personnel alone.
But what was interesting was that Paul Bremer, who did take the time to praise and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- tribute to the -- pay tribute, rather, to the U.N. staff, also very, quickly moved on to pointing out the good things, in his words, that have happened in the week, basically establishing a list.
He went through various things that he said were positive developments, and all of which had happened this week. He mentioned the reconstruction, if you will, or the repair of the water sewage pipe that had been sabotaged, if you will, that had been set on fire by a sabotage act. And he said whereas everybody expected that to be repaired within days, well, the Iraqi staff actually put it back together within the same day.
He mentioned the rebuilding of a certain number of schools. He mentioned a certain number of projects that were coming together, including irrigation projects. All of which, basically, he showed how he was, again, just sort of maybe make people not only focus on what's happened here that is -- that is bad and simplified, but also what happened here that is good.
I think there has been a general concern, John, among CPA authorities, among coalition authorities, that there has been too much focus on the problems in Iraq. And so, clearly, this was an attempt or an effort by Paul Bremer, the head of the coalition authority here, the U.N. Administrator in Iraq, to point out two positive developments, in his words, John.
VAUSE: Rym Brahimi on the telephone there just after that press conference by Paul Bremer. Thank you, Rym.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Normalcy>
