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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Kofi Annan

Aired September 06, 2003 - 07:31   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.


SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Three countries -- France, Germany and Russia -- have expressed concerns over a new U.S. proposal for sending United Nations forces to the region. U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan says he hopes the U.N.'s role in Iraq can be more clearly defined.
Annan talked at length with our Richard Roth about the future of Iraq and his beginnings at the United Nations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Did you think at that point that you were going to be secretary general? Did you have it in your mind?

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: No, I didn't have any such dreams and it had never happened that somebody from the system was elected secretary general. And so I wasn't looking forward to that.

ROTH: Well, we've heard that there could be some more important meetings on the road to perhaps a resolution of the Security Council. Can you give us an idea on your travel plans with that?

ANNAN: Well, obviously the discuss on the second resolution has begun and today the Council will be having informal discussions. I think it is possible to get a compromise resolution. I have suggested to the P5 foreign ministers that they meet with me for us to explore a common ground and the way forward. And I hope that meeting will take place in the not too distant future.

ROTH: You had said this war was not really a good idea. Have you been proven right?

ANNAN: Well, I don't know if I should say that I've been proven right, but we are now confronted with major difficulties that we all have to tackle. And, yes, you are right that I wasn't the only one. Many members in the Security Council were not in favor of the war. But I think we should leave the divisions and the reasons for the war now to historians and political scientists to debate and focus on what we can do to help the Iraqi people and help stabilize Iraq.

ROTH: Is this Security Council proposed resolution by the U.S. going to be enough to win support?

ANNAN: Some governments have indicated that it doesn't go far enough and that we are living a new reality and they are not sure the resolution factors that in sufficiently. ROTH: What do you think?

ANNAN: And I think...

ROTH: You've been involved...

ANNAN: ... there's going to be some discussions and negotiations, but I think it is possible to get a compromise. I think the -- I have indicated that I would want to see a very clear definition for the U.N., the road we should undertake and that the mandate must be precise and also achievable. The last resolution was rather ambiguous and we managed to do a lot with it because I had an outstanding special representative, Sergio de Mello, who used his talents, his personality and capabilities to push the U.N. agenda much, much further than we would normally have been able to do with that mandate.

ROTH: You've wanted a bigger U.N. role, but not too much on the military side. What should the U.N. do in Iraq?

ANNAN: Well, I think the U.N. has demonstrated its capacity in facilitating political processes and helping societies in transition form new governments and take charge of its own destiny, its own affairs, its own economy, and establish a government by the people and for the people. And I think this is an experience that the U.N. can bring to bear in Iraq.

We've also done quite a lot of work in the human rights area, judiciary, police training and others, and I think the Council will be looking at all this and these areas where we can play a role.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: And you can see much more of this exclusive interview with U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan later this evening. That's at 6:00 Eastern time and, as well, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time here on CNN.

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 September 6, 2003 - 07:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Three countries -- France, Germany and Russia -- have expressed concerns over a new U.S. proposal for sending United Nations forces to the region. U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan says he hopes the U.N.'s role in Iraq can be more clearly defined.
Annan talked at length with our Richard Roth about the future of Iraq and his beginnings at the United Nations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Did you think at that point that you were going to be secretary general? Did you have it in your mind?

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: No, I didn't have any such dreams and it had never happened that somebody from the system was elected secretary general. And so I wasn't looking forward to that.

ROTH: Well, we've heard that there could be some more important meetings on the road to perhaps a resolution of the Security Council. Can you give us an idea on your travel plans with that?

ANNAN: Well, obviously the discuss on the second resolution has begun and today the Council will be having informal discussions. I think it is possible to get a compromise resolution. I have suggested to the P5 foreign ministers that they meet with me for us to explore a common ground and the way forward. And I hope that meeting will take place in the not too distant future.

ROTH: You had said this war was not really a good idea. Have you been proven right?

ANNAN: Well, I don't know if I should say that I've been proven right, but we are now confronted with major difficulties that we all have to tackle. And, yes, you are right that I wasn't the only one. Many members in the Security Council were not in favor of the war. But I think we should leave the divisions and the reasons for the war now to historians and political scientists to debate and focus on what we can do to help the Iraqi people and help stabilize Iraq.

ROTH: Is this Security Council proposed resolution by the U.S. going to be enough to win support?

ANNAN: Some governments have indicated that it doesn't go far enough and that we are living a new reality and they are not sure the resolution factors that in sufficiently. ROTH: What do you think?

ANNAN: And I think...

ROTH: You've been involved...

ANNAN: ... there's going to be some discussions and negotiations, but I think it is possible to get a compromise. I think the -- I have indicated that I would want to see a very clear definition for the U.N., the road we should undertake and that the mandate must be precise and also achievable. The last resolution was rather ambiguous and we managed to do a lot with it because I had an outstanding special representative, Sergio de Mello, who used his talents, his personality and capabilities to push the U.N. agenda much, much further than we would normally have been able to do with that mandate.

ROTH: You've wanted a bigger U.N. role, but not too much on the military side. What should the U.N. do in Iraq?

ANNAN: Well, I think the U.N. has demonstrated its capacity in facilitating political processes and helping societies in transition form new governments and take charge of its own destiny, its own affairs, its own economy, and establish a government by the people and for the people. And I think this is an experience that the U.N. can bring to bear in Iraq.

We've also done quite a lot of work in the human rights area, judiciary, police training and others, and I think the Council will be looking at all this and these areas where we can play a role.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: And you can see much more of this exclusive interview with U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan later this evening. That's at 6:00 Eastern time and, as well, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time here on CNN.

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