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U.N. Security Council Meets to Discuss Fact-Finding Mission in Jenin

Aired April 28, 2002 - 17:08   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: Now, U.N. fact finders still do not have access to Jenin to survey the death count and destruction there, but a group of human rights workers say they have had access on the West Bank there. They claim they have spent days now gathering evidence in the Jenin refugee camp, and their findings are similar to Israel's contention that there was no massacre during Israel's military incursion.

Palestinians have said hundreds of civilians were killed. The activists say it's clear there were numerous human right violations and abuses of international law, so they are calling for a thorough investigation.

Now, the U.N. Security Council still wants its own fact finders to see for themselves. So at this hour, the council is holding a closed-door session on the matter, and CNN senior United Nations correspondent Rich Roth joins us now with details from there. Hi there, Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. The Security Council is now behind closed doors, meeting in reaction to Israel's latest rebuff to the United Nations' over this fact- finding team that was supposed to go to the Jenin refugee camp on the West Bank. Ambassadors, diplomats have been filing into the council in the last hour.

Reaction -- well, Norway's ambassador saying there is a lot of impatience here in the council with the latest situation, and that this is a different kind of ball game now, with Israel again saying no.

However, several sources here say Israel's cabinet is going to meet again on Monday, and there is a sense that others may want to wait and give Israel more time.

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Negroponte said, quote: "We ought to give them a chance to work this out with the U.N."

The development with that Ramallah siege and progress made there may be affecting some of the reaction here at the council. The belief that why spoil something that may be gaining momentum. So, the two issues may be combining here, and so it's not necessarily likely we're going to hear a harsh statement from the Security Council this evening. Though you never know -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Richard, you said one member said that they are feeling very impatient. It has to be awfully embarrassing as well that they are unable to get their fact finders there. So what kind of options would the U.N. be addressing right now? What are the possibilities of what could happen next?

ROTH: Well, Israel wanted a different team. Didn't even want a team, but if it was going to get a team, they wanted new members, saying that panel is biased. Secretary General Annan has stood by his choices. They added a new British colonel that would help on the military side today. There are about 21 people on this team, which is in Geneva. I spoke to a spokesman for the delegation there today. He said their bags are packed and ready to go, they're just waiting for marching orders and they certainly can wait around another day.

But right now, the U.N. is maybe not really embarrassed -- they are used to getting rebuffed by some of its 189 members in this chamber here -- but they'll still have a little bit more patience, I think, in this volatile Middle East situation.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you very much, Richard Roth from the U.N. in New York this evening.

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