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CNN Live Sunday

Powell Renews Call for U.N. Weapons Inspectors to Go Back to Iraq

Aired September 01, 2002 - 17:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Colin Powell renewed the call for getting U.N. weapons inspectors back in Iraq. Powell also downplayed talk of a split in the Bush administration over how to proceed against Iraq and its leader Saddam Hussein. Iraq's deputy prime minister told CNN today there is no weapons building program in Iraq and he accused the U.S. of sending mixed signals over its intentions.
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TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Well, we are hearing conflicting statements from the American officials. Some of them are saying what you mentioned. Some of them are saying it makes no difference whether there are inspections or not. Our plan to regime change will not change. So we would like to know in exact terms what the United States government is seeking.

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WHITFIELD: In Washington, CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has more on the give and take over Iraq, hi Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi Fredricka. Well, President Bush has returned from his month long working vacation. He is now back at the White House but Mr. Bush is facing a split within the administration over U.S. policy in Iraq. This is a private debate that has spilled into public view, namely Secretary of State Colin Powell in an interview with BBC television emphasizing that the first order of business should be to send U.N. weapons inspectors back into Iraq.

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COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Iraq has been in violation of these many U.N. resolutions for most of the last 11 or so years and so as a first step, let's see what the inspectors find. Send them back in.

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MALVEAUX: But earlier in the week, Vice President Dick Cheney outlining, making the argument for a preemptive military action but also saying, suggesting that U.N. weapons inspections may be pointless because Saddam Hussein has a history of breaking agreements and has only enhanced his weapons program. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Saddam has perfected the game of cheat and retreat and is very skilled in the art of denial and deception. A return of inspectors would provide no assurance whatsoever of his compliance with U.N. resolutions. On the contrary, there is a great danger that it would provide false comfort that Saddam was somehow back in his box.

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MALVEAUX: Now a White House spokesperson really downplayed the differences between the two top advisers saying that both of them want unfettered access for weapons inspectors to go back into Iraq, that the bottom line is they are both arguing for a regime change, the ousting of Saddam Hussein, but there are some Republican leaders, including those from Bush senior's administration who are expressing concern saying they believe that the current administration's policy when it comes to Iraq is in disarray.

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LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Mr. Cheney is apparently making a career out of making speeches about how we must go into Iraq and this is apparently followed by statements that the president hasn't yet made up his mind.

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MALVEAUX: Now Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz today telling CNN that they're ruling out weapons inspectors going back into Iraq all together, saying that they believe the Bush administration is disingenuous in actually allowing those inspectors back in saying they believe it's just giving an excuse for the Bush administration to attack Iraq later on. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux from the White House, thank you very much.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

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