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CNN Live Sunday
Arab Leaders Discuss Possible U.S. Military Action in Iraq
Aired December 22, 2002 - 17:04 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The threat of a new Iraq war was much on the minds of Arab leaders meeting in Qatar. CNN was one of the few American networks to cover this very important summit, and CNN's Rula Amin says council leaders condemn the Iraqi president on one score, but stop short of endorsing any military action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Money, weapons of mass destruction and the Middle East. The Gulf Cooperation Council ended a two-day summit with a call for a lower unified tax on imports, the creation of a Palestinian state and a condemnation of what they described as Iraq's threats to Kuwait. But no definite strategies on a possible war with Iraq.
(on camera): But sources say behind closed doors, Iraq did dominate the agenda with some officials calling for a realistic approach, one that does consider the possibility of war and how to cope with its consequences.
(voice-over): There's deep concern among the Gulf states of a domino effect.
PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: Iraq, the Iraqi people, isn't that enough concern? Instability that will happen in the region, should anything happen to Iraq. Should the territorial integrity and the unity of Iraq is broken, who is going to bring it up back together? Destroying is very easy. Building is very hard.
AMIN: A concern even among countries with deep internal rifts, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a concern first of all to try to avoid any military action. And there is consensus to try to convince all the international arena that we try our best to solve this peacefully, without any military action.
AMIN: But on the ground, there are already about 15,000 U.S. troops stationed in Kuwait. About 4,000 of them in Qatar, where the U.S. has just deployed a $50 million mobile command center. For the U.S., cooperation from these Arab Gulf states is crucial if the U.S. decides to go to war with Iraq.
But public opinion in the Arab world is very much against any military action against Baghdad. So will the GCC members stand by the U.S. if there is a war? AL-FAISAL: If -- how can you state a firm position on "if"? If you want firmness of position, the thing that is firm in our minds, is an effort to avoid war.
AMIN: Saud Al-Faisal is pinning his hopes on President Bush's words that war is the last resort, not the only one.
Rula Amin, CNN, Qatar.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
Aired December 22, 2002 - 17:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The threat of a new Iraq war was much on the minds of Arab leaders meeting in Qatar. CNN was one of the few American networks to cover this very important summit, and CNN's Rula Amin says council leaders condemn the Iraqi president on one score, but stop short of endorsing any military action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Money, weapons of mass destruction and the Middle East. The Gulf Cooperation Council ended a two-day summit with a call for a lower unified tax on imports, the creation of a Palestinian state and a condemnation of what they described as Iraq's threats to Kuwait. But no definite strategies on a possible war with Iraq.
(on camera): But sources say behind closed doors, Iraq did dominate the agenda with some officials calling for a realistic approach, one that does consider the possibility of war and how to cope with its consequences.
(voice-over): There's deep concern among the Gulf states of a domino effect.
PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: Iraq, the Iraqi people, isn't that enough concern? Instability that will happen in the region, should anything happen to Iraq. Should the territorial integrity and the unity of Iraq is broken, who is going to bring it up back together? Destroying is very easy. Building is very hard.
AMIN: A concern even among countries with deep internal rifts, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a concern first of all to try to avoid any military action. And there is consensus to try to convince all the international arena that we try our best to solve this peacefully, without any military action.
AMIN: But on the ground, there are already about 15,000 U.S. troops stationed in Kuwait. About 4,000 of them in Qatar, where the U.S. has just deployed a $50 million mobile command center. For the U.S., cooperation from these Arab Gulf states is crucial if the U.S. decides to go to war with Iraq.
But public opinion in the Arab world is very much against any military action against Baghdad. So will the GCC members stand by the U.S. if there is a war? AL-FAISAL: If -- how can you state a firm position on "if"? If you want firmness of position, the thing that is firm in our minds, is an effort to avoid war.
AMIN: Saud Al-Faisal is pinning his hopes on President Bush's words that war is the last resort, not the only one.
Rula Amin, CNN, Qatar.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
