Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini

Aired May 11, 2003 - 16:14   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: The stakes are high in post-war Iraq and Arab-Americans, including many Iraqis, want a say on how the future of Iraq is shaped. Last week Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini met with President Bush to discuss a vision plan. Qazwini is head religious leader of the Islamic Center of America based in Dearborn, Michigan. Good to see you, Imam.
IMAM HASSAN Al-QAZWINI, ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA: Thank you so much for inviting me.

WHITFIELD: Well, thanks for being here. Can you tell me specifically what kind of conversation you had with President Bush about what you want the interim government to look like, if not the permanent government?

QAZWINI: Well, I think most of the discussion revolved around the future of Iraq, the interim government, and democracy in Iraq. I think all participants at the meeting agreed that there should be a government in Iraq that embraces democracy, all the religious groups, all ethnicity's; Shia, Sunni, Kurds, Arabs, Chaldeans, everybody should participate in this government. And, I think the president agreed on that. And he was emphasizing the point that he had committed himself and the administration to democratic Iraq. There was another question raised about the interim government that is about to be formed so soon in Iraq. And I think a few of us raised that issue with him. We asked the president to help the Iraqi people, themselves, to form an interim government, a government that is elected by the Iraqi people themselves.

WHITFIELD: Well, what about the issue of how involved the American government should be in helping to form this interim government?

QAZWINI: Well, we had examples, a few examples lately. One in Mosul and other cities where with the help of the American troops, the coalition troops, people in Iraq, the local people were able to choose their own governor. In Mosul, for example. I think we can have the same model here. The only important issue is that the Iraqi people themselves, they should choose their own government. There have been rumors lately that the -- some regional powers in the middle east have been pushing their (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- by promoting specific individuals, for example, like Mr. Pachichi (ph). He is being promoted by certain Arab countries, backed by the few Arabic media outlets like al-Jazeera that are promoting him to be the leader of interim government. I think any person should lead the interim government has to be elected by the Iraqi people themselves. WHITFIELD: And before even getting to that point, though, how concerned or perhaps how is your confidence even shattered by the fact that the military, the U.S. military man, Jay Garner, who was supposed to be - or charged with being responsible for helping to form this interim government, is now being replaced by a former diplomat instead. Does this send a resounding message to Iraqi-Americans or even, you believe, Iraqis there that perhaps there's a little disorganization going on when trying to involve the U.S. leaders to try to help bring about some interim government structure?

QAZWINI: Well, I think that the American administration had emphasized over and over that they will be working with the Iraqi people as long as the presences of the American troops are needed, whether it is headed by Jay Garner...

WHITFIELD: Is that being done well, by your standards?

QAZWINI: Well, I'm not sure. There has been reports that there were more chaos than anticipated under the rule of Jay Garner.

WHITFIELD: Those Iraqis you're communicating with then, what are they saying?

QAZWINI: They're all asking about the rush, the need to rush to install an interim government elected by the Iraqi people. We anticipate the United States to help the Iraqi people as soon as possible to come out with an interim government that will represent the entire Iraqi spectrum, the religious groups and...

WHITFIELD: Let me just ask you before we let you go, because we're running out of time, the ayatollah who was exiled in Iran, who is now back after more than two decades of being away from Iraq, says that all U.S. military and civilian presence needs to be out immediately. Do you or do any Iraqis that you have been in touch with that are still there feel that the ayatollah is making a good point?

QAZWINI: Well, I think even the American government is saying that. The president himself indicated that the...

WHITFIELD: Well, that there would be perhaps an one-year mark, but now the ayatollah is saying immediately.

QAZWINI: Well, I don't think what he means by immediately, immediately. He means is there should be no view that there is no limit on the presence of the American troops in Iraq. In other words, what he's trying to say, we don't want the American troops to be viewed as occupiers. They came to help the Iraqi people. Once their task is fulfilled, then they have to leave. I think that's what he's trying to say. I would like to add one more point. That in the democratic Iraq, and the future government of Iraq, no group should be excluded. Including the Islamist, including the Islamic parties. I believe everybody should be included, otherwise we won't have democracy in Iraq if we exclude them. I think the only party to be excluded is Ba'ath party itself.

WHITFIELD: Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, thank you very much for joining us from Dearborn, Michigan. Thank you.

QAZWINI: Thank you so much.

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 May 11, 2003 - 16:14   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The stakes are high in post-war Iraq and Arab-Americans, including many Iraqis, want a say on how the future of Iraq is shaped. Last week Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini met with President Bush to discuss a vision plan. Qazwini is head religious leader of the Islamic Center of America based in Dearborn, Michigan. Good to see you, Imam.
IMAM HASSAN Al-QAZWINI, ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA: Thank you so much for inviting me.

WHITFIELD: Well, thanks for being here. Can you tell me specifically what kind of conversation you had with President Bush about what you want the interim government to look like, if not the permanent government?

QAZWINI: Well, I think most of the discussion revolved around the future of Iraq, the interim government, and democracy in Iraq. I think all participants at the meeting agreed that there should be a government in Iraq that embraces democracy, all the religious groups, all ethnicity's; Shia, Sunni, Kurds, Arabs, Chaldeans, everybody should participate in this government. And, I think the president agreed on that. And he was emphasizing the point that he had committed himself and the administration to democratic Iraq. There was another question raised about the interim government that is about to be formed so soon in Iraq. And I think a few of us raised that issue with him. We asked the president to help the Iraqi people, themselves, to form an interim government, a government that is elected by the Iraqi people themselves.

WHITFIELD: Well, what about the issue of how involved the American government should be in helping to form this interim government?

QAZWINI: Well, we had examples, a few examples lately. One in Mosul and other cities where with the help of the American troops, the coalition troops, people in Iraq, the local people were able to choose their own governor. In Mosul, for example. I think we can have the same model here. The only important issue is that the Iraqi people themselves, they should choose their own government. There have been rumors lately that the -- some regional powers in the middle east have been pushing their (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- by promoting specific individuals, for example, like Mr. Pachichi (ph). He is being promoted by certain Arab countries, backed by the few Arabic media outlets like al-Jazeera that are promoting him to be the leader of interim government. I think any person should lead the interim government has to be elected by the Iraqi people themselves. WHITFIELD: And before even getting to that point, though, how concerned or perhaps how is your confidence even shattered by the fact that the military, the U.S. military man, Jay Garner, who was supposed to be - or charged with being responsible for helping to form this interim government, is now being replaced by a former diplomat instead. Does this send a resounding message to Iraqi-Americans or even, you believe, Iraqis there that perhaps there's a little disorganization going on when trying to involve the U.S. leaders to try to help bring about some interim government structure?

QAZWINI: Well, I think that the American administration had emphasized over and over that they will be working with the Iraqi people as long as the presences of the American troops are needed, whether it is headed by Jay Garner...

WHITFIELD: Is that being done well, by your standards?

QAZWINI: Well, I'm not sure. There has been reports that there were more chaos than anticipated under the rule of Jay Garner.

WHITFIELD: Those Iraqis you're communicating with then, what are they saying?

QAZWINI: They're all asking about the rush, the need to rush to install an interim government elected by the Iraqi people. We anticipate the United States to help the Iraqi people as soon as possible to come out with an interim government that will represent the entire Iraqi spectrum, the religious groups and...

WHITFIELD: Let me just ask you before we let you go, because we're running out of time, the ayatollah who was exiled in Iran, who is now back after more than two decades of being away from Iraq, says that all U.S. military and civilian presence needs to be out immediately. Do you or do any Iraqis that you have been in touch with that are still there feel that the ayatollah is making a good point?

QAZWINI: Well, I think even the American government is saying that. The president himself indicated that the...

WHITFIELD: Well, that there would be perhaps an one-year mark, but now the ayatollah is saying immediately.

QAZWINI: Well, I don't think what he means by immediately, immediately. He means is there should be no view that there is no limit on the presence of the American troops in Iraq. In other words, what he's trying to say, we don't want the American troops to be viewed as occupiers. They came to help the Iraqi people. Once their task is fulfilled, then they have to leave. I think that's what he's trying to say. I would like to add one more point. That in the democratic Iraq, and the future government of Iraq, no group should be excluded. Including the Islamist, including the Islamic parties. I believe everybody should be included, otherwise we won't have democracy in Iraq if we exclude them. I think the only party to be excluded is Ba'ath party itself.

WHITFIELD: Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, thank you very much for joining us from Dearborn, Michigan. Thank you.

QAZWINI: Thank you so much.

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