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Annan Wraps Up Talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister

Aired July 5, 2002 - 06:09   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is winding up two days of talks with Iraq's foreign minister, discussing the 12-year-old sanctions on Baghdad, of course.

Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is following those talks and he joins us again live from Vienna -- good morning.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Of course, that "New York Times" newspaper story about planning for a military attack doesn't make the United Nations' job any easier, especially at delicate dialogue that's going on here for the last two days in Vienna, Austria.

Secretary General Kofi Annan and Iraq's foreign minister held a first round on Thursday and right now the technical people, all of the experts on disarmament are discussing things before the two principals return.

Hans Blix, chief weapons inspector for the United Nations on Iraq, entering solo, past the fountains here at U.N. headquarters in Vienna. Also, Mohammed El Baradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Both of those men right now talking with an Iraqi delegation that also entered here, while Minister Sabri, the foreign minister, waits at his hotel along with Secretary General Annan.

I asked Director General El Baradei whether Iraq has given any indication about the return of inspectors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED EL BARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, IAEA: No, we have not yet discussed that specific issue. As I said, we are discussing the conditions that are required for our return, what we need to do there, what are the issues that are outstanding from our point of view. But we haven't yet reached that point when and how we go back in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Officials called these discussions going on, though, the nitty-gritty of disarmament. U.N. officials also told me that the body language is good, the atmospherics are better between the U.N. and Iraq, but what does it all mean at the end of the day? U.N. officials would be very surprised, frankly, if Iraq came out with a dramatic announcement about the return of inspectors -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Hey, but at least the vibes are good.

Let me ask you this. If Iraq doesn't agree to weapons inspectors coming back into their country, what happens then? Does this just go on and on and on?

ROTH: Yes, the freeze goes on, though perhaps there would be an indication that further talks will occur based on some incremental progress made here. But the Security Council watching over this, the body that has the final decision on Iraq, may tell Kofi Annan let's not do it anymore.

Earlier, Annan said this should be the decisive round. So diplomatically he may be encouraged to have more discussions, but he may tell the Iraqis today I've had enough and let's end the talking early, when he'll exit with the minister of Iraq.

COSTELLO: And you were saying before, and I thought it interesting, that this attack plan that the United States has come up with in regards to Iraq, it might just have been a leak to put pressure on Kofi Annan and the United Nations.

ROTH: Well, of course, one can't know for sure. Newspapers don't always coordinate publication of articles to time with events happening around the world. But if you look back in the history of the relationship here between the Iraqis and the United Nations, then the United States, which is the key hard-line nation against Iraq, you will see a preponderance of leaks, of investigative stories, of tipping to stories that make Iraq look bad or at least make Iraq wary and on guard, or also tell the French and the British, who sit on the Security Council with the U.S., to keep them in line and other nations, that Saddam Hussein is a bad guy and this is why.

So if you look back, which it may be a little too early to do this morning.

COSTELLO: But I will anyway. I'll try.

Thank you very much, Richard Roth reporting live for us this morning.

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