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Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Speaks With U.N. Secretary General About Weapons Inspections

Aired September 3, 2002 - 05:05   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, more about Iraq now. Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz spoke with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan just a little while ago about weapons inspections. The talks took place in Johannesburg, where the Earth Summit is being held.
CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault is there and joins us live -- Charlayne, this meeting didn't last very long.

CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It didn't last very long, Carol, but we had a very good conversation with Secretary General Kofi Annan just after the meeting about what was discussed between him and Tariq Aziz and he had this to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: At this stage I cannot say they've taken a decision to allow the inspectors. I mean they have questions. He has indicated that given their history, weapons inspectors and the inspections, they would want to have an assurance that things will be different this time. And also the fact that there is a threat of military action, he's not sure how this, allowing this, what difference allowing the inspectors would make.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTER-GAULT: Shortly after that meeting, Tariq Aziz spoke about his reaction to what was discussed between the two men.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: If anybody can have a magic solution so that all these issues are being dealt with together equitably, reasonably, we are ready to find such a solution. And we are ready to cooperate with the United Nations and we are ready to explain our position in a reasonable manner to all those concerned.

And I made it clear a couple of days ago, if the question of so- called weapons of mass destruction is a genuine concern by the United States, this matter could be dealt with reasonably, equitably. But if it is a pretext, pretexts could change. Today this pretext, tomorrow another pretext, the third day another pretext and in the end they will use whatever pretext that remains in their hands to attack us.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HUNTER-GAULT: During my interview with the Secretary General, I asked him about the growing chorus of voices, including former South African President Nelson Mandela's, against any U.S. attack of Iraq. The Secretary General told me, "I think most people would see it as problematic."

Carol?

COSTELLO: That's an understatement. Do you think that these talks between Tariq Aziz and Kofi Annan did anything?

HUNTER-GAULT: Well, the way Kofi Annan described it, it's a next step in a series of steps. It's a part of a process. And my understanding is that while there won't be any more meetings here in Johannesburg, that at the United Nations General Assembly, Iraq's foreign minister will be there and there is every expectation that the talks will continue at that point -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Charlayne Hunter-Gault reporting live for us from Johannesburg this morning.

Thank you.

So what kind of impact will the Aziz-Annan talks have in Baghdad?

CNN's James Martone is there. He joins us live with this report -- James.

JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the tone here is still very much that those U.S. threats on Iraq are not just threats against Baghdad, as Iraq says, nor against just the Arab world, but against the entire world, is how the president himself put it.

Now, interesting, opening up here today is a conference of Arab parliamentarians. They're here for the first time since the Gulf War representing 17 countries, with the notable exceptions of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Arab parliamentarians include the head of Sudan's national assembly, who's chairman of the group. As I said, it's the first time they've been here since 1991. On the agenda are what to do about U.S. threats against Iraq and also about the situation in Palestine, which Iraq has successfully linked to its problems. Iraq is considered by many Arabs as a true supporter, the only by some Arabs, real supporter of Palestinians.

Now, the messages, we're told by senior parliamentarians, will be -- out of this conference, two day conference -- will be sent to, one message to the U.S. Congress, another to European parliaments, saying that these threats to change the government by force are unacceptable -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, James Martone reporting live for us out of Baghdad this morning.

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