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S P E C I A L: The Standoff with Iraq Clinton: U.N. chief has 'critical opportunity'
Iraq-bound Annan: 'Not an easy mission'
February 19, 1998
Web posted at: 11:57 a.m. EST (1657 GMT)Latest developments:
- U.N. chief leaves for Baghdad
- Clinton: Rowdy 'town hall' was 'old fashioned debate'
- More U.S. troops arrive in Gulf
- Other developments
- Related stories/sites
NEW YORK (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was Iraq-bound on Thursday for "difficult" last-minute talks with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in a bid to avert a U.S.-led attack. With more troops arriving in the Persian Gulf region -- and more on the way -- President Clinton wished Annan success but said the United States is "prepared to act" if diplomacy fails to end the weapons inspection standoff.
Before boarding an Air France Concorde jet for Paris, Annan told reporters in New York that when he meets Hussein over the weekend he will explain that "it is in (Hussein's) interests and the interests of the Iraqi people to agree to implement Security Council resolutions."
(345K/16 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)
"It is not an easy mission because we've had a rather difficult relationship with the government of Iraq and with President Saddam Hussein," Annan said. "There is a great deal of suspicion on both sides and it is not going to be easy to overcome that gulf and get him to understand what I've come to tell him."
But Annan also said he was "reasonably optimistic" his mission would succeed.
After an overnight stopover in Paris, the U.N. leader was expected in Baghdad on Friday in what many see as the last hope for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Baghdad's refusal to allow U.N. monitors unrestricted access to presidential sites in their search for weapons of mass destruction.
Clinton: Rowdy 'town hall' was 'old-fashioned debate'
Clinton Clinton said that he and French President Jacques Chirac agreed in a phone conversation that Annan's mission to Baghdad "is a critical opportunity to achieve the outcome that all of us would prefer, a peaceful and principled end to this crisis."
But, "if diplomacy fails, we must be and are prepared to act," the president told reporters on the White House lawn before boarding a helicopter for a speaking engagement in Baltimore.
"The choice is Saddam Hussein's. We hope he will accept the mandate of the world community. He has, after all, agreed to it, years ago. If not, he must bear the responsibility for the consequences."
President Clinton speaks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House
VXtreme streaming video (4:21)
Asked about the critical questioning and heckling of administration officials on Wednesday as they explained the administration's Iraq policy, Clinton called the "town hall" meeting in Columbus, Ohio, a "good, old-fashioned American debate" that should not mislead Iraq into thinking a majority of Americans oppose a military strike.
"I believe strongly that most Americans support our policy," the president said.
Clinton also announced he had asked Vice President Al Gore to delay a planned trip to South Africa next week so the full national security team will be on hand if the United States decides to attack Iraq.
U.S. troops arrive in Kuwait Thursday More U.S. troops arrive in Gulf
The United States and Britain have threatened military strikes if Hussein does not relent and allow inspectors complete access to presidential compounds suspected as weapons sites. Iraq has put the sites off limits as symbols of national sovereignty.
A first planeload of U.S. Army armored and helicopter troops from Fort Stewart, Georgia, landed at Kuwait International Airport on Thursday. They are part of a contingent of 3,000 infantry troops who received orders last week to join the U.S. force of 25,000 already in the Gulf region. Some of the 250 Australian military personnel being sent to Kuwait arrived on Wednesday.
Here are more developments, all from Thursday unless otherwise noted:
- Hussein sent a message to Russian President Boris Yeltsin saying he remains committed to a diplomatic solution, the official Iraqi News Agency reported. It also said the Iraqi leader had met with Russian envoy Viktor Posuvalyuk, who presented a letter from Yeltsin. The report did not say when the meeting took place.
- Former U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar said he has dim hopes for Annan's mission to Baghdad. Perez de Cuellar failed on his own diplomatic quest before the 1991 Gulf War, but Annan said he is "not too worried" about a similar outcome this time.
"The times are different," the current U.N. leader said before boarding a plane in New York. "(19)91 is not (19)98 ... (In 19)91, we hadn't seen the war. Iraq (was) hit many times and (now) knows what happens when the international community decides to use force."
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair told Annan that "the threat of force is real." The two men spoke by telephone and the British leader stressed there should be "no fudging" when the U.N. chief meets with Iraqi leader, Blair's spokesman said.
- A U.N. advance team of about 20 support staff arrived at Habbaniya airport west of Baghdad to prepare for Annan's arrival.
- As a precaution against an attack, 31 employees of the U.N. humanitarian office in Baghdad left the Iraqi capital. Roughly the same number was expected to leave on Friday. About 250 relief workers from a staff that once numbered about 400 remain.
Staffan de Mistura, U.N. survey team "...from that point of view our mission is finished..." 288K/13 sec. AIFF or WAV sound - The three-man U.N. team mapping Iraq's presidential palaces finished its work Wednesday. The team's work is expected to determine which buildings within the disputed sites should be examined by U.N. weapons inspectors.
- The Polish Embassy, which has represented U.S. interests in Baghdad since the Gulf War, evacuated 10 of its 16 diplomats. The Polish ambassador and another diplomat who works on behalf of the United States were among those staying behind.
- The Iraqi leader's eldest son, Uday, turned a meeting with sports officials from Qatar into a political platform shown on Iraqi television. The United States, he said, was leading an "evil and barbaric campaign" against Iraq. "God willing," he went on, "the day will come when America kneels before Iraq and the gallant Saddam Hussein."
- Israeli policemen fired live rounds into the air to disperse hundreds of young Palestinians who blocked a major West Bank road and stoned Jewish settler cars to show their support for Saddam Hussein. Because of such protests, the United States has advised its citizens not to travel to the West Bank and Gaza.
- Israeli department stores began selling gas masks to non-citizens living in the country. In addition, Israeli soldiers were asked to give their army-issue masks to civilians without protection against a possible Iraqi attack. Israeli officials also said.
- The Philippines has suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to the Middle East because of "the threat of an impending U.S. military strike against Iraq," the government said. About 600,000 Filipinos work in the Middle East, officials said.
Correspondents Ben Wedeman, Richard Roth, Brent Sadler and Mike Hanna contributed to this report.
Iraq Standoff Main | Latest Stories | Message Board
Newsmaker profiles:
- Kofi Annan - U.N. Secretary General
- Saddam Hussein - Iraqi President
- Bill Clinton - U.S. President
- Boris Yeltsin - Russian President
- Tony Blair - British Prime Minister
Related stories:
- U.N. aid workers leave Baghdad; Annan aides arrive - February 19, 1998
- Kuwait hopes to avert replay of Gulf War - February 18, 1998
- U.S. policy on Iraq draws fire in Ohio - February 18, 1998
- Annan admits Iraq trip could be last chance for peace - February 18, 1998
- Annan, Hussein meeting set - February 18, 1998
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