Radio Workshop

Up in Arms (Transcript)

by Ethan Lindsey

NARRATION:

In their remarks to the Security Council, both Blix and IAEA chief Muhammad ElBearaday stressed that immediate military action is unnecessary. Blix said that he disagreed with the contention, by some, that disarmament was a remote and distant possibility.

TAPE: BLIX:

The period of disarmament through inspection could be still be short if immediate, active, and unconditional cooperation with UNMOVIC and the IAEA would be forthcoming.

NARRATION:

Blix said that Iraq had recently allowed U-2 spy planes to monitor possible weapons movement and also let scientists speak with inspectors without government oversight. ElBearaday noted that Saddam Hussein passed a law this morning outlawing nuclear and biological weapons. He said this was a step in the right direction.

TAPE: ELBAREDEI:

It is my hope that this new commitment out of Baghdad will continue to translate into concrete and sustained actions.

NARRATION:

Blix also responded to Colin Powell's speech last week. In the speech, the US Secretary identified satellite footage with Iraqi troop movement at a suspected weapons test site. Blix said he was familiar with the location, and said that the activity could easily have been "routine." In his comments following Blix this morning, Powell stressed that Iraq's continued non-compliance required a UN response.

POWELL:

We cannot allow this process to be endlessly strung out as Iraq is trying to do right now. 'String it out long enough and the world will start looking in other directions. The security council will move on. We'll get away with it again.' My friends, they cannot be allowed to get away with it again.

NARRATION:

The British and Spanish representatives also took hard line positions towards Iraq. But France, Germany and Russia did not back down from their stated belief that the inspectors needed more time. In an impassioned speech, the French Foreign Minister said his country continued to believe that the inspections are "producing results" and the use of force is "fraught with risk."

NARRATION:

At the White House, President Bush continued to sound like he was ready for war. He met with the Foreign Minister of Turkey about the use of air strips for any military action against Iraq. Afterwards he said Saddam Hussein would be disarmed "one way or another." I'm Ethan Lindsey, Columbia Radio News.