12 November 2002
Powell Says Compliance with U.N. Will Lead to Better Future for Iraq, November 12, 2002
(Interviewed on four Middle Eastern television networks)
Secretary of State Colin Powell urged Iraq's compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 and criticized its leader, Saddam Hussein, for misusing Iraq's oil wealth to try to obtain weapons of mass destruction.
"When you think of all the money that [Saddam] has wasted on wars, wasted on weapons, wasted on nuclear development, that could have gone to education, to healthcare, to helping other countries -- because this is a wealthy country, Iraq -- it could be helping its neighbors, it could be helping the Palestinians in a more positive way than it has ever done. … It's a shame and it's a time to bring this shame to an end," said Powell, speaking in a November 8 interview with Abu Dhabi television.
"We hope now the Iraqis will understand that a better future awaits them if they will comply with the terms of this resolution," said Powell, interviewed on the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera.
U.N. Security Council resolution 1441, passed unanimously November 8, was not "a resolution to go to war. This was a resolution of purpose," said Powell. Prior experience has led to United States to believe it is important to "keep pressure on Iraq to comply," but the United States is no longer alone in seeking Iraq's disarmament, he said.
"This is not just the United States speaking now. All 15 members of the Security Council and through them all members of the United Nations, the entire international community, are united in this effort," said Secretary Powell in his interview with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.
Turning to the violence between Israelis and Palestinians, the secretary said the United States will continue to remain "deeply engaged in trying to find a way to move forward through this crisis." Besides seeking increased security in the area to bring down the level of violence, the Bush administration is hoping that more responsible Palestinian leaders will emerge.
It is also pressing Israel to "return the tax revenues that belong to the Palestinian people so that a budget can be formed and a budget can be executed," he said on Abu Dhabi TV.
Powell said the United States remains committed to the two-state solution outlined by President Bush on June 24. "It is a difficult objective to achieve, but let there be no doubt that President Bush and the American people are committed to doing everything we can to create a Palestinian state," said Powell, speaking on the Middle East Broadcasting Corporation.
Following are transcripts of Secretary Powell on Abu Dhabi TV, Al-Jazeera, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, and the Middle East Broadcasting Corporation:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release
November 8, 2002
2002/1004
Interview
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell On Abu Dhabi TV
November 8, 2002
(Taped 5:25 p.m. EST)
MR. ALAMI: Mr. Secretary, there are only two options for Saddam today after the resolution: either he complies or he doesn't. If he does, do you foresee any scenario under which Saddam would stay in power, with an Iraq free of sanctions?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, it remains to be seen. I mean, there is a logical path that could lead to that, but right now we have to wait and see whether or not he is willing to cooperate. He has not demonstrated previously his willingness to cooperate, and that is why now we have to keep maximum pressure -- and, frankly, we have to keep the possibility of military action present -- in order to force his cooperation. Without that pressure, he won't cooperate. If he cooperates and gets rid of his weapons of mass destruction, and those weapons have been verified to be gone, then we have a new situation, and we will have to examine the situation at that time.
MR. ALAMI: Would you be willing to lift sanctions then?
SECRETARY POWELL: As you well know, at the end of the resolutions, sanctions ultimately are linked to his performance under these resolutions. So, at some point, the resolutions provide for the lifting of sanctions. But I don't see that any time in the near future.
MR. ALAMI: And what if that happens? Will that leave US policy -- stated policy several times -- that we need a regime change in Baghdad to free Iraqi people? If he complies, how would that leave the people?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think the Iraqi people would be a lot better off with a different leader. Right now, we are focusing on weapons of mass destruction. And the US policy of regime change was put in in 1998 because we didn't see any other way for him to comply with the resolutions. He wasn't complying, and so we thought regime change must be the only way.
Well, we are giving him another chance to see whether he will change the nature of his regime, change his policies, by giving up weapons of mass destruction in the presence of this unified international pressure. And if he were to do that, then we will see. I still think it would be better off if the Iraqi people had different leadership, leadership that was democratically based, leadership that was willing to provide for the people of Iraq.
There are many other resolutions he has violated, with respect to human rights, terrorist activity. But right now, we are focusing on weapons of mass destruction, and if we could get that dealt with, then we'd see where we are and whether the Iraqi people want to continue to have Saddam Hussein as their leader.
MR. ALAMI: And then why not give him an incentive to cooperate with this new resolution?
SECRETARY POWELL: He has incentive. His incentive is that, right now, his incentive is he will avoid regime change in a more forceful way. But why should we give him incentive? He is the one who is in violation. His incentive should be to get out of violation. This isn't a problem that the United States has created or the United Nations has created. It is a problem he has created. So he should take the action to remove these violations and to get on the good side of the international community. We don't owe him any incentives. We owe him nothing more than an opportunity to do what he is supposed to do and to be accountable to the international community.
MR. ALAMI: In the worst case scenario, Mr. Secretary, if the United States decides to go to war against Iraq, is there any concern in this building or somewhere else in this town about so-called "Arab street?" While the Israeli-Palestinian is not resolved, you're going towards another Arab country? Is there any concern about reaction of the Arab street?
SECRETARY POWELL: We, of course, are doing everything we can to try to find a way forward with respect to achieving a Middle East peace, which would result in the creation of a Palestinian state that President Bush is committed to try to create within a three-year period.
But, at the same time, you cannot ignore other dangers, other problems, such as that presented by Saddam Hussein. So we are sensitive to the feelings in the Arab street and we will always remain sensitive to the feelings in the Arab street, but we still have to do what we think is necessary to do to protect our friends in the region and to protect our own interests.
And we are hopeful that it will not be necessary to go to war. President Bush did not go to the United Nations to declare war. He went to the United Nations to say we have a problem and let's give Saddam Hussein one more chance to solve this problem, and let's see if we can do it peacefully.
MR. ALAMI: And, sir, what's your evaluation so far to the so-called roadmap? It seems like it's leading nowhere when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
SECRETARY POWELL: We have had a number of discussions on the roadmap and we have shared it with our friends in the region, our Arab friends, our Palestinian friends and our Israeli friends. And there is a lot of comment on the roadmap, but we will continue to refine the roadmap and then present it to all of the parties.
What we really do have to have now, though, is security in the area -- the end of violence, the end of suicide bombing, responsible leadership emerging out of the Palestinian Authority. We are starting to see some signs of responsible leadership coming forward. Chairman Arafat has not used his leadership role well, and we have said so openly. And we hope that more responsible leadership will come forward.
We are pressing the Israeli side to return the tax revenues that belong to the Palestinian people so that a budget can be formed and a budget can be executed.
But the United States is deeply engaged in trying to find a way forward through this crisis, and we will remain deeply engaged. And our goal is to secure a peace where two states can live side by side in peace, a Palestinian state called Palestine and a Jewish state, the state of Israel.
MR. ALAMI: One last question, Mr. Secretary. Some observers are expressing some concern that some Arab regimes, some of your friends in the area, will not be able to survive violence between the Palestinians and Israelis and violence in Baghdad at the same time. Do you share that concern?
SECRETARY POWELL: No, I think that the friends that we have in the region understand that we are committed to finding a solution that will lead to peace and they also understand the dangers presented by Saddam Hussein. So I think while there would be turmoil in the event of a conflict in the region, I think it is our responsibility to explain our case and make sure people knew why this was necessary.
But right now, I am not thinking about that. Right now, I am thinking about how can we put maximum pressure on Saddam Hussein so that he will cooperate and get out of this problem he has created for himself and provide a better life for the Iraqi people. That is what we are interested in. That is what President Bush is interested in.
When you think of all the money that he has wasted on wars, wasted on weapons, wasted on nuclear development, that could have gone to education, to healthcare, to helping other countries -- because this is a wealthy country, Iraq -- it could be helping its neighbors, it could be helping the Palestinians in a more positive way than it has ever done. And all that money is being wasted on these weapons. It's a shame and it's a time to bring this shame to an end.
MR. ALAMI: Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you. Ramadan Karim.
MR. ALAMI: Ramadan Karim to you too, sir. Thank you.
# # #
(end transcript)
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release
November 8, 2002
2002/1002
Interview
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell On Al-Jazeera
November 8, 2002
(Aired live 5:10 p.m. EST)
MS. RAMAHI: Good evening to you, Mr. Secretary. After weeks of deliberations, and you have managed to get to a resolution.
SECRETARY POWELL: Yes. I am very pleased that we were able to achieve a unanimous vote on a resolution this afternoon.
MS. RAMAHI: What are the kinds of negotiations that went on between you and the French and the Russians, in particular, to get to this resolution in the end?
SECRETARY POWELL: We worked very closely with the French and the Russians and all of the other members of the Security Council in reconciling different points of view and different positions that were held. I think the Russians and the French were anxious to make sure that the United States didn't have what they called "triggers" in the resolution that would automatically lead to conflict.
We took their concerns very much to heart, and in a spirit of openness and trying to solve a problem -- and the problem was Iraq's violation of previous resolutions -- how to put together a solid resolution with a good inspection regime, a resolution that would have consequences if Iraq continued to violate this resolution, as well as others -- and we were able to reach an agreement.
I think that it is an agreement that shows that the international community is unified in demanding that Iraq do what Iraq should have done long ago: stop trying to develop weapons of mass destruction that could be used against people in the region; use that money they have, that treasure they have, that comes from oil, use all of the intelligence capability of the Iraqi people, their skills, their experience, to make products for peace, not weapons for war.
And we hope now the Iraqis will understand that a better future awaits them if they will comply with the terms of this resolution.
MS. RAMAHI: Before talking about consequences, and severe ones, for that matter, that we hear some officials are talking about, threatening to use force by one side and automatically -- this is the United States -- this has pushed Russia and France to stop their objection to the proposed resolution.
Is this true, in your opinion, Mr. Secretary?
SECRETARY POWELL: No, not at all. What we succeeded in doing is getting all 15 members of the Security Council together behind a single resolution which says Iraq has violated previous resolutions let us put in place a strong inspection team with a strong mandate, and let us go in and see if Iraq now is finally willing to cooperate, willing to destroy these weapons of mass destruction; and if it is not willing to destroy these weapons of mass destruction, then the Security Council has the responsibility to assemble again and decide what consequences are appropriate; and the United States retains its option to act if the Security Council doesn't act.
But this resolution should be seen not as a resolution for war, but as a resolution for purpose: to remove dangerous weapons from the region; to stop Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime from developing the kinds of weapons that they have used against their own people and they have used against neighbors, in fact, against Iran, missiles that have been fired against Saudi Arabia. It is to bring an end to this development of weapons of mass destruction and to show the way to a better life for the Iraqi people.
MS. RAMAHI: The question which we find very pressing, Mr. Secretary, if Iraq really agreed and cooperated with the inspectors and got rid of its weapons, will, in the United States, you stop talking about changing regime in Iraq, then?
SECRETARY POWELL: If the Iraqi regime got rid of these weapons of mass destruction and were fully cooperating with the inspectors, then, in effect, it has changed its policies; it is a changed regime.
The reason for regime change in the beginning, in 1998, under the previous American Presidential administration, was because Iraq would not disarm, it would not comply with the resolutions. If it complies with those disarmament resolutions, in effect, it has adopted new policies, which suggest a change in the thinking in Baghdad and a changed regime.
MS. RAMAHI: Mr. Colin Powell, thank you very much, indeed, for joining our program to you, sir. Thank you very much.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much. Ramadan Karim.
MS. RAMAHI: Ramadan Karim to you, too, sir. Thank you.
# # #
(end transcript)
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release
November 8, 2002
2002/1001
Interview
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell On Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation
November 8, 2002
(Aired live 5:00 p.m. EST)
MS. RAHME: What is the purpose, what is the aim from going back to the Security Council in case Iraq refuses to abide by this resolution or breaches it? Is it to issue a new resolution or for another purpose?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good evening, first of all and Ramada Karim to all of your viewers.
The resolution that was passed today by the Security Council has several parts to it: one, to again remind everybody of Iraq's failure to abide by previous resolutions, secondly, to put in place a solid inspection regime so that the inspectors can go back into Iraq and see whether or not they still have weapons of mass destruction. If Iraq cooperates with the inspectors, then we have a peaceful way out of this problem.
If Iraq does not cooperate or if Iraq makes it clear that they intend to continue to develop weapons of a chemical nature, a biological nature, nuclear weapons that are so threatening to the people of the region, then the Security Council will come together again and make a judgment about what should happen at that time.
I can't predict what the Security Council will decide to do at that time, but I must say that the United States will be watching this carefully and will always keep open the option of working with other nations to force Iraq to give up these weapons of mass destruction.
MS. RAHME: But in this resolution it was mentioned that this was the last chance for Iraq, but Iraq says, they said a new resolution is only a preparation for a military attack under an international cover. What is your comment?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, they are wrong. It is not an excuse for a military attack. If we wanted to conduct a military attack, we would not have needed an excuse. This was an effort for the international community to come together and say to the world that Iraq has violated its obligations to the international community. The United States is not looking for an opportunity to hurt the Iraqi people. The United States is trying to get rid of these terrible weapons that Saddam Hussein is developing and which he has used -- he has used against Iran in the past, he has used against his own people, and so what we are interested in is disarmament. We hope that through this resolution disarmament can be accomplished peacefully. We are not looking for an excuse for war.
Americans don't like war. We don't want war, and we do not go out looking for wars in an aggressive way. We fight wars when it is necessary to defend our interests and the interests of our friends. But in this case, we want to help the Iraqi people use the oil treasure that they have for peaceful purposes to improve their society and not to develop weapons and missiles that threaten their neighbors.
MS. RAHME: Mr. Powell, about this resolution, how were you able to cancel the reservations, the French and Russian reservations on this resolution, especially?
SECRETARY POWELL: We worked very closely with the Russians and the French and all the other members of the Security Council and we listened to the concerns they had about our original proposal. We were able to modify our position, they were able to change some of their positions so that slowly we were all able to come into agreement, to include Syria, come into agreement that Iraq has been responsible for these violations in the past, that we need a new, tough inspection regime and that we have to hold out the likelihood of consequences if Iraq fails to comply with this new resolution.
What we have seen over the years is that in the absence of some pressure on Iraq, it will not comply. It will merely frustrate the work of the inspectors. And this time we believe it is important that we keep the pressure on for Iraq to comply.
This is not just the United States speaking now. All 15 members of the Security Council and through them all members of the United Nations, the entire international community, are united in this effort.
MS. RAHME: Secretary of State, thank you for your participation.
SECRETARY POWELL: You're welcome.
# # #
(end transcript)
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release
November 8, 2002
2002/1003
Interview
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell On Middle East Broadcasting Corporation
November 8, 2002
(Aired live 5:15 p.m. EST)
MS. TANNURI: We have with us from Washington, Mr. Colin Powell. Mr. Powell, good evening, sir. After eight weeks of deliberations in the Security Council about the resolution and the amendment the Security Council agreed on the resolution. Do you understand that this resolution will tie the hands of US from taking any unilateral movement towards Iraq except through the Security Council?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think this is an excellent resolution and I am very pleased that all 15 members of the Security Council agreed. This wasn't a resolution to go to war. This was a resolution of purpose: to find a peaceful solution to a very serious problem. That problem was Saddam Hussein's development of weapons of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction that threaten his neighbors, threatens his own people, and wastes the treasure of the Iraqi people.
So the United States was not looking for a way to keep from going to war. We were looking for a solution that would be peaceful. If Saddam Hussein violates this resolution, then the Security Council will meet again to consider what should be done, and that might include the use of military force. The United States would participate in that conversation in the Security Council, but at the same time, the United States would always retain its option to use its forces in concert with other nations if the Security Council should choose not to act.
But we are not talking about war now. We are talking about a peaceful solution. And all it would take to get to that peaceful solution is for Saddam Hussein to cooperate with the inspectors, with the United Nations, and give up weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein is the problem, not the United Nations, not the United States.
MS. TANNURI: Mr. Powell, do you understand that the US will keep its options and it will not only move through the Security Council?
SECRETARY POWELL: We have moved with the Security Council for the last seven and a half weeks to come up with this resolution, but we will always have an option of acting to defend ourselves or to defend our friends in the region with other nations who feel the same way working with us. It is always preferable to work through the Security Council, and that is why we have worked through the Security Council for this resolution. And if Saddam Hussein violates this resolution, we would also work with the Security Council while it deliberates what to do.
The focus shouldn't be what the United States might or might not do in the future. The focus should be what is Saddam Hussein going to do now to get out of the violations that he has been committing for the last 11 years that has put peace at risk in that part of the world. It is not the United States who has attacked the neighbors of Iraq. It is Iraq who has attacked its own neighbors. It is not the United States or any other nation that has gassed the people of Iraq. It is Saddam Hussein who has gassed his own people.
He has wasted the treasure of the Iraqi people -- money that could have gone to education, healthcare, infrastructure repair, so many things -- have gone to developing weapons of mass destruction. And what the international community is now saying is it is time for this to stop.
MS. TANNURI: Mr. Powell, we want to know who will decide that Iraq has violated the resolution of the Security Council. Is it the United Nations or the United States?
SECRETARY POWELL: The inspectors will go in and do their job and we will know soon enough whether or not Iraq is cooperating or not cooperating, and then we will see what the inspectors find. Under the resolution passed today, Dr. Blix of the UNMOVIC group and Mr. El Baradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency will report their findings to the Security Council for the Security Council to consider.
But any member state can see what is going on and make a judgment as to whether or not Iraq is cooperating. But let's not look for a way to get to war. Let's look for a way to get to peace. What President Bush and the American Government is interested in now is how to get to peace, not how to get to war, how to disarm Saddam Hussein so that the region becomes more peaceful and more stable.
MS. TANNURI: Mr. Secretary, through this resolution it seems that you looked at the idea of toppling the Iraqi regime. Is the Iraqi regime less dangerous than before?
SECRETARY POWELL: I believe the Iraqi regime is a dangerous regime. It does not respect its own people. It threatens its neighbors. It violates international agreements. But it is especially dangerous in the possession of weapons of mass destruction. The UN has spoken clearly about this since 1991. Saddam Hussein and this regime have ignored the United Nations. And the United Nations has spoken clearly today. Its will cannot be and must not be ignored.
MS. TANNURI: Mr. Powell, eyes are looking now to Iraq. What about the Palestinian issue?
SECRETARY POWELL: We remain deeply involved in trying to find a solution to the crisis in the Middle East. We are working with Palestinian leaders and we are working with Israeli leaders to find a way forward, working with our colleagues in the European Union and the Russian Federation and in the United Nations.
America is committed to the plan that was put forward by President George Bush on the 24th of June to get both sides to work toward the creation of a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people. That remains our objective and we are working hard towards that objective.
It is a difficult objective to achieve, but let there be no doubt that President Bush and the American people are committed to doing everything we can to create a Palestinian state, Palestine, that will be living in peace and security next to the state of Israel.
MS. TANNURI: Mr. Powell, thank you very much.
SECRETARY POWELL: Ramadan Karim.
# # #
(end transcript)
