IRAQ: US POLITICIANS JIM McDERMOTT AND DAVID BONIOR VISIT SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT AND A CHILDRENS CLINIC OVER U.N.WEAPONS INSPECTIONS

Record ID: 190164

  • Title: IRAQ: US POLITICIANS JIM McDERMOTT AND DAVID BONIOR VISIT SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT AND A CHILDRENS CLINIC OVER U.N.WEAPONS INSPECTIONS
  • Date: 29th September 2002
  • Summary: (U3) ROSTOMEYA SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY, SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 30, 2002)(REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. OUS: U.S. CONGRESSMEN VIEWING SEWERAGE TREATMENT FACILITY. 0.07 2. SV: (SOUNDBITE)(English) DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE JIM MCDERMOTT OF WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES, SAYING: "I think the United States should allow that to happen I don't think there should be attempts made to make it impossible for those inspections to work because I think that we should allow them to work so that we can disarm Iraq, no one, David and I, we recognise that (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein has done things in the past that are totally unacceptable with weapons of mass destruction, but what we want today is to disarm him not to have regime change, regime change requires war." 0.50 3. SV: MEDIA 0.55 4. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MCDERMOTT, SAYING: "The sanctions have punished the Iraqi people they have not affected the leadership, they have not brought about a regime change and my view is that to do this all over again is simply to punish the Iraqi people more, and put our own people and soldiers in harms way in this country, for a problem that I think can be handled diplomatically. I believe that the decision by the Iraq government to allow unfettered inspections by Mr. Blix from the U.N. (United Nations) is the way to go. I think the United States should allow that to happen." 1.37 5. SV: DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE DAVID BONIOR OF MICHIGAN WITH DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE JIN MCDERMOTT OF WASHINGTON. 1.40 6. SV: (SOUNDBITE)(English) DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE DAVID BONIOR OF MICHIGAN, SAYING: "I think most people in their hearts would like to see and want to see this diplomatic route given a chance and they would like to see it done fairly where the United States is not dictating, where the U.N. makes a decision based on the facts that are there." 1.57 7. VARIOUS: BANNERS BEING DISPLAYED. (2 SHOTS) 2.06 8. VARIOUS: ROSTOMEYA SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY. (4 SHOTS) 2.25 (U3) BASRA, 550 KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 29, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL 9. VARIOUS: CONGRESSMEN AT THE SINDIBAD CHILDREN'S CLINIC, INQUIRING ABOUT A CHILD SUFFERING FROM SKIN CANCER. (2 SHOTS) 2.31 10. VARIOUS: CONGRESSMEN DISTRIBUTING GIFTS TO CHILDREN IN THE CLINIC. (4 SHOTS) 3.09 11. SV: (SOUNDBITE)(English) UNIDENTIFIED MAN ACCOMPANYING THE CONGRESSMEN, SAYING: "We feel very an inadequate that we are not able to bring as much help as we want to, this is small, small token gift of friendship and of concern. We will go back to the United States and work to end the sanctions so that the help that is needed, the medical help, will be here when children come to the hospital." 3.41 (U3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 30, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 12. VARIOUS: STREET SCENES IN BAGHDAD. (2 SHOTS) 3.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th October 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROSTOMEYA SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY - SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, BASRA - 550 KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVACSW4IDTZ71OE333PP0G0MY8OG
  • Story Text: Representative Jim McDermott of Washington, United
    States, has urged for diplomacy and weapons inspections over
    regime change in Iraq which he says would require war.




    Three Democratic U.S. congressmen said on Sunday
    (September 29) from Baghdad that Iraq would provide unfettered
    access to U.N. inspectors, but Republican senators were
    sceptical.

    The Democrats said they met with Iraqi Foreign
    Minister Naji Sabri and Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, who
    promised "unrestricted, unfettered" access.

    Congress is expected to begin debate this week on a
    resolution giving U.S. President George W. Bush the power he
    wants to attack Iraq. Some Democrats want the Republican Bush
    to exhaust diplomatic measures before going to war, and to
    limit the president's war powers.

    With the November U.S. mid-term elections looming, Iraq
    has stolen the national spotlight from the sluggish economy
    and other troublesome domestic issues.

    Democratic Representatives Jim McDermott of Washington,
    Mike Thompson of California and David Bonior of Michigan, in
    Iraq to assess the humanitarian situation, said Baghdad should
    be allowed to comply with U.N. demands without the looming
    threat of U.S. military action.

    "I think the United States should allow that to happen I
    don't think there should be attempts made to make it
    impossible for those inspections to work because I think that
    we should allow them to work so that we can disarm Iraq," said
    McDermott as he toured the Rostomeya sewerage treatment
    facility, south of Baghdad, with the other congressmen on
    Monday (September 30).

    "Saddam Hussein has done things in the past that are
    totally unacceptable with weapons of mass destruction, but
    what we want today is to disarm him not to have regime change,
    regime change requires war," he added.

    Republican senators have expressed doubts that Iraqi
    President Saddam Hussein would allow U.N. inspectors complete
    access.

    Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said on Monday he
    expected unlimited access to sites when his team returns to
    Iraq in an effort to ward off a military attack by the United
    States and Britain.

    Speaking to reporters before Iraqi officials and U.N.

    inspectors began their first meeting to work out details of
    the U.N.'s return, Blix was asked if there would be any
    limitations on the sites open to inspectors.

    "No, not that I'm aware of," he said.

    United Nations inspection teams left Iraq in December 1998
    on the eve of a U.S.-British bombing raid intended to punish
    Baghdad for not cooperating with the inspectors.

    The Congressmen on Monday also visited hospitals in
    Baghdad and Basra, 550 km south of Baghdad.

    A man accompanying the Congressmen said, "We feel very an
    inadequate that we are not able to bring as much help as we
    want to, this is small, small token gift of friendship and of
    concern. We will go back to the United States and work to end
    the sanctions so that the help that is needed, the medical
    help, will be here when children come to the hospital".

    During their visit to "Sindibad" Children's Diarrhoea
    Clinic in Basra, the Congressmen distributed gifts to the sick
    children.
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