[Kyra Phillips, Cnn Anchor:] But for days you've been hearing what the U.S. thinks should happen in Iraq. Now the Iraqis are making their case. About an hour ago, its foreign minister appeared before the United Nations general assembly. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is here to fill us in on what he said Richard.
[Richard Roth, Senior U.n. Correspondent:] Yes, the man before the general assembly of the United Nations was Iraq's foreign minister Naji Sabri. But the words came from Iraq's President Saddam Hussein. Exactly one week after U.S. President George Bush came up with a long list of Iraqi violations, especially regarding weapons of mass destruction, through the Iraqi president, Iraq's foreign minister said, in effect, that his country was free of weapons of mass destruction.
[Naji Sabri, Iraq Foreign Minister:] Iraq is totally clear of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. If there are anyone amongst you who might still worry that the fabrications announced by American officials about Iraq may possibly be true, our country is ready to receive any scientific experts, accompanied by politicians. You choose to present any one of your countries to, tell us which places and scientific and industrial installations they wish to see, particularly those about which the American officials have been publicating false stories.
[Sabri:] After a long time of utilizing the American propaganda machine, along with official statements of lies, distortion and falsehood, the forecast was deliberately intent on inciting the American public against Iraq and pushing them to believe the U.S. administration schemes of aggression as a fait accompli, as if it were the solution of the necessary
[Roth:] The foreign minister offered some sympathy for the victims and families of the September 11th attacks. However, he accused President Bush of being very narrow minded and should pay more attention to the common interests of every person and not just focus on September 11th Kyra.
[Phillips:] Richard Roth, thank you.