White House Welcoming Remarks From Hans Blix on Iraq
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is welcoming the remarks from Hans Blix on Iraq this morning. Let's turn to John King, who is following the story from Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is there, because that's where the president will be speaking from later today. Good morning, John.</s>JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula. The White House still could have down the road a dispute with Dr. Blix over the timetable for the inspectors reporting to the Security Council, but today, the White House, as you noted, welcoming what they view as tougher, more reasonable in the view of the White House rhetoric. Dr. Blix saying Iraq is clearly in violation of its commitments to the United Nations, that Iraq is not fully cooperating with the inspections on the ground, and if that in Dr. Blix words, if Iraq does not soon choose the avenue of cooperation, then it will face the other avenue, military confrontation, and still even tougher talk from the White House this morning, one senior official I spoke to a short time ago said there is much more evidence that the public has not seen, much more evidence that this official said would convince the public things are not going as well as media counts and inspectors have suggested in early days and early weeks of inspection. I asked for examples, the official is said Iraq is telling inspectors it cannot guarantee the safety if the inspectors start using more aerial searches, something the United States very much wants. The official also said the United States has -- quote -- "very solid intelligence" that Iraq has moved evidence and some components of the weapons program since the inspection regime was approved by the United Nations. Very tough talk from the White House, this official saying that the next defining dates in this debate, according to the White House, are January 27 and January 28. On January 27, Dr. Blix is to report to the Security Council. Those discussions could go over another minute or so. January 28, the president's State of the Union Address to the people of the United States -- Paula.</s>ZAHN: So, John, I guess not only should the administration be somewhat relieved by what Hans Blix is saying, too, they must also be quite pleased with this surprise inspection of two Iraqi scientists' homes. Any official reaction yet to that development?</s>KING: Well, that follows pressure on Dr. Blix and encouragement for inspectors to be more aggressive on the ground, and the United States believes even more effective would be removing some of those scientists from Iraq. There has yet to be any significant progress on that front. That is a continuing source of frustration at the White House with Dr. Blix and full inspections teams in Iraq. They believe you'll get truth if you get the scientists out of Iraq.</s>ZAHN: John King, thanks so much. Appreciate that live update from Scranton, PA. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com