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U.N. Weapons Inspector Hans Blix on Iraq

By Fox News
Published | Updated

This is a partial transcript of Special Report with Brit Hume, Jan. 29, that has been edited for clarity. Click here to order the complete transcript.

Watch Special Report With Brit Hume weeknights at 6 p.m. ET

BRIT HUME, HOST: FOX News Correspondent Eric Shawn sat down with the chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to ask him about that and whether he thinks Iraqis would actually disarm. Here is part of their conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC SHAWN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Do you suspect that if you go back, that they will provide more evidence, that they will say, hey, we found something that we didn't know anything about?

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I don't really know what they will do. I can say that it is needed, because there is no confidence unless this is done.

SHAWN: You have confidence in them now?

BLIX: No. There are two kinds of confidence. There is no confidence. Until this has been done, there is no confidence. But there are two kinds of questions in which you need confidence. You need a certain confidence that you can cooperate in logistical terms, in going there, landing your plane, flying your helicopters.

SHAWN: But that is different. That's talking about finding weapons of mass destruction. You do not now have confidence that they're telling the truth?

BLIX: No. No. They lost, you might say, they lost the confidence of the world in 1991 and that it will take a very long time for them and a lot of presentations to regain that confidence.

SHAWN: How come they don't get it? How come they don't understand the seriousness of this?

BLIX: Well, they may be many people. We talked to a scientific adviser, who is very competent, very sophisticated person. Maybe he understands. But it's the government, it's the leadership that decides.

SHAWN: Do you think they're trying to obstruct the inspectors, that they're trying to hide things and move them...

BLIX: No. No. I don't think the minders are trying to obstruct things necessarily. But clearly this is a country that is not normal sort of a democracy and all telephones, I'm sure, are listened to. We do not think that we have our offices in Baghdad are secure all the places there. We have secure phones and we have some places you can be secured. But in the hotel surely we are not.

SHAWN: Bottom line, you think that Saddam, you think that Iraq is bugging your inspectors?

BLIX: Oh, I would think so. As much as they can.

SHAWN: On February 5, Colin Powell will be here. We understand, according to reports, he will provide intelligence that the Iraqis have been hiding material, trying to thwart your inspectors. What do you think about that visit and can you use this in your report?

BLIX: I think it is very welcome and I think everybody has welcomed it's because, I mean inspection is to clarify and get things on the table and if Colin Powell comes and he brings out material that was not known before, I think everybody will welcome that.

I do not think that he is going to say look inspectors, you should go to this place because there is something there; because then the Iraqis may move it away, straightaway. So, I do not expect any sites to be given to us. That's what we want and we ask our member states and government to please give us sites if you know that something is hidden somewhere. Tell it to us, not the public. We have inspector that is can go there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUME: That was Eric Shawn.

Click here to order the complete transcript.

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