H.E. Dr. Marwan Muasher
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Transcript of Interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer
April 28, 2003
Washington, D.C.
Wolf Blitzer: The foreign minister's joining me here now live. Thank you,
Mr. Foreign Minister, for joining us.
Jordan was among those who didn't want President Bush to go to war. Are you now,
looking back on what's happened, the liberation of Iraq, Saddam Hussein gone,
are you now ready to say President Bush did the right thing?
MARWAN MUASHER, JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: I don't think there was a
question that, you know, we supported the regime of Saddam Hussein. It is
obvious that the Iraqis themselves are relieved that that regime is gone. Our
concern had been, and still is, to have an Iraq where you have a representative
and inclusive Iraqi government rule the country. And I think that is where our
efforts are focused on. And this was the subject of my discussions with U.S.
officials.
BLITZER: But are you ready to give President Bush credit for getting the
job well done?
DR. MUASHER: Well, I think, you know, I mean, it is not a matter
of giving him credit. I think we have talked about this in the past. Jordan has
been always a U.S. ally. But the important thing is to work with President Bush
and with everyone to ensure that the region views are heard on how to make sure
that we have a smooth and a quick transition to a democratic Iraqi government.
BLITZER: Where do you believe Saddam Hussein is right now? First of all,
do you think he is alive?
DR. MUASHER: I have no way of telling whether he's alive or dead.
And I don't think that is the question. The question is the fate of Iraq and the
Iraqi people. And I think, again, that is where we should focus our energies.
BLITZER: What about the weapons of mass destruction? I want you to listen
to what the Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, said earlier today. Listen to
this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: ... stabilize the country, the second
is the humanitarian situation. And the third, and we can take our time about
this, and say we should, is to make sure that we investigate weapons of mass
destruction. And we will do that. And as I say every time I'm asked, I remain
confident they will be found.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Are you confident that those weapons of mass destruction will be
found in Iraq?
DR. MUASHER: Again, we have no way of telling. I think the
question to ask is not whether there are weapons of mass destruction or not now.
That is behind us. The regime is over. The question now is how to reconstruct
Iraq in a way that would make it democratic, that would make it friendly with
its neighbors, and that would have the Iraqis determine their own future. We can
talk about weapons of mass destruction without knowing for sure whether they are
there or not. I don't think that is where we should focus our energies.
BLITZER: As you know, many at the Pentagon, many of the top leaders at
the Pentagon, some at the White House, have a great deal of confidence in Ahmed
Chalabi to emerge as one of the leaders of a new Iraq. He's wanted in Jordan.
You believe he's a crook.
DR. MUASHER: He's convicted in Jordan for 22 years, because he's
embezzled $70 million of regular people's money. And that is our problem with
him. We have...
BLITZER: Did you raise this issue with the secretary of state today?
DR. MUASHER: I have. We've raised it with many U.S. officials.
What we are saying is this, let the Iraqi people decide whether Ahmed Chalabi,
or any other Iraqi, should have a role or not. It is not up to us to decide, and
I hope no one will push him...
BLITZER: In his defense, as you know what he says is that this was a
trumped up charge that Saddam Hussein forced the late King Hussein to do it, and
it was a military tribunal that had these charges filed against him.
DR. MUASHER: I don't think Ahmed Chalabi forced the leaders of
Lebanon or Switzerland, also, to do something against him. He's in financial
trouble over there as well.
Look, the bottom line is, it is the Iraqi people who should decide, not me and
you, and not anybody else. And if the Iraqis want Ahmed Chalabi, it's their
choice. But it shouldn't be ours.
BLITZER: Mr. Foreign Minister, welcome to Washington. Thanks so much for
joining us.
DR. MUASHER: Thank you.