January 9, 1991 ABC News Special Report

ABCNews breaks into programing at about 1:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday January 9, 1991 with a "Special Report." This is back when "breaking news" actually had meaning. US Secretary of State James Baker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz meet for six and a half hours in Geneva, Switzerland over the crisis in the Persian Gulf and the looking January 15 deadline imposed by the United Nations Security Council for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait. The talks occurred at the Geneva Hotel Intercontinental. At the start the report drones on with Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel waiting for the separate news conferences to being. They try to discern what happened during these meetings, even though they apparently have no idea. I've cut a lot of this out. The original recorded length was two hours. James Baker comes to the platform and makes a statement. He says he and Aziz met in an attempt to make a political resolution in the crisis in the Persian Gulf. Baker emphasized that Iraq must comply with will of international community withdraw from Kuwait or be expelled by force. Baker says no progress was made; Iraq does not want to comply. Baker then takes questions. Baker essentially communicates that the talks have failed and there will be no further talking. Aziz takes the stage at 3pm some time after Baker leaves. He dwells on Palestinian question and insists that the current situation is an issue of Iraqi national security and Arab security. If the Palestinian conflict continues, he says, Iraq will continue to feel unsafe. Therefore, the Palestinian issue is linked to the current issue and it is an issue of justice. Aziz says there is a double standard US applies in the Middle East and complains for awhile about Israel. Aziz says that Iraq wants to be treated in an appropriate manner and feels it has been treated unjustly now and for decades prior. Iraq will defend itself in a bold manner, he says, if attacked. Aziz never once mentions Kuwait by name, or the Iraqi invasion of it. Aziz says that if US invades Iraq will “absolutely” attack Israel.