[Shadow_Group] Bush Seeks Support on N. Korea, Iran - fr Chile

Tue Nov 23 04:11:25 PST 2004

Bush Seeks Support on N. Korea, Iran - fr Chile

Bush Warns Leaders at APEC About Iran's Nuclear
Ambition, Seeks End to Impasse With North Korea

FROM:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=269310<http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=269310>
SANTIAGO, Chile Nov 20, 2004 - Facing nuclear
challenges on two fronts, President Bush warned
Saturday that Iran's suspected weapons program is "a
very serious matter," and he stood united with leaders
of Asia and Russia in demanding North Korea's return
to stalled disarmament talks. 

Iran and North Korea, two nations in what Bush has
branded an "axis of evil," dominated the president's
attention along with trade and economic issues at the
opening of a 21-nation summit of Asian-Pacific
leaders. Bush tried to ease global concerns about the
sinking value of the dollar, a drop based in part on
investors' fears about the huge U.S. trade and budget
deficits. 

Fresh from his re-election, Bush met in rapid
succession in his hotel with the leaders of Japan,
South Korea, China and Russia, his partners in the
talks with North Korea, which is led by the mercurial
dictator, Kim Jong Il. 

Reporting on his discussions, Bush said that "the will
is strong, that the effort is united and the message
is clear to Mr. Kim Jong Il: Get rid of your nuclear
weapons programs." Addressing business leaders, he
urged nations to purge government corruption, support
free trade and strengthen anti-terrorism efforts.

Although it boycotted talks in September, the Bush
administration said at the summit that North Korea has
told China in recent weeks that it is prepared to
participate in the six-nation negotiations aimed at
ending its nuclear weapons program. The United States
hopes the talks resume by year's end or early next
year. 

Chinese President Hu Jinatao said he and Bush both
hoped the North Korean crisis "can be solved
peacefully through dialogue." Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi also expressed a desire for a
diplomatic solution. Hu and Bush exchanged invitations
for visits to each other's country, but neither leader
agreed to go. 

None of the leaders demanded more flexibility in the
North Korean talks or wavered on any of the key
issues, a senior official said on condition of
anonymity. The message coming out of Santiago is that
"all five who are here are ready to go," the official
said. 

On Iran, the United States is skeptical about Tehran's
intentions in talks with Britain, France and Germany
about eliminating or dismantling its nuclear weapons
systems. Facing a Monday deadline to halt all work
related to uranium enrichment, Iran reportedly is
producing significant quantities of a gas that can be
used to make nuclear arms. 

"This is a very serious matter," Bush said, sitting
alongside Koizumi. "The world knows it's a serious
matter and we're working together to solve this
matter." The United States intends to ask the U.N.
Security Council to consider economic and diplomatic
sanctions against Iran. 

Bush praised the efforts of European nations to
persuade Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons. "They do
believe that Iran has got nuclear ambitions, as do we,
as do many around the world," Bush said. 

Believed to have one or two nuclear weapons and
possibly more, North Korea is demanding security
guarantees as a price for ending the impasse.
Washington wants an immediate halt and U.N.
inspections of North Korea's nuclear activities. 

The United States says it can consider security
guarantees and economic aid if the freeze on weapons
development doesn't last long and is followed by a
swift dismantling of nuclear facilities. 

After three rounds of inconclusive talks with the
United States and others, North Korea boycotted the
September session, apparently waiting to see who would
win the U.S. election. 

"What's very important is for the leader of the North
Korea to understand that the six-party talks will be
the framework in which we continue to discuss the
mutual goal we all have, which is to rid the Korean
Peninsula of nuclear weapons," Bush said. 

Both Bush and the Chinese leader, Hu, expressed a
commitment to success. 

"I look forward to working with him over the next four
years to continue our close work on keeping the peace
peace in the Korean peninsula, peace throughout the
Pacific region and spreading peace throughout the
world," Bush said. 

"Both sides expressed the hope that the issue will be
solved peacefully through dialogue," Hu agreed. 

Bush also met with the leaders of Indonesia, Canada
and Russia at the summit, which has been disrupted by
demonstrations against Bush and the war in Iraq that
erupted in poor neighborhoods away from the
well-guarded luxury hotels in Santiago where Bush and
fellow world leaders were meeting. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed with Bush on
the need to maintain pressure on Iran and prevent it
from acquiring nuclear weapons, the United States
said. 

On a subject of U.S. concern, Bush asked the Russian
leader to explain why he has taken steps widely seen
as a move away from democracy. In a lengthy response,
Putin looked deep into Russian past, back to the
Stalinist period, and argued that his country needs a
democratic approach that fits with its unique history
and ethnic composition, the senior administration
official said. Bush questioned how Putin's approach
would move Russian democracy forward. 

At his meeting with Bush, Koizumi gave a hearty nod of
agreement when Bush reiterated his commitment to a
committed to a strong dollar and pledged to work with
Congress to reduce short-term and long-term deficits. 

The Chinese president pledged anew that China will
move to flexible exchange rates that reflects market
demands. China has tied its currency, the yuan, at a
fixed rate to the dollar. U.S. manufacturers say the
tactic has undervalued the Chinese currency by as much
as 40 percent and given Chinese companies a huge
competitive advantage over U.S. manufacturers. 

The dollar slumped to record lows Friday against the
euro and a 4 1/2-year low against the Japanese yen,
prompting America's trading partners to cry foul
because such currency devaluation threatens their
exports into the United States by making them more
expensive. But a gradually declining dollar could
boost the sale of U.S. goods overseas, which could
narrow America's trade deficit.

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