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October 27, 2002
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico -- Facing a crisis in Asia, President Bush joined with Japan and South Korea on Saturday to demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons program "in a prompt and verifiable manner." They pledged to resolve the standoff peacefully.
Bush also sought support for possible war with Iraq as Pacific Rim leaders stung by terrorism gathered for their annual summit. He received no firm commitments.
The president met with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the sidelines of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a two-day summit addressing terrorism's effect on people and economies.
"The three leaders called upon North Korea to dismantle this program in a prompt and verifiable manner and to come into full compliance with all its international commitments," the three leaders said in a statement.
Coming one day after Chinese President Jiang Zemin called for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, the three-nation statement gave Bush a show of momentum as he tries to mobilize public opinion against North Korea.
But it fell short of what some advisers had sought -- a firm condemnation of North Korea's actions -- and did not even hint at economic or other sanctions. Secretary of State Colin Powell said it is to early to talk about possible punishments.
He also said the United States has no plans to open negotiations with North Korea as U.S. officials gave mixed signals about Bush's plans to isolate the reclusive communist regime.
Advisers said Bush won't allow U.S.-North Korean talks for now because he does not want to reward Pyongyang for its illicit nuclear weapons program. At the same time, Bush welcomed plans by Japan and South Korea to open talks with Pyongyang.
Asked about the apparent inconsistency, Powell said: "North Korea has isolated itself by this action."
Earlier, Bush pressed his case with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who is hosting the summit at this upscale sports-fishing resort.
The joint statement with Japan and South Korea approved Tokyo's plans to hold talks with North Korea. Those negotiations, once aimed at normalizing relations, will "serve as important channels to call upon the North to respond quickly and convincingly to the international communities' demands for a denuclearized Korean peninsula," the statement said.
South Korea pledged to press North Korea. For his part, Bush said in the statement that the United States "has no intention of invading North Korea."