Bush's Chile agenda: Iran, N.Korea

SANTIAGO, Chile - 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 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 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 antiterrorism 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 Jintao 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.

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.

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.

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