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Politics

Bush pushes for support of N. Korea stance

By Associated PRess
Published November 19, 2006

HANOI, Vietnam - Lobbying world leaders, President Bush sought China's support today for pressuring long-defiant North Korea to prove it is serious about dismantling its nuclear weapons program.

Bush met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and, later in the day, was to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Bush used a summit of Pacific Rim countries to consult individually with leaders of the four other nations engaged with North Korea in nuclear disarmament talks, stalled for more than a year but now on the verge of resumption. Those talks were expected to win endorsement from all 21 participants in the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

In this communist country, Bush made a pointed effort to encourage religious tolerance. He and his wife, Laura, attended services at Cua Bac Church, a concrete basilica built by the French more than a century ago.

Just ahead of Bush's trip, the United States dropped Vietnam from a list of countries said to severely violate their people's religious freedoms.

The president and Mrs. Bush spent about 30 minutes in the service. Outside, Bush said they were "touched by the simplicity and beauty of the moment" and grateful for the chance to "worship with the believers here in Hanoi."

Nearly two weeks after election losses weakened his presidency, Bush faced questions from summit partners about the Democratic takeover of Congress and the message of disapproval about the Iraq war.

"He, of course, reassured them that, in terms of the foreign policy of the country, he was firm in his views and would be continuing that foreign policy along current lines," said Stephen Hadley, the White House national security adviser.

Bush on Saturday explored North Korea strategy with Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, a hard-liner toward Pyongyang, and with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun, who has reservations about the U.S. approach.

Today, Bush plunged back into nuclear diplomacy, first with China, which exerts more influence on North Korea than any other. Bush and Hu also were expected to discuss rising trade tensions between their countries and U.S. concerns about China's big military budget.

While Bush and Putin have sharp differences, they are celebrating an agreement that would pave the way for Russia to join the World Trade Organization.

China and Russia support U.N. sanctions against North Korea for conducting a nuclear test Oct. 9 in defiance of world appeals. But Washington is worried that support for carrying out the sanctions might be weakened by North Korea's declaration that it is willing to return to the stalled disarmament talks.

In his one-on-one diplomacy, Bush explored how to proceed in the negotiations with North Korea.

Hadley said the North Koreans "cannot come back just to talk," but must show they are prepared to implement a year-old agreement to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for security guarantees and aid.

Focused on economic problems, leaders at the summit pledged major steps to resurrect WTO talks, which collapsed in July in a dispute over agricultural subsidies between the United States and Europe. The leaders promised to make deeper reductions in farm subsidies, widen market access for agricultural goods and cut tariffs.

[Last modified November 19, 2006, 02:03:40]