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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wake-Up Call: Nuclear Showdown

Aired January 16, 2003 - 06:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: North Korea has more than a few choice words for the United States and its idea to end that country's nuclear program. Did you hear, North Korean officials say the U.S. loud mouth supply of energy and food aid are like a painted pie in the sky.
Time for a "Wake-Up Call." State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel on the phone with us now.

Andrea, how did that statement play in Washington?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, there's more. They did -- they went on to say that it's clear that the U.S. talk about dialog is nothing more than a deceptive drama. You know the North Koreans are anything but subtle in terms of their rhetoric.

The Bush administration recognizes that North Korea is known for its bluster. Ari Fleischer at the White House called the North Korean statement unfortunate, but he also pointed out that they haven't really had any official word back, they've only really heard through the North Korean media. So they're still waiting for word and they expect to get that, Carol, because they've got any number of diplomatic missions to Pyongyang. You've got the Australians there, you've got a high level U.N. delegation there and you're also going to have the Russians there in about a day or so. So they hope to get direct word from the North Koreans during those meetings.

COSTELLO: So, Andrea, is there any sense as to what it will finally take to get this thing dealt with?

KOPPEL: You know I spoke with one -- with one U.S. source yesterday who said that he's confident this is going to end diplomatically. He said the North Koreans are going to get some kind of written security assurances. They've heard from the president directly that he's willing to give them food and energy aid, which they desperately need. And you know you also have some pretty significant pressure that's going to be coming both from China and from Russia. Those are two old allies of North Korea. And so the sense really is is this is going to wrap up, the question is when.

COSTELLO: That's a big question, too, these days.

Andrea Koppel, thanks for waking up early with us on DAYBREAK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Aired January 16, 2003 - 06:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: North Korea has more than a few choice words for the United States and its idea to end that country's nuclear program. Did you hear, North Korean officials say the U.S. loud mouth supply of energy and food aid are like a painted pie in the sky.
Time for a "Wake-Up Call." State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel on the phone with us now.

Andrea, how did that statement play in Washington?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, there's more. They did -- they went on to say that it's clear that the U.S. talk about dialog is nothing more than a deceptive drama. You know the North Koreans are anything but subtle in terms of their rhetoric.

The Bush administration recognizes that North Korea is known for its bluster. Ari Fleischer at the White House called the North Korean statement unfortunate, but he also pointed out that they haven't really had any official word back, they've only really heard through the North Korean media. So they're still waiting for word and they expect to get that, Carol, because they've got any number of diplomatic missions to Pyongyang. You've got the Australians there, you've got a high level U.N. delegation there and you're also going to have the Russians there in about a day or so. So they hope to get direct word from the North Koreans during those meetings.

COSTELLO: So, Andrea, is there any sense as to what it will finally take to get this thing dealt with?

KOPPEL: You know I spoke with one -- with one U.S. source yesterday who said that he's confident this is going to end diplomatically. He said the North Koreans are going to get some kind of written security assurances. They've heard from the president directly that he's willing to give them food and energy aid, which they desperately need. And you know you also have some pretty significant pressure that's going to be coming both from China and from Russia. Those are two old allies of North Korea. And so the sense really is is this is going to wrap up, the question is when.

COSTELLO: That's a big question, too, these days.

Andrea Koppel, thanks for waking up early with us on DAYBREAK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com