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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wake-Up Call: North Korea's Nuclear Claim

Aired April 25, 2003 - 06:06   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: Some analysts say North Korea is bluffing when it claims to have a nuclear weapon, but whether it's bluffing or not, Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States will not be intimidated by North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: They should not leave this series of discussions that have been held in Beijing with the slightest impression that the United States and its partners and the nations in the region will be intimidated by bellicose statements or by threats or actions they think might get them more attention or might force us to make a concession that we would not otherwise make. They would be very ill-advised to move in that direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And Mr. Powell says all sides involved in the Beijing talks will assess what they've heard and determine the next step.

So, what might that next step be?

We've placed a "Wake-Up Call" to our State Department producer, Elise Labott.

Good morning.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Word is the North Koreans told James Kelly very boldly, yes, we have a nuclear bomb; what are you going to do about it?

Is that really only bluster?

LABOTT: Well, Carol, not only did they say they had a nuclear weapon that they were no longer able to dismantle, but that U.S. actions would determine whether North Korea made some kind of demonstration to prove it, such as a test.

Now, for years, the U.S. intelligence community has believed North Korea had at least one nuclear bomb, the ability to develop more in the future. But this was the first time Pyongyang has actually admitted to having nuclear weapons. And while some administration officials believe the North Koreans could be bluffing, typical North Korean brinkmanship to gain concessions from the U.S., others are viewing this as a veiled threat by Pyongyang to test their nukes and declare that they're a nuclear power. So, it's a potentially serious situation.

COSTELLO: So, I'm going to ask you what the next step is. Are we likely to see American concessions?

LABOTT: I don't think so, Carol. The North Koreans issued that statement yesterday, saying that U.S. actions could trigger war on the peninsula at any time. But the U.S. would say that the ball has been really in North Korea's court.

Secretary Powell said, while the U.S. wants to find a diplomatic solution, it's leaving all of its options on the table. And you can see by Secretary Powell's comments, the U.S. is not going to be blackmailed into giving up any concessions to the North. They still want to have a multilateral forum. They still won't go forward on negotiations until the North says it will give up its nuclear program.

And one U.S. official said to us yesterday, Kim Jung Il, the president of North Korea, really has to remember that this is not President Clinton, who negotiated the agreed framework with North Korea. This is President Bush, who does not give in to blackmail -- Carol.

COSTELLO: A different ballgame now. Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK this morning.

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 April 25, 2003 - 06:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Some analysts say North Korea is bluffing when it claims to have a nuclear weapon, but whether it's bluffing or not, Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States will not be intimidated by North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: They should not leave this series of discussions that have been held in Beijing with the slightest impression that the United States and its partners and the nations in the region will be intimidated by bellicose statements or by threats or actions they think might get them more attention or might force us to make a concession that we would not otherwise make. They would be very ill-advised to move in that direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And Mr. Powell says all sides involved in the Beijing talks will assess what they've heard and determine the next step.

So, what might that next step be?

We've placed a "Wake-Up Call" to our State Department producer, Elise Labott.

Good morning.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Word is the North Koreans told James Kelly very boldly, yes, we have a nuclear bomb; what are you going to do about it?

Is that really only bluster?

LABOTT: Well, Carol, not only did they say they had a nuclear weapon that they were no longer able to dismantle, but that U.S. actions would determine whether North Korea made some kind of demonstration to prove it, such as a test.

Now, for years, the U.S. intelligence community has believed North Korea had at least one nuclear bomb, the ability to develop more in the future. But this was the first time Pyongyang has actually admitted to having nuclear weapons. And while some administration officials believe the North Koreans could be bluffing, typical North Korean brinkmanship to gain concessions from the U.S., others are viewing this as a veiled threat by Pyongyang to test their nukes and declare that they're a nuclear power. So, it's a potentially serious situation.

COSTELLO: So, I'm going to ask you what the next step is. Are we likely to see American concessions?

LABOTT: I don't think so, Carol. The North Koreans issued that statement yesterday, saying that U.S. actions could trigger war on the peninsula at any time. But the U.S. would say that the ball has been really in North Korea's court.

Secretary Powell said, while the U.S. wants to find a diplomatic solution, it's leaving all of its options on the table. And you can see by Secretary Powell's comments, the U.S. is not going to be blackmailed into giving up any concessions to the North. They still want to have a multilateral forum. They still won't go forward on negotiations until the North says it will give up its nuclear program.

And one U.S. official said to us yesterday, Kim Jung Il, the president of North Korea, really has to remember that this is not President Clinton, who negotiated the agreed framework with North Korea. This is President Bush, who does not give in to blackmail -- Carol.

COSTELLO: A different ballgame now. Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK this morning.

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