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CNN Live Today
Bush in Bangkok
Aired October 20, 2003 - 10:09 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: International security and the war on the terrorism are dominating the agenda at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. That's going on right now in Bangkok, Thailand. President Bush is helping to steer the focus from the typical discussions of trade and bottom lines.
Our senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president, and he joins us now with more.
John, hello.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you Daryn, from Bangkok, Monday night here.
Now a few leaders gathered here are not happy with that, that Mr. Bush wants to focus so much time and energy on terrorism and security issues. But the White House making a case that terrorism is a major problem in Southeast Asia, and that the North Korea nuclear standoff is obviously a concern to countries in this region.
The leaders, Mr. Bush and 20 of his colleagues, gathered tonight for dinner and some social events. But in their conversation at the dinner and earlier today at their formal discussions, Mr. Bush promoting one initiative he announced at the summit, a new initiative regarding the North Korean nuclear standoff. The president says he will not negotiate a direct bilateral nonaggression pact with North Korea, but he now says he is willing to put in writing a promise that the United States has no hostile intentions, no desire or intent to attack North Korea, so long as that statement was made in conjunction with other key allies here in the region, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea, the partners of the United States in the ongoing negotiations with North Korea. Mr. Bush put that proposal forward here at the summit. The parties -- Russia, Japan, South Korea, China -- are studying it.
Condoleezza Rice, Mr. Bush's national security adviser, says no reaction as yet from North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATL. SECURITY ADVISER: We've gotten no feedback from North Korea, and I don't know what their reaction will be. The fact is, though, that if the North Koreans are in fact serious about trying to move this process forward, if they are, in fact, serious about having security concerns, then I would think they would welcome an opportunity to talk to their nearest neighbors about the problem. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, North Korea did test fire an anti-ship missile today as the summit debate was going on here in Bangkok. Some might see that as North Korea's reaction. South Korea believes it's just a routine test. U.S. and Japanese officials say the timing is curious to say the least.
Now these summits are generally very polite, very scripted affairs. But one rebuke today from President Bush. He pulled the prime minister of Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir, aside. Mr. Mahathir last week stunned the world by issuing statements in which he said that Jews run the world, as the United States and other Western powers are simply proxies for the Jews. Mr. Bush pulled the prime minister of Malaysia aside today, and we are told he said he considered those remarks both wrong and divisive. Other White House officials say they worry it could incite violence against Jews -- Daryn.
KAGAN: John, getting back to North Korea for a second, how does the administration explain the change in its stance of no negotiation at all with that nuclear power?
KING: Well, the administration has said it will not negotiate directly, bilaterally with North Korea, because it said that was done consistently in the Clinton administration, and North Korea simply lied and cheated on its agreement. So the White House said it is willing to have security assurances, willing down the road to consider things like economic assistance and relations with North Korea, but it says it needs the protection of support of the neighbors, if you will, China especially, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Mr. Bush saying he simply doesn't trust North Korea, but that if everyone in the neighborhood, especially those like China North Korea does the most business with, are signed on to a deal, he would be willing to sign on, too -- Daryn.
KAGAN: John king in Bangkok. Thank you for that.
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 October 20, 2003 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: International security and the war on the terrorism are dominating the agenda at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. That's going on right now in Bangkok, Thailand. President Bush is helping to steer the focus from the typical discussions of trade and bottom lines.
Our senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president, and he joins us now with more.
John, hello.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you Daryn, from Bangkok, Monday night here.
Now a few leaders gathered here are not happy with that, that Mr. Bush wants to focus so much time and energy on terrorism and security issues. But the White House making a case that terrorism is a major problem in Southeast Asia, and that the North Korea nuclear standoff is obviously a concern to countries in this region.
The leaders, Mr. Bush and 20 of his colleagues, gathered tonight for dinner and some social events. But in their conversation at the dinner and earlier today at their formal discussions, Mr. Bush promoting one initiative he announced at the summit, a new initiative regarding the North Korean nuclear standoff. The president says he will not negotiate a direct bilateral nonaggression pact with North Korea, but he now says he is willing to put in writing a promise that the United States has no hostile intentions, no desire or intent to attack North Korea, so long as that statement was made in conjunction with other key allies here in the region, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea, the partners of the United States in the ongoing negotiations with North Korea. Mr. Bush put that proposal forward here at the summit. The parties -- Russia, Japan, South Korea, China -- are studying it.
Condoleezza Rice, Mr. Bush's national security adviser, says no reaction as yet from North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATL. SECURITY ADVISER: We've gotten no feedback from North Korea, and I don't know what their reaction will be. The fact is, though, that if the North Koreans are in fact serious about trying to move this process forward, if they are, in fact, serious about having security concerns, then I would think they would welcome an opportunity to talk to their nearest neighbors about the problem. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, North Korea did test fire an anti-ship missile today as the summit debate was going on here in Bangkok. Some might see that as North Korea's reaction. South Korea believes it's just a routine test. U.S. and Japanese officials say the timing is curious to say the least.
Now these summits are generally very polite, very scripted affairs. But one rebuke today from President Bush. He pulled the prime minister of Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir, aside. Mr. Mahathir last week stunned the world by issuing statements in which he said that Jews run the world, as the United States and other Western powers are simply proxies for the Jews. Mr. Bush pulled the prime minister of Malaysia aside today, and we are told he said he considered those remarks both wrong and divisive. Other White House officials say they worry it could incite violence against Jews -- Daryn.
KAGAN: John, getting back to North Korea for a second, how does the administration explain the change in its stance of no negotiation at all with that nuclear power?
KING: Well, the administration has said it will not negotiate directly, bilaterally with North Korea, because it said that was done consistently in the Clinton administration, and North Korea simply lied and cheated on its agreement. So the White House said it is willing to have security assurances, willing down the road to consider things like economic assistance and relations with North Korea, but it says it needs the protection of support of the neighbors, if you will, China especially, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Mr. Bush saying he simply doesn't trust North Korea, but that if everyone in the neighborhood, especially those like China North Korea does the most business with, are signed on to a deal, he would be willing to sign on, too -- Daryn.
KAGAN: John king in Bangkok. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
