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CNN Live Saturday

Bush Meets With Asian Leaders at APEC Summit

Aired October 26, 2002 - 17:16   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is meeting with Asian leaders at the APEC summit in Mexico. Leaders already are pressuring North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs. Terrorism also is expected to be the leading item on the agenda.
CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president, and joins us now from Los Cabos, Mexico. John, I have to say, tough gig.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Very tough gig there, Heidi, isn't it.

This club was formed as an economic group so the leaders of the Asian Pacific economies could get together to discuss trade and the global economy, but security issues dominating the discussion at this weekend's meeting here in Los Cabos, Mexico. Mr. Bush has a top priority confronting Saddam Hussein and Iraq. He met earlier today with the host, President Vicente Fox of Mexico. Mexico is important because it has one of the rotating seats on the United Nations Security Council. Mr. Bush wants Mexico's backing for a tough resolution, essentially an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: Comply with all of the United Nations demands or face possible military action. Mexico's president was noncommittal. U.S. officials, though, do believe he will be there supporting the United States in the end.

France and Russia still objecting to the U.S. position. The draft the United States has put before the Security Council; Mr. Bush making clear in that meeting his patience with the pace of debate in New York at the United Nations is running out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The only consequence, of course, is with Saddam Hussein. And if the U.N. does not pass a resolution which holds him to account and that has consequences, as I have said in speech after speech after speech, if the U.N. won't act, if Saddam Hussein won't disarm, we will lead a coalition to disarm him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, most of this diplomacy plays out in private, a remarkable moment caught on camera, though, today, here: China's foreign minister at an impromptu meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell said China has no problem with the latest United States draft before the Security Council. That is critical, because China has a veto on the Security Council, so the United States is picking up steam in that moment captured on camera.

Also, of course, North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the single subject discussed at a three-way meeting -- President Bush meeting with the prime minister of Japan and the president of South Korea; the three leaders issuing a joint statement saying North Korea's relations with the rest of the world now depend on it quickly and visibly agreeing to set aside the nuclear weapons program it confessed to earlier this month. Secretary Powell saying at a briefing later, one thing that will not happen is something that has happened in the past. In the past, North Korea has said it will cooperate with the world's demands in exchange for economic aid. Secretary Powell says this time the United States will accept no blackmail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: They violated agreements they had entered into. And, so, that violation has to be dealt with. You can't violate an agreement and then show up and say, we violated this agreement, what will you pay us for this violation in order to get out of the violation?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: U.S. officials say it is too early to decide what will the next steps be when it comes to North Korea. More discussions here at the APEC meeting. Secretary Powell will travel to Asia in three weeks for further consultations.

A much very different timetable when it comes to Iraq. U.S. officials saying they want the Security Council to act in the next week to 10 days, win or lose, so the president knows whether he will the United Nations' backing to confront Saddam Hussein, or whether he will have to build a coalition for possible military action outside the mandate of the United Nations -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. A very important week ahead. John King from Mexico today. Thank you.

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 26, 2002 - 17:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is meeting with Asian leaders at the APEC summit in Mexico. Leaders already are pressuring North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs. Terrorism also is expected to be the leading item on the agenda.
CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president, and joins us now from Los Cabos, Mexico. John, I have to say, tough gig.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Very tough gig there, Heidi, isn't it.

This club was formed as an economic group so the leaders of the Asian Pacific economies could get together to discuss trade and the global economy, but security issues dominating the discussion at this weekend's meeting here in Los Cabos, Mexico. Mr. Bush has a top priority confronting Saddam Hussein and Iraq. He met earlier today with the host, President Vicente Fox of Mexico. Mexico is important because it has one of the rotating seats on the United Nations Security Council. Mr. Bush wants Mexico's backing for a tough resolution, essentially an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: Comply with all of the United Nations demands or face possible military action. Mexico's president was noncommittal. U.S. officials, though, do believe he will be there supporting the United States in the end.

France and Russia still objecting to the U.S. position. The draft the United States has put before the Security Council; Mr. Bush making clear in that meeting his patience with the pace of debate in New York at the United Nations is running out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The only consequence, of course, is with Saddam Hussein. And if the U.N. does not pass a resolution which holds him to account and that has consequences, as I have said in speech after speech after speech, if the U.N. won't act, if Saddam Hussein won't disarm, we will lead a coalition to disarm him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, most of this diplomacy plays out in private, a remarkable moment caught on camera, though, today, here: China's foreign minister at an impromptu meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell said China has no problem with the latest United States draft before the Security Council. That is critical, because China has a veto on the Security Council, so the United States is picking up steam in that moment captured on camera.

Also, of course, North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the single subject discussed at a three-way meeting -- President Bush meeting with the prime minister of Japan and the president of South Korea; the three leaders issuing a joint statement saying North Korea's relations with the rest of the world now depend on it quickly and visibly agreeing to set aside the nuclear weapons program it confessed to earlier this month. Secretary Powell saying at a briefing later, one thing that will not happen is something that has happened in the past. In the past, North Korea has said it will cooperate with the world's demands in exchange for economic aid. Secretary Powell says this time the United States will accept no blackmail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: They violated agreements they had entered into. And, so, that violation has to be dealt with. You can't violate an agreement and then show up and say, we violated this agreement, what will you pay us for this violation in order to get out of the violation?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: U.S. officials say it is too early to decide what will the next steps be when it comes to North Korea. More discussions here at the APEC meeting. Secretary Powell will travel to Asia in three weeks for further consultations.

A much very different timetable when it comes to Iraq. U.S. officials saying they want the Security Council to act in the next week to 10 days, win or lose, so the president knows whether he will the United Nations' backing to confront Saddam Hussein, or whether he will have to build a coalition for possible military action outside the mandate of the United Nations -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. A very important week ahead. John King from Mexico today. Thank you.

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