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Showdown Iraq: Iraq Denies Nuke Program; North Korea Admits It
Aired October 17, 2002 - 12:08 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is said to be -- quote -- "troubled by the surprise admission from Pyongyang after being confronted with U.S. evidence that it's been ignoring an 8-year-old pledge not to develop nuclear weapons.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is standing by at the White House, and she has some more on what the administration plans to do about this -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the White House says it's hoping to seek a peaceful resolution to this situation. Right now, the U.S. is said to be consulting vigorously with its allies. You have a top U.S. official in Beijing meeting with Chinese officials today. That official will travel to Tokyo and Seoul.
President Bush, for his part, expected the take up the matter with Chinese President Jong on Friday when the two leaders meet in Texas next Friday, and then next weekend when he meets with the leaders of Japan and South Korea at an economic summit in Mexico.
Clearly, the administration is very concerned, Wolf, but it's trying to put as much international pressure as possible on North Korea to get the country to live up to that 1994 agreement and eliminate all nuclear weapons programs -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Kelly, but this must complicate efforts that the Bush administration is engaged in right now to put together some sort of coalition against Iraq.
WALLACE: Well, you know, Wolf, U.S. officials say, in their view, it will not complicate efforts to build some coalitions or possibly take military action against Iraq. And U.S. officials say, look, this administration views Iraq and North Korea very differently; that the president has said Iraq is a unique case. That Saddam Hussein has invaded two other countries, that he has used weapons of mass destruction on his own people.
In the words of one official, Saddam Hussein and his regime are in a class by themselves.
But, Wolf, you might have some countries and maybe even some members of Congress questioning why will the administration use diplomacy to resolve one nuclear crisis, and contemplate military action to resolve another -- Wolf. BLITZER: Good questions. That will be answered presumably in the next few days. Kelly Wallace at the White House -- thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Admits It>
Aired October 17, 2002 - 12:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is said to be -- quote -- "troubled by the surprise admission from Pyongyang after being confronted with U.S. evidence that it's been ignoring an 8-year-old pledge not to develop nuclear weapons.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is standing by at the White House, and she has some more on what the administration plans to do about this -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the White House says it's hoping to seek a peaceful resolution to this situation. Right now, the U.S. is said to be consulting vigorously with its allies. You have a top U.S. official in Beijing meeting with Chinese officials today. That official will travel to Tokyo and Seoul.
President Bush, for his part, expected the take up the matter with Chinese President Jong on Friday when the two leaders meet in Texas next Friday, and then next weekend when he meets with the leaders of Japan and South Korea at an economic summit in Mexico.
Clearly, the administration is very concerned, Wolf, but it's trying to put as much international pressure as possible on North Korea to get the country to live up to that 1994 agreement and eliminate all nuclear weapons programs -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Kelly, but this must complicate efforts that the Bush administration is engaged in right now to put together some sort of coalition against Iraq.
WALLACE: Well, you know, Wolf, U.S. officials say, in their view, it will not complicate efforts to build some coalitions or possibly take military action against Iraq. And U.S. officials say, look, this administration views Iraq and North Korea very differently; that the president has said Iraq is a unique case. That Saddam Hussein has invaded two other countries, that he has used weapons of mass destruction on his own people.
In the words of one official, Saddam Hussein and his regime are in a class by themselves.
But, Wolf, you might have some countries and maybe even some members of Congress questioning why will the administration use diplomacy to resolve one nuclear crisis, and contemplate military action to resolve another -- Wolf. BLITZER: Good questions. That will be answered presumably in the next few days. Kelly Wallace at the White House -- thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Admits It>
