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Some Major Domestic, International Concerns on Bush's Agenda
Aired October 21, 2002 - 13:41 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The sniper investigation may be grabbing all of the headlines today, but some major domestic and international concerns are on President Bush's agenda.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now live to give us an update on what's going on on that front.
Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.
Well, really, the Bush administration is engaged in a full court press to try to get North Korea to disarm. Earlier today, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met with the Japanese foreign minister to make the case that North Korea must be isolated economically. It was just over the weekend that the Bush team fanned out across the airwaves, saying they believe the 1994 agreement with North Korea which would allow fuel assistance to the United States to North Korea in exchange for freezing its weapons program was essentially null and void, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice making it very clear that North Korea must disarm or face the economic consequences.
One of those possible consequences is 500,000 tons of fuel assistance to North Korea. It was as recently as October 17th that North Korea received another shipment. White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer was asked that moments ago, if it appeared to reward North Koreans for their defiance?
He said no, but he also said that they're really no decisions yet that have been made yet in terms of economic sanctions, that we're still in a diplomatic and consultation mode.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON: The next step is the United States will talk with our allies in the region, and those talks are under way, and we'll continue to talk to Japan, we'll continue to talk to South Korea, we'll continue to talk to China, and I think it's fair to say that international pressure will come to bear on North Korea, to make them realize the dangers that they are pursuing in terms of the future for them will be increasingly isolated if they go down the road that they've indicated they're going down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Miles, what also happened today was North Korea's number two official in the country said that, yes, they would cooperate with the United States on two conditions, first of all, that the United States reopen dialogue, talks with North Korea, and secondly, that they drop what they call the hostile policy toward North Korea.
Well, Ari Fleischer is saying that the onus is on North Korea to disarm, and also emphasizing as well, making a clear distinction between dealing with Iraq and Saddam Hussein and North Korea, saying they are going to wait for economic and diplomatic means to flesh out and see what happens there, that they are not considering a military action -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux on the North Lawn of the White House, thank you very much. We appreciate 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
Agenda>
Aired October 21, 2002 - 13:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The sniper investigation may be grabbing all of the headlines today, but some major domestic and international concerns are on President Bush's agenda.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now live to give us an update on what's going on on that front.
Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.
Well, really, the Bush administration is engaged in a full court press to try to get North Korea to disarm. Earlier today, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met with the Japanese foreign minister to make the case that North Korea must be isolated economically. It was just over the weekend that the Bush team fanned out across the airwaves, saying they believe the 1994 agreement with North Korea which would allow fuel assistance to the United States to North Korea in exchange for freezing its weapons program was essentially null and void, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice making it very clear that North Korea must disarm or face the economic consequences.
One of those possible consequences is 500,000 tons of fuel assistance to North Korea. It was as recently as October 17th that North Korea received another shipment. White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer was asked that moments ago, if it appeared to reward North Koreans for their defiance?
He said no, but he also said that they're really no decisions yet that have been made yet in terms of economic sanctions, that we're still in a diplomatic and consultation mode.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON: The next step is the United States will talk with our allies in the region, and those talks are under way, and we'll continue to talk to Japan, we'll continue to talk to South Korea, we'll continue to talk to China, and I think it's fair to say that international pressure will come to bear on North Korea, to make them realize the dangers that they are pursuing in terms of the future for them will be increasingly isolated if they go down the road that they've indicated they're going down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Miles, what also happened today was North Korea's number two official in the country said that, yes, they would cooperate with the United States on two conditions, first of all, that the United States reopen dialogue, talks with North Korea, and secondly, that they drop what they call the hostile policy toward North Korea.
Well, Ari Fleischer is saying that the onus is on North Korea to disarm, and also emphasizing as well, making a clear distinction between dealing with Iraq and Saddam Hussein and North Korea, saying they are going to wait for economic and diplomatic means to flesh out and see what happens there, that they are not considering a military action -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux on the North Lawn of the White House, thank you very much. We appreciate 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
Agenda>
