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American Morning

Discussing North Korea's Defiance

Aired January 07, 2003 - 08:02   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the issue of North Korea. It is now saying that economic sanctions over its nuclear program are like a declaration of war. Meanwhile, President Bush insists he has no intention of attacking North Korea.
Earlier this morning, I spoke with Mohamed ElBaradei, who is director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, about Pyongyang's latest reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: I think it could make a difference that they got yesterday, Paula, a message, a unanimous message from the international community that if you need to resolve your economic needs, if you need the international community to look into your security concerns, you'd better come into compliance with your non-proliferation obligation, you'd better give up your weapons program. It is only through compliance and not defiance that we would listen to you.

And I think that is a powerful message. I hope North Korea would mull over it and come around and start to behave as a law abiding member of the international community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Joining us now to discuss North Korea's defiance is former NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley Clark.

Good morning, General Clark.

Welcome.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST, FORMER NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: Good morning, Paula.

Thank you.

ZAHN: I don't know whether you got to hear any of that interview with Mr. ElBaradei, but he basically said that the IAEA didn't report this latest action to the Security Council because he's hopeful that they'll back down and they'll ultimately allow inspectors back in.

Was that a mistake?

CLARK: No, I think that's the right move. I think there needs to be some time before this is brought to the Security Council. Remember, Paula, when it comes to the U.N. Security Council, that's just a collection of the national representatives, the United States, Britain, France and so forth, and they're all going to turn to the United States and say what do you want us to do?

And we're back in the position that we were in in 1994 when we were considering then taking the issue to the U.N. Security Council and considering then asking for sanctions and the North Koreans then said if you put sanctions in, this means war.

And that's what took us to the solution that we created, the Korean Energy Development Organization in 1994, an agreement the Koreans violated. But we're back there again.

ZAHN: We want to share with our audience now very quickly, for those of them that didn't hear what the president had to say about the resolving the crisis in North Korea, here is exactly what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Talking is one thing, but we expect people to honor obligations. And for Kim Jong Il to be a credible member of the world community, he's got to understand that he's got to do what he said he's going to do. I believe this will be resolved peacefully and I believe it can be resolved diplomatically.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: General Clark, do you believe it can be solved diplomatically without direct talks between the United States and North Korea?

CLARK: At some point, Paula, we're going to have to talk to the North Koreans. They may have to put something on the table first. They may have to declare a halt or a freeze in their activities or whatever. But at some point we're going to have to talk, because this is an issue that involves the United States as well as South Korea, China and the world community.

ZAHN: Let's talk about what else the president had to say. He repeated a number of times that the U.S. has no plans of invading North Korea. This at about the same time North Koreans came out with some of the more bellicose language we have heard. Tell us what the tap dance is that's going on here.

CLARK: Well, essentially the North Koreans are looking for a way of finding security and assurance. They're in a very difficult economic position. They're in, they're isolated. They're trying to break out of the isolation. The United States has deepened the isolation. We've turned off Kim Dae-jung's sunshine policy. We did that early in the Bush administration. We've labeled the country a member of the axis of evil. They can see the troops forming up against Iraq. We've intercepted a North Korean ship carrying SCUDs, which is the way they've earned foreign currency. We don't approve of that. We've cut off oil shipments. They've tried to improve their bargaining leverage by acknowledging a nuclear program and saying they're going to get nuclear weapons. This is a bargaining situation. It's got to be resolved by diplomacy.

ZAHN: We want to close with a subject near and dear to your heart, and that is the Democratic run for the president in 2004. We've seen a long list of Democrats interested. Are you in or out?

CLARK: Paula, I've said I am not a candidate. I'm not a member of a party. I haven't raised any political money. I am a concerned citizen. There are some enormous challenges facing this country and I'm really happy to be part of the dialogue.

ZAHN: Does that mean you could be talked into being a candidate down the road?

CLARK: I'm not speculating on that. I've got my eyes firmly fixed on exactly what's ahead right now.

ZAHN: Spoken like a true general this morning.

General Wesley Clark, always great of you to drop by.

CLARK: Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks for your time this morning.

CLARK: Thank you.

ZAHN: Keep us posted.

CLARK: 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 January 7, 2003 - 08:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the issue of North Korea. It is now saying that economic sanctions over its nuclear program are like a declaration of war. Meanwhile, President Bush insists he has no intention of attacking North Korea.
Earlier this morning, I spoke with Mohamed ElBaradei, who is director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, about Pyongyang's latest reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: I think it could make a difference that they got yesterday, Paula, a message, a unanimous message from the international community that if you need to resolve your economic needs, if you need the international community to look into your security concerns, you'd better come into compliance with your non-proliferation obligation, you'd better give up your weapons program. It is only through compliance and not defiance that we would listen to you.

And I think that is a powerful message. I hope North Korea would mull over it and come around and start to behave as a law abiding member of the international community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Joining us now to discuss North Korea's defiance is former NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley Clark.

Good morning, General Clark.

Welcome.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST, FORMER NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: Good morning, Paula.

Thank you.

ZAHN: I don't know whether you got to hear any of that interview with Mr. ElBaradei, but he basically said that the IAEA didn't report this latest action to the Security Council because he's hopeful that they'll back down and they'll ultimately allow inspectors back in.

Was that a mistake?

CLARK: No, I think that's the right move. I think there needs to be some time before this is brought to the Security Council. Remember, Paula, when it comes to the U.N. Security Council, that's just a collection of the national representatives, the United States, Britain, France and so forth, and they're all going to turn to the United States and say what do you want us to do?

And we're back in the position that we were in in 1994 when we were considering then taking the issue to the U.N. Security Council and considering then asking for sanctions and the North Koreans then said if you put sanctions in, this means war.

And that's what took us to the solution that we created, the Korean Energy Development Organization in 1994, an agreement the Koreans violated. But we're back there again.

ZAHN: We want to share with our audience now very quickly, for those of them that didn't hear what the president had to say about the resolving the crisis in North Korea, here is exactly what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Talking is one thing, but we expect people to honor obligations. And for Kim Jong Il to be a credible member of the world community, he's got to understand that he's got to do what he said he's going to do. I believe this will be resolved peacefully and I believe it can be resolved diplomatically.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: General Clark, do you believe it can be solved diplomatically without direct talks between the United States and North Korea?

CLARK: At some point, Paula, we're going to have to talk to the North Koreans. They may have to put something on the table first. They may have to declare a halt or a freeze in their activities or whatever. But at some point we're going to have to talk, because this is an issue that involves the United States as well as South Korea, China and the world community.

ZAHN: Let's talk about what else the president had to say. He repeated a number of times that the U.S. has no plans of invading North Korea. This at about the same time North Koreans came out with some of the more bellicose language we have heard. Tell us what the tap dance is that's going on here.

CLARK: Well, essentially the North Koreans are looking for a way of finding security and assurance. They're in a very difficult economic position. They're in, they're isolated. They're trying to break out of the isolation. The United States has deepened the isolation. We've turned off Kim Dae-jung's sunshine policy. We did that early in the Bush administration. We've labeled the country a member of the axis of evil. They can see the troops forming up against Iraq. We've intercepted a North Korean ship carrying SCUDs, which is the way they've earned foreign currency. We don't approve of that. We've cut off oil shipments. They've tried to improve their bargaining leverage by acknowledging a nuclear program and saying they're going to get nuclear weapons. This is a bargaining situation. It's got to be resolved by diplomacy.

ZAHN: We want to close with a subject near and dear to your heart, and that is the Democratic run for the president in 2004. We've seen a long list of Democrats interested. Are you in or out?

CLARK: Paula, I've said I am not a candidate. I'm not a member of a party. I haven't raised any political money. I am a concerned citizen. There are some enormous challenges facing this country and I'm really happy to be part of the dialogue.

ZAHN: Does that mean you could be talked into being a candidate down the road?

CLARK: I'm not speculating on that. I've got my eyes firmly fixed on exactly what's ahead right now.

ZAHN: Spoken like a true general this morning.

General Wesley Clark, always great of you to drop by.

CLARK: Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks for your time this morning.

CLARK: Thank you.

ZAHN: Keep us posted.

CLARK: 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