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CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Discusses Iraq, North Korea With APEC Leaders
Aired October 27, 2002 - 08:11 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: It is called an economic conference, but economics is not the only topic being discussed there. President Bush is among leaders of 21 countries attending this weekend's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Mexico. APEC members yesterday condemned recent terror attacks and pledged to take steps against them in the future. CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now from what looks like a postcard perfect weather in Los Cabos, Mexico, with more. Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Renay. A beautiful day, exactly, here in Los Cabos, but these leaders definitely discussing some very serious issues. As you said, they condemned recent attacks in Indonesia, the Philippines and Russia, saying, really, this makes it all the more urgent to crack down on terror. So the 21 leaders saying they will take more steps to protect their airports and sea ports and also to beef up security when it comes to their information and financial systems.
Also, U.S. officials hoping the leaders before the day is out issue some sort of statement on North Korea, after that country admitted earlier this month it has an active, secret nuclear weapons program. Now, that was a big focus of President Bush's meeting yesterday with the leaders of South Korea and Japan. Following that meeting the three leaders issuing a statement, calling on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in a prompt and verifiable manner. A senior administration official saying the message to Pyongyang should be very, very clear. Its contacts with the international community hinge on whether it decides to reverse course.
Now, the president having a few more diplomatic difficulties when it comes to another subject, and that is Iraq. He discussed efforts to get a new tough U.N. resolution, calling on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm when he met yesterday with Mexico's president, Vicente Fox. Mexico is currently a member of the U.N. Security Council, but Mexico, as well as other U.N. allies such as France and Russia, continuing to express some skepticism about the U.S. approach. Mr. Bush, though, making it clear his patience with the ongoing U.N. debate is wearing thin.
(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, then 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)
WALLACE: And so U.S. officials are now saying more and more about the possibility that the U.N. might not pass a resolution. Part of this is a strategy, U.S. officials try to put as much pressure on U.N. allies. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying next week would be a, quote, "key week at the United Nations." The secretary saying, "this is a case where the debate cannot go on forever" -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Kelly Wallace, reporting live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Thank you very much for that report.
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 27, 2002 - 08:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: It is called an economic conference, but economics is not the only topic being discussed there. President Bush is among leaders of 21 countries attending this weekend's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Mexico. APEC members yesterday condemned recent terror attacks and pledged to take steps against them in the future. CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now from what looks like a postcard perfect weather in Los Cabos, Mexico, with more. Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Renay. A beautiful day, exactly, here in Los Cabos, but these leaders definitely discussing some very serious issues. As you said, they condemned recent attacks in Indonesia, the Philippines and Russia, saying, really, this makes it all the more urgent to crack down on terror. So the 21 leaders saying they will take more steps to protect their airports and sea ports and also to beef up security when it comes to their information and financial systems.
Also, U.S. officials hoping the leaders before the day is out issue some sort of statement on North Korea, after that country admitted earlier this month it has an active, secret nuclear weapons program. Now, that was a big focus of President Bush's meeting yesterday with the leaders of South Korea and Japan. Following that meeting the three leaders issuing a statement, calling on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in a prompt and verifiable manner. A senior administration official saying the message to Pyongyang should be very, very clear. Its contacts with the international community hinge on whether it decides to reverse course.
Now, the president having a few more diplomatic difficulties when it comes to another subject, and that is Iraq. He discussed efforts to get a new tough U.N. resolution, calling on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm when he met yesterday with Mexico's president, Vicente Fox. Mexico is currently a member of the U.N. Security Council, but Mexico, as well as other U.N. allies such as France and Russia, continuing to express some skepticism about the U.S. approach. Mr. Bush, though, making it clear his patience with the ongoing U.N. debate is wearing thin.
(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, then 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)
WALLACE: And so U.S. officials are now saying more and more about the possibility that the U.N. might not pass a resolution. Part of this is a strategy, U.S. officials try to put as much pressure on U.N. allies. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying next week would be a, quote, "key week at the United Nations." The secretary saying, "this is a case where the debate cannot go on forever" -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Kelly Wallace, reporting live from Los Cabos, Mexico. Thank you very much for that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
