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CNN Live Sunday

White House Puts Pressure on North Korea

Aired December 29, 2002 - 17:08   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: North Korea moves to restart a nuclear plant capable of making weapons grade plutonium. The Bush administration and a probably future Democratic presidential candidate disagree over whether this situation is a crisis. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. The administration announced today it has no intention of invading North Korea, that it will give months to allow diplomacy to work. Secretary of State Colin Powell hitting five talk shows early this morning to make the administration's point.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): The Bush administration insists there is no crisis with North Korea.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're not looking for a conflict with North Korea. Quite the contrary. We have communicated to North Korea that we have no hostile intent; we're not planning to invade it.

MALVEAUX: But they are intent on isolating it from the rest of the world, until North Korea's Kim Jong Il abandons his nuclear weapons programs.

POWELL: We have a very serious problem with North Korea now, with respect to their enriched uranium facility and the plutonium facility at Yangbyong, and we hope that working with our partners in the international community, we'll be able to use diplomatic and political means to resolve this conflict.

MALVEAUX: The White House is planning to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to bring North Korea's case before the U.N. Security Council. The U.N. could then declare North Korea in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and impose economic sanctions. The IAEA will decide what course to take when its board convenes January 6.

The White House is also pushing for North Korea's neighbors, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia, to limit or sever their economic ties with Pyongyang. The administration says it won't talk directly with North Korea, because that would only reward what it calls "bad behavior." POWELL: There are ways for the North Koreans to talk to the international community. We're keeping channels open. But we will not negotiate in a way that requires us to pay for their misbehavior.

MALVEAUX: But officials say that the U.S. is willing to engage the communist regime through friends and allies. It's a position that has drawn some criticism from those who fear North Korea has become a growing threat.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: We should talk to North Korea. We should not be afraid to talk.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: The policy that the administration has followed thus far has made a difficult situation into a dangerous one.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: In the weeks to come, the White House will intensify its efforts to find a peaceful solution. The administration will be sending a high-level envoy to Seoul. South Korea will also be sending representatives to Russia and China. The hope is that with this intensified diplomatic pressure that North Korea will change course -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thank you 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






Aired December 29, 2002 - 17:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: North Korea moves to restart a nuclear plant capable of making weapons grade plutonium. The Bush administration and a probably future Democratic presidential candidate disagree over whether this situation is a crisis. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. The administration announced today it has no intention of invading North Korea, that it will give months to allow diplomacy to work. Secretary of State Colin Powell hitting five talk shows early this morning to make the administration's point.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): The Bush administration insists there is no crisis with North Korea.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're not looking for a conflict with North Korea. Quite the contrary. We have communicated to North Korea that we have no hostile intent; we're not planning to invade it.

MALVEAUX: But they are intent on isolating it from the rest of the world, until North Korea's Kim Jong Il abandons his nuclear weapons programs.

POWELL: We have a very serious problem with North Korea now, with respect to their enriched uranium facility and the plutonium facility at Yangbyong, and we hope that working with our partners in the international community, we'll be able to use diplomatic and political means to resolve this conflict.

MALVEAUX: The White House is planning to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to bring North Korea's case before the U.N. Security Council. The U.N. could then declare North Korea in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and impose economic sanctions. The IAEA will decide what course to take when its board convenes January 6.

The White House is also pushing for North Korea's neighbors, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia, to limit or sever their economic ties with Pyongyang. The administration says it won't talk directly with North Korea, because that would only reward what it calls "bad behavior." POWELL: There are ways for the North Koreans to talk to the international community. We're keeping channels open. But we will not negotiate in a way that requires us to pay for their misbehavior.

MALVEAUX: But officials say that the U.S. is willing to engage the communist regime through friends and allies. It's a position that has drawn some criticism from those who fear North Korea has become a growing threat.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: We should talk to North Korea. We should not be afraid to talk.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: The policy that the administration has followed thus far has made a difficult situation into a dangerous one.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: In the weeks to come, the White House will intensify its efforts to find a peaceful solution. The administration will be sending a high-level envoy to Seoul. South Korea will also be sending representatives to Russia and China. The hope is that with this intensified diplomatic pressure that North Korea will change course -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thank you 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