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S. Korea's Kim, Bush: N. Korea move 'unacceptable'Leaders agree to work for 'peaceful resolution'
From John King
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung agreed Friday that North Korea's decision to restart nuclear facilities was regrettable and unacceptable, and they agreed to work together and in consultation with Japan and others to resolve the situation peacefully, a U.S. official told CNN. In the telephone conversation, Bush said he wanted to "continue to see a peaceful resolution while not allowing business as usual to continue with North Korea," according to White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who said he was quoting from the president. Fleischer said Bush called North Korea's decision to restart nuclear facilities "a serious matter." Fleischer said the United States also was consulting with the International Atomic Energy Agency on the issue of inspectors at North Korea's nuclear facilities. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday from Vienna, Austria, that North Korea is the closest to building a functional nuclear weapon of the three countries called the "axis of evil" by Bush. Iran would be second on the list, followed by Iraq, Mohamed ElBaradei said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. ElBaradei stressed that he could not speak to the intent of any of the three countries. "The North Koreans already have the technical capability," he said. "We don't know that Iran has the capability in operation. We know that Iraq when we left in 1998 had no capability whatsoever." So the request from North Korea for international monitors to remove surveillance cameras and seals at a nuclear facility at Yongbyon is viewed by the United States as regrettable and a "very serious matter," a U.S. national security official told CNN. "We are consulting with the IAEA and other countries and we hope the North Koreans reconsider," the official said. North Korea has said it plans to reactivate nuclear plants shut in 1994 as part of its agreement to end its nuclear weapons program. The White House voiced additional concern later in the day after it said North Korea had made a formal request of the IAEA to remove monitoring equipment and seals at the Yongbyon facility. The official also said, however, that the Bush administration would hold to its position that it would not respond to such statements from North Korea by offering negotiations. North Korea said it wants to resolve disputes over its nuclear program peacefully. But the Bush administration said the announcement of "counterproductive" steps, like plans to restart nuclear facilities, would not pave the way for negotiations. "Bad behavior is not going to be rewarded," the U.S. official said. The Bush administration has said North Korea must takes steps to end its uranium enrichment program and allow international inspectors to verify it has dismantled its nuclear weapons program -- and that, at that point, the administration would be open to negotiations about possible economic and humanitarian aid and possibly diplomatic ties.
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