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Bush will be patient on Iraq: Armitage
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has kicked off a tour of Asia saying President George W. Bush is willing to be patient with Iraq but warned that if Baghdad did not disarm itself, it "would eventually be disarmed." Armitage, in Asia to build support from staunch allies as well as China for possible U.S.-led military action against Iraq, told reporters he had conveyed a message to Japanese officials that Bush had not made any decision to attack. "President Bush has made no such determination as yet. We and hopefully the international community will keep the pressure on," Armitage said Monday. "We believe that's the best opportunity we have to get Saddam Hussein to disarm." "I think I made it clear that President Bush has patience. He would much prefer to have Iraq disarm herself ... But, as the president said, if Iraq won't disarm, then eventually Iraq will be disarmed," Armitage said. Armitage -- Washington's No. 2 diplomat -- will travel from Tokyo to South Korea, China and Australia as part of a broader diplomatic offensive from the White House as it sounds out dozens of nations on a possible military campaign against Baghdad. His visit comes as United Nation's arms experts begin analyzing Iraq's declaration on weapons of mass destruction. (Iraq report arrives at U.N.) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, also in Tokyo, called for patience from the international community Monday as the dissection of Iraq's declaration begins. ('It will take time') Armitage is also expected to press Japan, South Korea and China on the issue and challenge of North Korea, which has admitted it is still running a nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang's shock admission in October has set back efforts at normalizing relations with North Korea both from within the region and with the U.S. Labeled in January as part of President Bush's "axis of evil" along with Iraq and Iran, North Korea -- unlike Iraq -- has not been threatened with force to give up its nuclear weapons program and allow international weapons inspectors into the communist country. Instead, the U.S. has been utilizing its diplomatic channels and has preferred Japan and China -- the North's traditional ally -- to take the more active role in negotiations. Tough sellArmitage faces a difficult charge during this Asian trip. Australia has remained one of Washington's strongest allies, and although Canberra is yet to commit to joining any U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, it is expected to toe the White House line. But Japan, China and South Korea all pose some challenges. Opposition lawmakers in Japan have hit out at the government's recent dispatching of an Aegis destroyer to the Indian Ocean to provide protection for U.S. naval ships. They say the move was a clear sign that Tokyo supported military action against Iraq and violated United Nations efforts to resolve the crisis diplomatically. Japan's support is also limited to a non-combat role because of its pacifist constitution. Though it passed a law enabling it to deploy ships to assist the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan, officials say it will be hard to apply that legislation to a role in an invasion of Iraq. Anti-U.S.But the more pressing issue for Japan will be the denuclearization of North Korea -- a subject on which Tokyo will undoubtedly press Armitage. North Korea will also be likely to be at the forefront during talks with South Korean officials. But overshadowing the meet is a peaking anti-U.S. sentiment among the public. South Korea has been hit by a wave of angry anti-American protests after two U.S. servicemen were acquitted of crushing two girls to death in June with a military vehicle. China, meanwhile, has reiterated that it favors a political and diplomatic resolution to the Iraqi crisis. A key member of the U.N. Security Council, China has made it clear it is averse to military action, with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji warning that an attack on Iraq would bring "incalculable consequences." Observers say China is stuck between a desire to foster good ties with Iraq and secure access to its oil while also trying to improve relations with the United States.
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