THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October 30, 2000 PRESS BRIEFING BY JAKE SIEWERT The James S. Brady Briefing Room 1:42 P.M. EST Q Can you give any information on the meeting today on North Korea? MR. SIEWERT: It was a good meeting. It lasted about 30 minutes or so. Secretary Albright gave the President a more detailed account of her trip than she gave to those of you who watched "Good Morning America." She reviewed all the issues that they had covered, from nuclear proliferation to human rights to lessening tensions in the Peninsula. The President was pleased to get that update. As I said this morning, we'll need a fuller account - a fuller understanding of what's involved in this offer that the North Koreans have made on missiles. We expect that the discussions in Kuala Lumpur at the end of this week will be helpful in achieving a fuller understanding of what the North Koreans have put on the table. Those begin, I believe, on November 1st, run for a couple days. And after those meetings, we'll be in a better position to assess what the next steps are. Q Did she say anything about a possible presidential visit or -- MR. SIEWERT: Well, obviously that was discussed; that's something we've told you publicly that we're considering. But we're not going to be in a position to assess whether or not such a trip would advance our interests in the region until we have a little fuller understanding of the offer that the North Koreans have made on missiles. Q Did she make a recommendation, though, at this point, on whether or not he should go? MR. SIEWERT: I think it was a unanimous decision at this point to not make that decision, but to explore further with the North Koreans what exactly is on the table, in terms of their offer to cut back on their missiles program. And that's what will be the subject of discussions later this week in the region. Q Jake, is the President looking for some specific action from North Korea between now and the time that decision is made? MR. SIEWERT: We'll make an overall judgment based on whether we think a trip would advance our interests - our interest in nonproliferation, our interest in lessening tension on the Peninsula, our interest in reducing the threat that that missile program poses to our allies in the region and to the United States. We'll make an overall judgment based on the talks later this week and any follow-up talks about whether or not such a trip would advance our overall agenda in North Korea. Q And the outcome of the American election would have no impact on the decision as to whether to go? MR. SIEWERT: No, absolutely not. END 2:08 P.M. EST
