Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=02/24/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=CHINA/POWELL - L

NUMBER=2-299972

BYLINE=JIM RANDLE

DATELINE=BEIJING

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Secretary of State Colin Powell presented

Washington's point of view on the world's two major crises, North Korea

and Iraq, in conversations with China's leaders on Monday. Mr. Powell

gave no indication that Beijing had changed its views significantly on

either question. V-O-A's Jim Randle reports.

TEXT: Secretary of State Colin Powell came to Beijing hoping to persuade

the Chinese to take a more active role in resolving the North Korean

crisis. Washington wants Beijing to push the North Koreans harder to

give up their alleged nuclear weapons program.

Mr. Powell held talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Communist

Party Chairman Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. He said

China is well aware of Washington's views, but insists on playing a

behind-the-scenes role.

/// POWELL ACT ///

They (the Chinese) are anxious to play as helpful a role as they can..

They prefer to play their role quietly.

/// END ACT ///

Washington argues that China should be able to exert influence on the

North, because of the long friendship between the two communist nations,

and because Beijing provides its impoverished neighbor with

critically-needed food, fuel and other economic aid.

Chinese analysts say Beijing is reluctant to put too much economic

pressure on Pyongyang, fearing it could cause chaos in North Korea and

prompt a flood of refugees into China.

The crisis over North Korea's nuclear program broke out last year when

Washington said Pyongyang admitted to having a secret nuclear weapons

program, in violation of several international agreements.

Washington demanded that Pyongyang dismantle the program. Pyongyang

replied with talk of war, and pulled out of the global Non-Proliferation

Treaty.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, Foreign Minister Tang took

the standard Chinese line on Iraq, urging all parties to do everything

possible to avoid war and to seek a political solution through the

United Nations. Beijing says U-N weapons inspectors in Iraq should be

given more time to finish their work.

Mr. Powell, repeating the point he has made strenuously since his

four-day Asian tour began, says the time has come to force Baghdad to

give up its suspected weapons of mass destruction.

/// POWELL ACT 2 ///

There is still time to avoid a war, but we must not be afraid of a

conflict if a conflict is what it takes to remove weapons of mass

destruction from Iraq.

/// END ACT ///

However, he told reporters it was too soon for him to urge China to go

along with a new U-N resolution authorizing military action against

Iraq, because a draft resolution has not yet been formally submitted to

the Security Council.

China voted in favor of the Security Council resolution that led to the

current inspection program. Washington hopes that if Beijing does not

support a new resolution, it at least will not veto it. (Signed)

NEB/HK/JR/BK