Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=08/01/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH / NORTH KOREA (L)

NUMBER=2-306090

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Bush says he is optimistic that North Korea's acceptance of multi-lateral talks will lead to the dismantling of its nuclear weapons program. VOA's Scott Stearns reports, White House officials say they will not meet separately with North Korea on the sidelines of those talks which could begin next month in China.

TEXT: White House spokesman Scott McClellan says there will be no private talks with Pyongyang. He says North Korean officials can certainly speak directly to their U-S counterparts within the multi-lateral setting, but he denied North Korea news agency reports that the Bush Administration has agreed to one-on-one talks.

President Bush refused bi-lateral negotiations because he says North Korean leader Kim Jung Il has lied to previous U-S Administrations. He says Pyongyang's acceptance of six-way talks with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia is "good progress" toward a regional solution to the crisis.

/// BUSH ACT ///

We fully understand the past. We are hopeful, however, that Mr. Kim Jung Il, because he is hearing other voices, will make the decision to totally dismantle his nuclear weapons program. That he will allow there to be complete transparency and verifiability. And we are optimistic that that can happen.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Bush thanked Chinese leader Hu Jintao for helping to arrange the multi-lateral talks and said he is "up-beat" that North Korea has agreed to allow its neighbors to take part in negotiations over ending the country's nuclear weapons program.

/// SECOND BUSH ACT ///

The discussions will be all aimed at convincing Mr. Kim Jung Il to change his attitude about nuclear weaponry. In the past, it was the lone voice of the United States speaking clearly about this. Now we will have other parties who have got a vested interest in peace in the Korean peninsula.

/// END ACT ///

North Korea's acceptance of multi-lateral talks reverses nine-months of holding-out for a one-on-one meeting with the United States. North Korea was also demanding a non-aggression pact with Washington.

White House spokesman McClellan says no such agreement is being considered because he says the president will not reward North Korea for failing to live-up to its international obligations on nuclear weapons.

Mr. McClellan says the real work begins once this multi-lateral process is established as he says North Korea must agree to irreversibly dismantle its nuclear weapons program. (SIGNED)

NEB/SS/FC