Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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QUESTION: Well, is there any reason why you're taking -- why he would have a -- go ahead.

MR. BOUCHER: If you remember, I think the Secretary said so in his interview with the newspapers yesterday that as things played out on this issue in the Council, obviously the Secretary had spoken with both Foreign Minister Fischer and Foreign Minister Villepin, as well as the other ministers he met up there about the Iraq issue. We're quite familiar with their views. We've discussed it. We've had some back and forth with them and we've said, "Well, let's look honestly at the reports on Monday and continue to address these issues."

So the views themselves are not any particular surprise. As things played out in the Security Council, Foreign Minister Fischer was the first one to address the Iraq issue. The Secretary, then, in his remarks replied to that. And then it was later that Foreign Minister Villepin addressed the issues more extensively in his press conference. So the Secretary felt it was necessary to call Foreign Minister Villepin and make he understood our views on that.

QUESTION: Right. Okay. Does the United States believe -- the Secretary said in his interview yesterday that he, frankly, had to question the seriousness, or he wasn't sure whether these people -- and he was specifically referring to, I think, specifically referring to the Germans and the French -- were serious about ending the inspection process anytime soon, in other words calling -- you know, bringing an end to the process of inspections.

Do you guys thing that the French and the Germans, or particularly the French, have undermined the authority of the Council by coming out right now, a week ahead of the inspectors' report, and saying what they will, you know, basically laying their cards on the table, "We will not support a war," in the case of the Germans, or "We think the inspections are working and have no need to stop them," as the French said?

MR. BOUCHER: We will have to have these discussions with other Council members as we deal with the facts. The important thing is to honestly face the facts. As Deputy Secretary Armitage said yesterday, "We must not let the sensible reluctance to fight drive us into wishful thinking."

The importance for the Security Council is that the Security Council insist that its resolutions be honored. And if we have a pattern of non-cooperation, of active non-cooperation, then the Security Council needs to insist that its word is abided by and needs to do what it said it would do, which is to get together and discuss how to ensure that Iraq fulfills the requirements.

QUESTION: Are you still of the opinion that this-- that action, that this is the moment, this is going to be a defining moment for the Security Council to prove its relevance or irrelevance? Is that --

MR. BOUCHER: We are still of the opinion that the Security Council needs to demonstrate that it means what it says and that a resolution is upheld by the resolution of the members -- by the resolve of the members.

QUESTION: But right now, that resolve is up in the air, as far as you can --

MR. BOUCHER: Right now, we're just beginning a debate that will be further aided by the facts as reported by the inspectors. So let's not draw conclusions and postulate on eventualities.

QUESTION: Well, the reason I'm asking is --

MR. BOUCHER: What can I say?

QUESTION: The reason I ask is that you guys --

MR. BOUCHER: Let's not try to draw conclusions at this point nor predict how it'll all turn out.

QUESTION: But, well the reason I'm asking, though, is because you seem very happy and, in fact, now you're demanding that the North Korea issue be taken to the Security Council, and yet you're still not convinced that the Security Council is relevant. Is that a mis --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think that's quite a fair analogy. There's a reason and a responsibility that make it almost imperative that the International Atomic Energy Agency report to the Security Council because the North Korean withdrawal from the Nonproliferation Treaty is, by definition, a matter affecting international peace and security, and therefore one that should be reported to the Security Council.

QUESTION: Could we go on to that?

MR. BOUCHER: Can we go to something else?

QUESTION: On North Korea, since we're on that?

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MR. BOUCHER: Okay, sorry. That's right. You wanted to stick to North Korea. Let's do that and we'll go back.

QUESTION: On North Korea, first of all, what is this progress that you're making in your consultations with other people on North Korea?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I'm in a position at this point to describe it any further than the Secretary has. We've been talking to other governments about ways to resolve this peacefully. We've been looking very carefully at the reports that we've been getting from other governments about contacts with the North Koreans. I think you know we got a final report from Governor Richardson after his talks.

But the Secretary has also, in recent days, been on the phone with Australian Foreign Minister Downer about the Australian delegation that was out there and they came by to see us, see Jim Kelly, yesterday here at the State Department. We've gotten reports from Kofi Annan about his special envoy's visit to North Korea. We're in touch with the South Koreans, who are having talks now with the North Koreans.

So we're looking at all this information, looking for ways to move forward, and exploring with other governments what are ways to resolve this peacefully. So at this point, I think you've seen the policy that we described the other day. We're looking to make clear again and again that this is a matter of concern to the entire international community, that North Korea needs to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, needs to reverse the actions its taken to kick out monitors, break seals and otherwise reverse the steps its taken with the International Atomic Energy Agency. But we're also, at the same time, exploring avenues for the possible peaceful resolution of the issue.

QUESTION: Okay, can I follow up a bit from there, then? Have you seen any evidence that the North Koreans are considering or are open to the idea of doing these things that you demand of them?

MR. BOUCHER: We have looked at the record. There have been some public statements that they've made. We're looking at what they've said to other people. But at this point, I don't think I'd be in a position to characterize the North Korean position.

QUESTION: And where do we stand on -- sorry, just one more, if that's okay.

QUESTION: Okay.

QUESTION: Where do we stand then on the North Korean request for something -- a security assurance in writing? Mr. Bolton went a little farther yesterday, or on Sunday, rather, and suggested it might be possible to have that in writing. Can you confirm that now?

MR. BOUCHER: There's nothing new on that. I think he referred to it, Deputy Secretary referred to it; the Secretary has made somewhat similar comments before. But I think the point that we've always made -- the President has made clear we have no intention of invading North Korea. That is US policy, but US policy is also quite insistent that North Korea dismantle its nuclear program and reverse the negative actions it's taken with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

George.

QUESTION: You mentioned contacts with the Australians, the UN, the South Koreans. The Russians were there, yes?

MR. BOUCHER: I forgot. Oh, Russians, I'm sorry. The Secretary talked a little bit about it with Foreign Minister Ivanov in New York. But at that point, I think the Russian delegation had just gotten back to Moscow, so we may hear more from the Russians. But yes, we've been in touch with the Russians as well.

Sir.

QUESTION: Under Secretary Bolton said, I think this morning in Seoul, that he thought that the IAEA would take this up this week and that it could go to the Security Council as soon as the end of this week or next week or in the, you know, in the very near future.

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah.

QUESTION: Is an IAEA meeting set up?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure there's anything particular confirmed yet for this week so I'm not able to give you an exact timetable. I don't think he quite did, either. But I think the point will be we look for the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to report this to the Security Council and we think -- we're looking for that to be arranged soon.

QUESTION: Okay. And to what end, though, do you want the Security Council to look at this?

MR. BOUCHER: As we've mentioned before, we think it's important for the international community to make clear in a variety of ways that North Korea's nuclear enrichment programs, its steps it's taken to get rid of monitors and monitoring from the International Atomic Energy Agency, and then its withdrawal from the Nonproliferation Treaty are matters of concern to the entire international community. Individual governments have made this clear. We've seen statements, I think around the world, including Japan, Korea, Russia, China, Europeans. The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors together has made this clear in a statement before North Korea announced withdrawal from the Nonproliferation Treaty.

And so we think it is important, first, for the Security Council to deal with this because it relates to international peace and security; and second of all, for the international community to use this way to continue to make clear that this is a serious matter of concern to all of us.

QUESTION: I realize that, but I still -- what do you want the Security Council to do with the issue?

MR. BOUCHER: Exactly what the resolution might say or what the Security Council action might take, we'll see when we get there. At this point, we're moving from the IAEA, but I think the basic point is the one I've made.

QUESTION: Well, are you looking for a resolution that would contain sanctions against the North Koreans?

MR. BOUCHER: At this point, let me not try to fill out the details of any resolution, just say that's the point that we want to make.

QUESTION: Okay, but that option is not out -- it's not out of the question, then?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not predicting it or anything else in the resolution at this point.

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