Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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QUESTION: Well, I'm sure people are going to want to go back to Iraq, but I'm thinking a little bit more along the IAEA lines in terms of action expected on North Korea.

You guys seemed to be under the impression that the Russians were ready to go along with sending the --

MR. BOUCHER: I do not think I ever said anything on behalf of the Russians on that.

QUESTION: No, no. You didn't. But Under Secretary Bolton did in referring to the Chinese. And he also mentioned --

MR. BOUCHER: I do not think he said anything about the Russians -- from what I read.

QUESTION: Oh. Well, maybe you didn't read the question that he was asked, because he answered (inaudible) anyway, the point is is that the Russians' strategy --

MR. BOUCHER: I thought the answer was he did not see -- I mean, I heard him say he did not see any particular problem with China.

QUESTION: Right.

MR. BOUCHER: I do not remember him making a comment on Russia, but in any case, we will see.

QUESTION: In any case, the Russians have come out against taking this to the Security Council and now have apparently proposed instead, a new international grouping along the lines of what the Japanese were apparently proposing a couple days, which would be the P5 plus the Japanese, South Koreans and now apparently the Russians will say the Australians can be in it as well. What do you have to say about those two items?

MR. BOUCHER: Let me talk about it two ways. First, the situation in Vienna; the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors has not scheduled a time for a meeting. Consultations about a meeting continue, both in Vienna and with capitals.

The -- we believe -- we know that the statute of the agency requires them to report to the Security Council any noncompliance with their safeguards agreement and we would expect them to do that. We do expect that they will meet in the near future. This is a serious matter and we think the Security Council needs to take up the issue because it's a matter involving international peace and security.

So we are continuing to work on this in Vienna. I have not seen this particular Russian statement, but we have been working and talking to them and will continue to do so and try to make this process unfold.

As far as any particular groupings of ways to talk or deal with the situation, as you know, we have been in closed consultations with other members of the Perm 5, with the Japanese, the Koreans, the Australians, among others, and we will continue to talk to them. Whether some group is formed or not, I think it is premature to say at this point.

QUESTION: Richard, isn't there a meeting scheduled for February 3rd? I thought they (inaudible) announced this morning.

MR. BOUCHER: I think that it is one of the -- there are various dates that have been discussed. I was told that it is not definite yet.

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QUESTION: Yeah, and also by contrast, it appears the South Koreans and the North Koreans, they are starting to talk amongst together without the need for the United States to push them. Do you see progress in that?

MR. BOUCHER: We have always supported the talks between North Korea and South Korea. It has been a longstanding policy of the United States to support such discussions. South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung's special envoy Lim Dong-Won and other South Korean officials now visit Pyongyang from January 27th to meet with North Korean officials.

They will discuss the North Korean nuclear program and bilateral issues, as well. We very much support these South Korean efforts. We think these dialogues serve as important channels to resolve issues of bilateral concern and to call upon North Korea to quickly and visibly respond to the international community's demands for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

As we have said before, North Korea must verifiably and visibly dismantle their nuclear weapons programs and come into compliance with their obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sir?

QUESTION: Could you give us a sense to how important do you think that the Secretary's speech in Davos on Sunday? Does he mention not only on Iraq, but North Korea?

MR. BOUCHER: He will talk about a number of issues that are important in the world. I would expect him to talk about North Korea as well as Iraq. It is very, very important.

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