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16 December 2002

Armitage Warns of Dangers from North Korea, Iraq

(December 13 press conference in Australia) (3540)
North Korea and Iraq both pose dangers to the world but in different
ways, says Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
In a December 13 press conference in Australia, Armitage explained the
priority given to the Baghdad regime by the Bush administration.
Saddam Hussein, in separate wars, invaded two of his neighbors, Iran
and Kuwait, Armitage said, with roughly one million casualties as a
result.
Armitage noted that Saddam Hussein has used weapons of mass
destruction both against his enemies in the Iran war as well as his
own people.
Armitage cited Hussein's links with terrorism, adding there are areas
of Iraq "not controlled by the government of Iraq in which we know al
Qaeda is active."
Entities "associated with al Qaeda," according to Armitage, "have
recently come into armed conflict with Kurdish units in that very
area."
North Korea, in contrast, has not been active in terrorism since 1987,
and there has been relative stability on the Korean peninsula,
Armitage said.
Also, he noted, in dealing with Pyongyang, the United States has two
close allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea "involved in varying
degrees of 'normalization' talks with North Korea, and two other great
powers, Russia and China, which share exactly the same view as the
United States on the need to get rid of weapons of mass destruction
and denuclearize the peninsula of Korea."
Given those circumstances, Armitage said, there is "a pretty good
basis on which to work diplomatically in Korea."
Pyongyang's recent admissions to pursuing a nuclear weapons program
are a serious problem, Armitage acknowledged.
Pyongyang's recent stated decision to remove itself from the
International Atomic Energy Agency at Yongbyon "is a regrettable
development, but we'll have to wait a while and see what they actually
do," Armitage said.
The recent seizure and release of a shipment of North Korean Scud
missiles, he said, demonstrated the well-known fact that North Korea
was "one of the major proliferators" of missiles and missile
technology, he said.
"I think the message of the stopping of the ship off the Horn of
Africa was a very sound and severe message to the North Koreans that
we know what they're doing, we know where they are," Armitage said.
"They can run," Armitage said, "They can't hide."
Following is the transcript of Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage's December 13 news conference in Australia:
(begin transcript)
Press Conference with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
Richard L. Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State
Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices
December 13, 2002
FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER: I'm delighted to welcome Deputy Secretary of
State Richard Armitage to Australia. I've had the opportunity to have
extensive discussions with him in the latter part of this morning, as
well as a lunch. Most recently we've come from a meeting of about an
hour, I think, with the Prime Minister and Senator Hill, the Defense
Minister. It s been an opportunity for us to talk about Iraq and what
the current situation is in relation to the pursuit of Security
Council Resolution 1441, and also to talk about the situation in North
Korea. Certainly for Australia's part -- and I'll let Rich speak for
the United States, but for Australia's part we re very concerned about
recent developments in North Korea. It's been fortuitous that the
Deputy Secretary of State has been here, so we've been able to compare
notes on that issue. Obviously, and importantly, we've had a good
discussion about the campaign against terrorism, and in particular,
the situation in Southeast Asia in relation to terrorism. So it's been
a very constructive, very positive series of discussions and we
obviously very much appreciate the Deputy Secretary of State's visit
and his observations, and the opportunity he has given us to share our
thoughts as well with him. So Rich, over to you.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you very much Mr. Minister. Good
afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. President Bush had asked me to come
to Asia to consult with friends and allies, most noteworthy of whom,
of course, is Australia. I m delighted to have been chosen for this
mission. The President wanted me to expose our Australian friends to
our latest thinking on Iraq, next steps after the declaration, etc.,
and also to talk about the continuing search for peace and stability
on the Korean peninsula. He also asked me to seek the views of the
Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and any advice they may have
both on the situation of Iraq and with North Korea. And of course we
did discuss the global war on terrorism and Afghanistan, and as the
Minister indicated, closer to this region, the problems of terrorism
in Southeast Asia. So I'd be delighted to attempt to answer any
questions you may have.
QUESTION: How serious is the threat emerging from North Korea at the
moment, given the interception of the Scud missiles and the comments
about the oil being cut off?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think the situation is serious and has
been serious for some time. Their recent stated decision to remove
themselves from the IAEA at Yongbyon is a regrettable development, but
we'll have to wait a while and see what they actually do. On the
question of the Scud missiles, it was not a secret to anyone in the
world that North Korea was one of the major proliferators. Every one
of our top officials has stated this time and time again. I think the
message of the stopping of the ship off the Horn of Africa was a very
sound and severe message to the North Koreans that we know what
they're doing, we know where they are. They can run. They can't hide.
QUESTION: What about the nuclear threat?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well the nuclear threat has been developing
for some time. Unclassified releases from the United States over the
past couple of years have indicated a very strong possibility that
they may already have a nuclear weapon. But we believe that the
situation on the Korean peninsula lends itself to the possibility of a
diplomatic solution, given that the nations in the immediate area,
Russia, China, Japan, South Korea -- and the United States -- all
share absolutely the same view that the peninsula must be
denuclearized. That's a pretty good basis to attempt to move forward
diplomatically. That's what we're trying to do.
FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER: Can I just say on the issue of North Korea.
This afternoon, I instructed my Department to summon the North Korean
ambassador and to ask the North Korean ambassador to pass back to
Pyongyang that we would like a full explanation from the North Koreans
about the statements that apparently have elicited from the North
Korean foreign ministry, where North Korea says it's going to reopen
its nuclear processing plant and possibly I'm not quite sure whether
this is going to happen to expel IAEA inspectors. So we've asked the
Koreans for a full and frank explanation of what they position
sincerely is, and we hope -- he'll pass that message back to them --
we hope to get an answer before long.
QUESTION: The Koreans are saying this afternoon that the interception
of the ship was an act of piracy. How do you respond to that?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: That's absurd. I don't even know why you'd
raise it. An unflagged, stateless ship carrying contraband cargo. We
had every right to stop it. The Spanish navy stopped it, searched it.
We found the papers in disorder, established this fact for the whole
world, and then let the shipment continue. So I find the statement
absurd.
QUESTION: New Zealand is one of the countries which originally paid
hard cash in the oil program for North Korea. The foreign minister
there, Mr. Goff, has just said that he opposes what North Korea is
doing but he says, quote, an assurance that they won t be attacked
might help resolve the situation. Can you give such an assurance?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: My remembrance is that the President of the
United States said that we have no intention of invading North Korea.
That sounds like a pretty good assurance to me.
QUESTION: Will the fuel oil sales to North Korea be resumed?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, I don't believe so.
QUESTION: Mr. Armitage, you just had a visit to China and you just had
a dialogue with the newly appointed Chinese general staff of the
People's Liberation Army. According to the Chinese news media, the
Chinese hosts, that the United State will appropriately handle the
arms sales to Taiwan. What is your response, and also what does the
United States wish China to do to stop the nuclear threat from North
Korea?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Two rather unrelated questions. On the
first, I believe we have handled arms sales to Taiwan in an
appropriate manner, completely consistent with our domestic law and
with our obligations under the three joint U.S.-China communiqués. I
assured General Liang that it was our intention to continue to do so.
On the question of what we want China to do with North Korea, China
will do obviously what's in her national interest. It seemed obvious
to me that it was in China s national interest in fact they stated to
me that the peninsula be denuclearized. So we hope that they will use
all of their influence on the DPRK to try to help them get out of the
situation, or the cul-de-sac, that they've put themselves in. Hoping
that the DPRK will get themselves out is not sufficient. I think all
of us have to be working assiduously to try to get them out of the
cul-de-sac.
QUESTION: In relation to Iraq, if a war does break, what sort of
commitments does the United States want from Australia?
Armitage: We would like the commitment that Australia would act in her
national interest. That's for Australians to determine. It's not for
an American visitor to determine.
QUESTION: Could you tell us what your evaluation of the Iraqi response
is? That contradicts the claim by President Bush, Prime Minister Blair
and Prime Minister Howard that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
So does that make it more likely that a military option is necessary?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, as I understand it, Greg, the
declaration was very heavy in terms of kilograms. I haven t been able
to read it yet, as I've been traveling. I'm not sure it s weighty in
terms of its content. The P-5 right now is studying the documents. Mr.
Blix and Mr. El Baradei will be reporting eventually to the Council on
the matter. We'll determine if it's a full, complete and final
declaration. I think that there is a healthy degree of skepticism in
the United States about the Iraqi willingness to have a full, complete
and final declaration. But obviously, we have to read the document and
make a decision, and we shall.
QUESTION: Were there any undertakings given by either country in
discussions this afternoon?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: There was a very solemn undertaking by the
United States that we would endeavor at every turn to keep our friends
in Australia completely apprised of our views and our plans. That was
the only undertaking.
FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER: And we, as you know, went into today's
meetings really to have a general discussion about the situation
pertaining to Iraq. We didn't go in there with a view to making formal
commitments, or the United States making demands or requests of us.
This was just an excellent opportunity for us to have a broad
discussion about, amongst other things, the issue of Iraq. Any
questions of commitments or otherwise of course could only be finally
answered in the context of whether there is going to be or whether
there is not going to be any military conflict.
QUESTION: How do you view support in the region for an attack on Iraq,
given that you've obviously been touring these countries? Do you
believe it's growing or shrinking? Are there any countries that are
showing (inaudible)?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: When you're talking about the region, you
re talking about the Asia-Pacific region?
QUESTION: The Asia-Pacific region, sorry.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I found extraordinarily good support for
the activities of the United States involved in the UN Security
Council Resolution 1441. I found a healthy degree of skepticism.
QUESTION: What countries are you talking about?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: You asked in the Asia-Pacific, I have just
come from Japan, Korea, China, and now obviously here. I found a
healthy degree of skepticism about the willingness of Saddam Hussein
to fully and completely disarm. I found that politically we got a
great deal of support. I was not asking, as the Foreign Minister has
indicated, for any specific thing. We were just exposing people to our
views and soliciting theirs. I found pretty fair support for the
course of action in which we are embarked.
QUESTION: What's your assessment of Australia's investigating into
terrorist links in Southeast Asia?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: As I understand it, the activities of
Australia to try to root out terrorism wherever it exists in this
area, and the assistance that they have rendered in the global war on
terrorism, has been exceptional. It's not my area of expertise, but
our fellows tell us they enjoy no greater collaboration than with the
Australians.
QUESTION: Two of the countries in the region are Indonesia and
Malaysia. Any plans to visit them?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, I don't on this trip.
QUESTION: Why not?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Because I've done four countries in six
days and I've got to get back.
QUESTION: You said during a recent visit here last year that you
expected Australians to fight and to die in defense of the United
States under the defense alliance, that if you call we should come
running. Is that still your interpretation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: My interpretation is that Australians are
people who stand by their mates. Australians are people who want to
have a fair go. I think we're the type of people who will try to stand
by our Australian mates, as we have in the past. I can't imagine any
great endeavor in the world going on without some sort of
collaboration between Australia and the United States. It's certainly
possible, and Australia is going to make decisions which are in her
own national interest. But it's hard for me to imagine that two allies
like ourselves wouldn't be involved in the great issues of the day
together.
QUESTION: You talked about Southeast Asia together. Was there anything
that the two of you came to conclusions, how you might have to work on
to try and root out terrorism in the region?
FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER: As you know, it ultimately is a matter for
the broad international community, not just Australia and the United
States to address. That includes the countries of Southeast Asia.
They, like us, like the United States and like others have to do
everything they possibly can to try to root out terrorism from within
their own countries. Countries of Southeast Asia are doing that. We
obviously take the view -- Rich can speak for the United States -- but
it's clear to me they take the view that we should do what we can to
assist them where they would like assistance. That's that basis of us
having memoranda of understanding on counterterrorism with Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia and prospectively, the Philippines, and possibly
also India. We've been talking about collaboration with India as well.
Obviously we have a very traditional and close relationship on
intelligence and defense with Singapore. So we have had good
collaboration with them and we are going to continue to work at that.
I think it is very important that the countries of the region, as well
as the United States and others, work together in trying to deal with
terrorism, because terrorism is a trans-boundary issue. It's not a
single-nation issue. Trans-boundary issues have to be dealt with in
trans-boundary ways.
QUESTION: What are the odds of ever finding Osama bin Laden?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I have no idea.
QUESTION: President Putin visited China during this month and
obviously there is huge arms sales between China and Russia, and China
is renovating its jet fighters, presumably trying to deal with Taiwan.
Also the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said earlier this week
that the Chinese deployment of missiles along the Taiwan Strait is a
display of sovereignty of China. Do you have a comment on that? And
also, when President Clinton was in office he mentioned the "three
no's" to Taiwan. When President Bush came to power he adopted a
different policy. How do you secure the consistent American policy
toward Taiwan?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I would say that since 1979 there has been
a remarkably consistent policy towards Taiwan. It has involved an
unofficial but very robust relationship. It is guided and advised by
the Taiwan Relations Act, which is the law of our land. We've had the
ability, I believe, to manage the question of the Taiwan Strait with
wisdom because of the wisdom of leaders in China, Taiwan and the
United States, and we hope to continue to do so. On the matter of
consistency of policies, democratic societies vote in new leaders with
stunning regularity to either put a stamp of approval on policies or
to try to change them. On the question of Taiwan and the United
States, there has been remarkable bipartisan support for the course of
action on which we've been embarked for 23 years.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) new nuclear facilities in Iran? Could you
perhaps sort of elaborate on the distinction between of Iran's pursuit
of weapons of mass destruction, Iraq's pursuit and North Korea's
pursuit of weapons of mass destruction?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Iran is a democracy. Iraq and North Korea
are not. The difference between Iraq and North Korea, it seems to me,
are quite obvious. On the question of Iraq you have someone who has in
recent years, in the last decade, invaded two of his neighbors and
sacrificed about a million of his youth in those wars. He has
subjugated his own people. He has tortured his people. That's not Rich
Armitage saying it, it's Amnesty International reports that record
this. He has used weapons of mass destruction against his enemies in
the Iran war, and he's used it against his own people. Finally, he has
an affection for terrorism, and from our point of view and I think
generally shared with many in the international community, an
unrequited thirst for more weapons. The question of Korea is quite
different. Since 1987, in the explosion of the Korean airliner, as far
as I know, North Korea has not been involved in terrorism. The whole
peninsula of Korea has been relatively stable. Stability for about 50
years. We have two of our close allies, the Republic of Korea and
Japan, involved in varying degrees of "normalization" talks with North
Korea, and two other great powers, Russia and China, which share
exactly the same view as the United States on the need to get rid of
weapons of mass destruction and denuclearize the peninsula of Korea.
That's a pretty good basis on which to work diplomatically in Korea,
and with UN Security Council Resolutions backed up by the possibility
of the use of force in Iraq.
QUESTION: Can I just ask you about the reports that VX gas may have
found its way out of Iraq into al Qaeda affiliates hands, and that
Iran is building two big nuclear plants?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I saw a press report about nerve gas making
its way out of Iraq but I'm unclear about some aspects of it. There
are areas in Iraq not controlled by the government of Iraq in which we
know al Qaeda is active. In fact, entities associated with al Qaeda
have recently come into armed conflict with Kurdish units in that very
area. It may be that the VX came from there. But I've been traveling
and I'm not up to speed on that. Regarding so-called secret facilities
in Iran, I think they will remain secret.
QUESTION: You said you're very concerned about the situation in North
Korea. What action will the United States be taking as a result of
that?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: The recent decision?
QUESTION: In terms of them reactivating their venue for their program?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: As I say, we'll have to take a look and see
what they actually do vice what they say. The first piece of business,
to echo what Prime Minster Koizumi said today, was to remain
coolheaded and talk with friends and allies and get a general accepted
course of action on this matter. There are many whose equities are
affected, not just the United States. I think it's something that
we'll take our time and do deliberately.
Thank you all very much.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)