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25 April 2003

Bush Says Proliferation Controls Must Be Strengthened

(Interview with NBC April 24) (800)
The world must focus on the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and on strengthening international controls of it,
President Bush says.
"One of our goals and objectives must be to strengthen the
nonproliferation regimes and get the whole world focused on
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," he told Tom Brokaw of
NBC television network during an April 24 interview aboard Air Force
One on his way to Canton, Ohio.
With the end of Saddam Hussein's regime, Bush said, "we made it clear
that people who harbor weapons of mass destruction will be dealt
with." The war in Iraq showed that the problem of proliferation can be
dealt with effectively, he said, but he added: "Hopefully, most of it
can be done diplomatically."
Of the U.S.-China-North Korea meetings held in Beijing just concluded,
Bush said the message to the North Koreans and the world is: "[W]e're
not going to be threatened."
"On the other hand we, the world, must come together to make sure
institutions like the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) are
effective at stopping proliferation," he said.
Following are excerpts from the White House transcript of the
interview:
(begin excerpt)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
April 24, 2003
INTERVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT
BY
TOM BROKAW, NBC
Aboard Air Force One
Canton, Ohio
11:14 A.M. EDT
ON NORTH KOREA: 
Q: .... You still have two big issues out there on the horizon: al
Qaeda and North Korea. North Korea today saying that it's reprocessed
8,000 plutonium rods and if you don't start talking to them, they're
willing to sell them.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. See, they're back to the old blackmail game. One
of our goals and objectives must be to strengthen the nonproliferation
regimes and get the whole world focused on proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction or the materials for weapons of mass destruction, and
North Korea is making my case, that we've got to come together.
And we started that process in the North Korean peninsula that is
coming together. The Chinese now, for the first time, are partners at
the table. I look forward to hearing what the Chinese say about being
rebuffed by the North Koreans because they, too, believe that the
Peninsula ought to be nuclear weapons-free. This will give us an
opportunity to say to the North Koreans and the world we're not going
to be threatened. ON the other hand we, the world, must come together
to make sure institutions like the IAEA are effective at stopping
proliferation.
It's another reason, by the way for us to also advance the missile
defense systems, because the missile defense system will make it less
likely that a nuclear country could blackmail us or Japan or any one
of our friends....
ON THE "BUSH DOCTRINE":
Q: ... Now that the war in Iraq is effectively over, have you thought
about a Bush doctrine that is a comprehensive structure of some kind,
on a global basis, for dealing with weapons of mass destruction and
the need, even, of preemptive strikes against rogue nations?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, the Bush doctrine is actually being defined by
action, as opposed to by words. Although, I think if you compile a lot
of the speeches I've given, you could come up with the Bush doctrine.
The way I view the post-Saddam Iraq opportunities are these, one, that
we can deal more effectively with weapons of mass destruction, that we
made it clear that people who harbor weapons of mass destruction will
be dealt with. Hopefully, most of it can be done diplomatically. And
you'll see us -- see me, as well as members of my administration,
begin to push for new international protocols that will make
international organizations more effective at stopping the spread of
weapons of mass destruction.
I also believe that reform in the Middle East, as well as Middle East
peace, is an initiative that we will continue to -- that I will push,
and push -- particularly in the Middle East peace process, I will work
hard to achieve the two-state solution. And we have a good opportunity
to do so.
There are other parts of the Bush doctrine, if you want to call it
that, that are equally important. One, the AIDS initiative in Africa
is an incredibly important initiative and I intend to call upon
Europe, particularly the wealthier nations in Europe, to join us in
providing the medicines, the anti-retroviral drugs and the strategies
necessary to start saving lives, more lives on the continent of
Africa.
There's a lot of things where we can work together, is my point, to
overcome any differences that might have existed on the Iraq
policy....
(end excerpt)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)