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Seoul seeks Bush accord on diplomacy
What evidence does President Roh have that North Korea is ready for "peaceful change"? Does he see something positive in Kim Jong Il's desire for WMD's or in his export of illicit drugs.President Roh Moo-hyun will urge President Bush to join him this week in a public promise to resolve growing tensions with North Korea by peaceful means, exempting the communist nation from the U.S. policy of "pre-empting" regimes that pursue weapons of mass destruction. "The mere thought of a military conflict with North Korea is a calamity for us," Mr. Roh told The Washington Times in an interview here Friday prior to his first face-to-face meeting with Mr. Bush, which will take place this week. "If possible, we think it is much more reasonable for us to induce North Korea to reform itself and to open up to the outside world," Mr. Roh said, citing a policy of social, political and economic engagement begun by his predecessor, Kim Dae-jung. "Of course," Mr. Roh said bluntly, "alongside pursuing the engagement policy we are fully prepared and fully braced for a possible calamity."... "There are some Koreans who are afraid that President Bush's peaceful resolution principles may change at any minute," said Mr. Roh. The president gave his answers in Korean, which were simultaneously translated to English by his official interpreter. "So by agreeing at the summit on this peaceful resolution principle" to the crisis with North Korea, Mr. Roh said, he and Mr. Bush can calm the concerns of his countrymen. In turn, Mr. Roh said he would reassure Americans that during his five-year term, which began in February, South Korea will remain a strong and reliable ally: "I think that many Americans do not know me well and some of them may have doubts about me, and I will try my best to resolve all these doubts about me during this visit. I fully understand the mood and the circumstances that gave rise to [the pre-emption] doctrine. I would like to discuss with President Bush that the circumstances on the Korean Peninsula may not be appropriate for applying this principle."... Of the Pyongyang government, Mr. Roh said: "Their ultimate objective is hard to understand, and the ways and means, the diplomatic and political ways of North Korea, to achieve their objective are unacceptable." He remains nevertheless convinced, he said, that North Korea is ready for peaceful change. (con't see link) Posted by: Anonymous 2003-05-12 |
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