 US President George Bush will press ahead on Friday with his strategy for bolstering allied unity against North Korea's nuclear weapons programme when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their talks come a day after Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun vowed a nuclear-armed North Korea will not be tolerated and agreed talks should be held on a North-South peace treaty, a show of harmony that played down tactical differences.
| Bush and Roh just have different definitions of "will not be tolerated." |
Bush is eager for unity among the five nations engaged in negotiations with North Korea - the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China - to try to convince Pyongyang to agree to dismantle its nuclear arms programmes. Aides said Bush, in his fifth meeting with Putin this year, would also discuss Iran's nuclear programme, Russia's effort to gain membership in the World Trade Organisation and Russia's internal situation. |