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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation 'We Will Stay The Course Looking For A Diplomatic Solution': US Secretary of State Colin Powell Remarks on North Korea, September 3'Secretary Colin L. Powell, Remarks with Republic of Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yoon Young-Kwan After Their Meeting, Washington, DC September 3, 2003', US State Department transcript. Question: Do you have any response to North Korea's promise, so to speak, last week that they will carry out a nuclear weapons test? Secretary Powell: Well, that's what they said. I don't know if it was a promise or just a statement. We are looking for a diplomatic solution. We are working in concert with all of North Korea's neighbors - Russia, South Korea, China and Japan - to find a peaceful solution. We have made it clear, the President has made it clear on many occasions, I have made it clear, that we have no intention of invading North Korea, of attacking North Korea. And on that basis, we should be able to find a way to move forward, but the way forward is not helped by threats and truculent statements that are designed to try to frighten the international community or to try to frighten us. We will not be frightened, nor will we be caused by such threats to take actions that we do not believe are in our interests or the interests of our partners. So the North Koreans can make these kinds of statements and can make other statements over a period of several days that they are not going to have future talks, or they will participate in future talks. We've seen this kind diplomatic activity on their part in the past many, many times, and we will stay the course looking for a diplomatic solution, not removing any of the options that are available to us, working with the international community, and continue our efforts also to intercept contraband activity on the part of the North Koreans on the high seas, with respect to drugs and other materials that they should not be dealing in. We have a comprehensive policy. It's been explained to our friends. Our friends agree with us, we agree with them, and we'll continue to pursue it. And we hope that the North Koreans will understand the seriousness of our position and our proposals and will respond in a serious way and not with these kinds of rhetorical threats. ... Question: [A]re you going to bring...the North Korean nuclear issue to [the] UN Security Council? Secretary Powell: Well, I think their nuclear program is before the Security Council. It was referred there by the IAEA, and we remain in consultation with the Security Council colleagues on it. We have no immediate plans to ask for action on the part of the United Nations. ... Question: Mr. Secretary, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang has suggested that the US position on North Korea is one of the main obstacles to progress. What's your reaction to that, and what do you think are the chances of another round of six-party talks by the end of the year? Secretary Powell: Well, press reports suggested that that's what the Vice Foreign Minister said. Neither I nor my staff, nor have Chinese officials we have talked to in Beijing about the matter, seen a full transcript. But I think the context of his comment was that both sides have to show openness and flexibility, and I am quite sure the Vice Foreign Minister was not resting the problem on the United States. He understands, as do all of the other members who were in the room that day, that the fundamental problem is North Korean nuclear weapons development, not United States policies which are firmly grounded on the desire to find a peaceful solution. ... Question: Do you think you'll have more talks in the near future? Secretary Powell: I think it's possible. I don't want to start talking about scheduling. Our Chinese colleagues, who are serving as the hosts of the talks and convened them last time, certainly, I think, are anticipating that we would have another round in the not too distant future, if I can just put it that way. But it remains to be seen. It takes six people agreeing to talks to have talks, and we'll see what unfolds over the next several weeks. Source: Powell Says US Committed to Close Relationship with South Korea, US Department of State (Washington File), http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/products/washfile.html, September 4. © 2003 The Acronym Institute. |