U.S. to North Korea: Scrap nuke quest

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Bush administration showed little interest Sunday in renewing official dialogue with North Korea unless the communist government first scraps its nuclear weapons program. \nA senior North Korean diplomat was quoted as saying his country was willing to negotiate with the Bush administration over the newly disclosed weapons program, which violates a 1994 accord with the United States. \n"North Korea knows what it needs to do. It needs to dismantle its nuclear program and honor its treaty obligations," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said aboard Air Force One as President Bush headed to Illinois on a political trip. \n"North Korea in 1994 entered into a quid pro quo, and it's inappropriate for North Korea to say that we will walk away from our quid, and ask for more quo," Fleischer said. "They entered into an agreement, they should abide by the agreement, and that's why we're working in concert with our allies.'' \nNorth Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Han Song Ryol, was quoted by The New York Times as saying, "Everything is negotiable.'' \nHe added, "There must be a continuing dialogue. If both sides sit together, the matter can be resolved peacefully and quickly.'' \nBut Fleischer said: "It's not a question of talking. It's a question of action,'' getting rid of the nuclear weapons program. \n"North Korea should not have abandoned its obligations, and that's what they've done," Fleischer said. "North Korea gave its word and didn't keep it. North Korea needs to keep it.'' \nThe North Korean diplomat said his government would consider allowing international inspections of the uranium facilities. Asked if North Korea would consider shutting down its uranium enrichment program, Han said: "Yes, I believe our government will resolve all U.S. security concerns.'' \nSince the disclosure last month, North Korea has maintained it would abandon its nuclear weapons program if the United States signed a nonaggression treaty. \nHan said his government was stunned by the refusal of the United States to continue talks on the nuclear issue and thinks Washington was "preparing for war.'' \nHe said the North Korean government was startled when President Bush suspended bilateral security talks that began during the final months of the former Clinton administration. \nBush suspended talks with North Korea for a policy review soon after taking office in 2001. He offered in June that year to resume talks, but the North said no. \n"Well, we continue to talk to our allies about the approach to take, so North Korea will proceed to honor their word,'' Fleischer said Sunday. "Once a sovereign nation gives its word as part of an agreement, it's very important for that nation to live up to its agreement. Otherwise it makes it harder to enter into future agreements.'' \nIn January, Bush called North Korea a part of an "axis of evil'' along with Iraq and Iran, which further chilled U.S.-North Korea relations. \nAfter the two-year standstill, Washington and Pyongyang resumed talks last month with a visit to Pyongyang by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly. It was during that visit the North admitted having the nuclear weapons program. \nSince the revelation, the United States and North Korea have accused each other of violating the 1994 agreement, under which the North promised not to develop nuclear weapons on the condition that it be supplied two U.S.-designed light-water reactors. The reactors were to be financed mostly by South Korea and Japan. \nNorth Korea has said it considered the agreement dead because of delays in delivery of reactors, initially planned to be completed by 2003. U.S. officials anticipate at least five years' delay.