*부시는 북한정권과 불가침 조약을 맺을 수 없다고 다시 한번 입장을 분명히 했다. 북한이 핵개발 포르그램을 포기하고 완벽한 사찰을 받아들인다면 중국 러시아 등 관련당사국들과 함께 북한에 대해서 공격할 의사가 없다는 정도의 합의는 해줄 수 있다는 것이다.



Bush rules out N. Korea pact
Sunday, October 19, 2003 Posted: 3:46 AM EDT (0746 GMT)


BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush has flatly ruled out a bilateral non-aggression pact between the United States and North Korea but says he is open to being a party to a broader agreement.

But that agreement, involving China, Russia and others, would only happen if -- and only if -- North Korea abandoned its nuclear ambitions and agreed to a strict verification regime.

Bush addressed the issue after a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday and before a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao that will factor prominently in the strategy for resuming dialogue with North Korea.

The North has insisted on a non-aggression pact with the United States as part of any deal to abandon its nuclear program, and both China and Russia have urged the United States to make such a commitment.

Bush said he was looking for a way to move the dialogue forward with the partners in the six-party dialogue -- Japan, South Korea, China and Russia.

U.S. officials said Bush hoped to reach agreement with President Hu on an approach under which, in exchange for a verifiable end to the North Korea weapons program, the United States and all of its partners in the talks would agree in writing that their shared goal was a peaceful, non-nuclear Korean peninsula and that no parties to the talks had any hostile intentions toward or plans to attack the North.

The United States wants a second round of the six-party talks by the end of the year, and says pressure from China on North Korea is critical to that effort.

Chinese support for some form of joint statement- - as opposed to a direct US pledge to North Korea -- also would be significant, US officials says, because it would help convince Pyongyang that others involved in the talks were in agreement with the United States on how to proceed.

Earlier, the United States and Thailand announced stronger military ties Sunday ahead of an APEC summit which will focus strongly on security and trade issues.

Thailand was granted the status of major non-NATO ally, making it easier for the nation to purchase U.S. military equipment.

In a speech to Royal Thai Armed Forces, Bush thanked Thai troops who served in Afghanistan.

He said they were 'helping a shattered country rebuild after years of oppression.'

Bush said, 'We must fight terrorism on many fronts. We must stay on the offensive until the terrorist threat is fully and firmly defeated.'

The U.S. leader earlier praised Thailand's efforts to combat terrorism, applauding the recent arrest of suspected Bali bombing planner Hambali and describing it as 'a piece of really good work'.

Shortly before Bush's arrival, U.S. officials laid out a proposed new $5.4 million effort to help fight terrorism in the Southeast region, The Associated Press reports.

Two U.S. officials would work in Manila with the Asian Development Bank on funding technical assistance for airport and port security, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity.

Following the APEC meeting, Bush will make short stops in Singapore, Indonesia and Australia, before returning home on Friday.

CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King and White House Correspondent Dana Bash contributed to this report.