WASHINGTON, July 7: US President Bush urged the international community on Friday to form a ‘broad coalition’ against North Korea and send Pyongyang a ‘loud and clear message that its missile tests were not acceptable.
In a rare out-of-town news conference broadcast live by US news channels, Mr Bush said it was important to bring the issue of North Korea’s missile tests before the UN Security Council.
He also supported a draft UN Security Council resolution, prepared by Japan, seeking sanctions against North Korea. China and Russia oppose sanctions and are pushing for diplomacy alone to resolve the dispute.
Mr Bush said he wanted to make clear to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il ‘with more than one voice that the world condemned the test firing this week of seven missiles, including a long-range missile that failed.
Mr Bush also said the United States had ‘a reasonable chance of shooting down the long-range missile, if it had not failed. But he added: “Our anti-ballistic systems are modest, they are new.”
During an interview broadcast on Thursday night on CNN’s ‘Larry King Live, Mr Bush was asked whether he had been prepared to shoot down the long-range missile. The president replied: If it headed to the United States we’ve got a missile defence system that will defend our country.
Asked why he was committed to going to the UN Security Council in an effort to restrict North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs while he ignored the council’s opposition to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Mr Bush said: “I have always said it is important for an American president to exhaust all diplomatic avenues before use of force.” As to Iraq, ‘all diplomatic options were exhausted as far as I was concerned.
In defending his decision to seek UN support, Mr Bush said that the leader of the reclusive communist government in Pyongyang had ‘defied China and Japan and South Korea and Russia and the United States.
“All of us said, Don’t fire that rocket.’ He not only fired one, he fired seven. Now that he made that defiance, it’s best for all of us to go to the UN Security Council and say, loud and clear, ‘Here are some red lines.’ And that’s what we’re in the process of doing.”
Mr Bush also addressed the recent Supreme Court ruling that Mr Bush overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees.
“I am willing to abide by the Supreme Court,” he said, noting that he was waiting for the decision before going forward. Mr Bush said he would now work with Congress to figure out a way to legally proceed.