U.S. says N. Korea must scrap nuclear weapons program

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.

A 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.

"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.

"North Korea in 1994 entered into a quid pro quo, and it's inappropriate for North Korea say that we will walk away from our quid, and ask for more quo. They entered into an agreement, they should abide by the agreement, and that's why we're working in concert with our allies."

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Han Song Ryol, was quoted by The New York Times as saying, "Everything is negotiable."

He added, "There must be a continuing dialogue. If both sides sit together, the matter can be resolved peacefully and quickly."

'Question of action'

But Fleischer said getting rid of the program is not a question of talking, but "a question of action."

"North Korea should not have abandoned its obligations, and that's what they've done. ... North Korea gave its word and didn't keep it. North Korea needs to keep it."

The 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."

Since the disclosure last month, North Korea has maintained that it would abandon its nuclear weapons program if the United States signed a nonaggression treaty.

Han 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."