President Bush vowed Wednesday to beef up missile defense of U.S. allies in the wake of North Korea’s claim that it has conducted an underground nuclear test.
“In response to North Korea’s provocation, we will increase defense cooperation with our allies, including cooperation on ballistic missile defense, to protect against North Korean aggression, and cooperation to prevent North Korea from exporting nuclear and missile technologies,” he said at a Rose Garden news conference.
Bush said such measures, along with economic sanctions, are among the “serious repercussions” of Pyongyang’s as-yet unverified claim to have exploded a nuclear device late Monday. The U.S. is seeking to build a consensus against North Korea in the United Nations Security Council.
“There must be a strong Security Council resolution that will require North Korea to abide by its international commitments to dismantle its nuclear programs,” Bush said.
He said the resolution should also “prevent North Korea from exporting nuclear or missile technologies and prevent financial transactions or asset transfers that would help North Korea develop its nuclear missile capabilities.”
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., this week blamed the explosion on “the failed policies of the Bush administration.”
That prompted Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to counter that former President Bill Clinton’s “framework agreement” with North Korea “was a failure.”
Although Bush did not mention the Clinton administration by name, he pointed out that the U.S. signed an agreement with North Korea in 1994 that was supposed to”make sure that they don’t have the capacity to develop a bomb.”
He added, “And yet we came into office and discovered that they were developing a program, unbeknownst to the folks with whom they signed the agreement — the United States government.”
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said the blame rests squarely on Bush.
“His policy in North Korea allowed that country to develop and test nuclear weapons,” the Nevada Democrat said. “America is less safe. President Bush tries to talk tough, but he doesn’t act smart. He insists on stubbornly following policies that don’t work.”
Bush defended his policy of insisting on six-party talks with North Korea by reminding Americans of the failure of bilateral talks between Pyongyang and the Clinton administration.
“Bilateral negotiations didn’t work,” he said. “You know, I appreciate the efforts of previous administrations. It just didn’t work.”
