Bangkok, Oct 20: US President George W. Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun met today to discuss trade, Iraq, and a new compromise aimed at reviving efforts to defuse the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis.
"We're making good progress on peacefully solving the
issue with North Korea," said Bush. "And during this breakfast
I will share ideas and listen to ideas from President Roh as
to how to move the process forward."
The two leaders sat down for talks on the sidelines
of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a day
after the US leader said he would back written security
guarantees to Pyongyang but not a formal bilateral treaty.
"These are important consultations with a close
friend," declared the US President, who says that any
non-aggression pact would have to involve the five nations
involved in talks with North Korea, not just the US.
Roh said he hoped that those consultations, grouping
China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia and the United
States, would resume "in the near future" following
inconclusive talks in Beijing in August.
The South Korean leader also praised Bush for trying
to forge ahead on the "critical issue".
Bureau Report
