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U.S. President George W. Bush made it clear on Friday that Washington is prepared to end the armistice on the Korean Peninsula and build a proper peace framework once North Korea completely dismantles its nuclear programs and any existing nuclear weapons. The message came in a joint press conference with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun after their summit on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Sydney.
¡ß Denuclearization first, peace formula later
Asked by Roh, "If you could be a little bit clearer in your message, that would be very much appreciated," Bush answered, "I can't make it any more clear, Mr. President. We look forward to the day when we can end the Korean War. That will happen when Kim Jong-il verifiably gets rid of his weapons programs and his weapons." The statement clarifies a Sept. 19, 2005 statement of principles in the six-nation denuclearization talks and the Feb. 13, 2007 agreement, which flag various rewards in exchange for North Korea dismantling its nuclear program, including the normalization of Washington-Pyongyang relations. The two sides have already started normalization talks.
The key to Bush's statement is that Washington is willing to accept a peace formula if Pyongyang dismantles its nuclear facilities and arms in a verifiable way. Pyongyang has for decades been seeking a peace framework to replace the armistice that still officially halts hostilities but does not end the war in Korea. Bush¡¯s statement is believed to have removed some ambiguity from the U.S. position on the issue. Since the Bush administration started bilateral talks with Pyongyang after the North¡¯s nuclear test in October last year, there had been fears that Washington could try to normalize relations with Pyongyang while accepting it as a de-facto nuclear power by not touching on the nuclear weapons it has already built. There was also speculation that a peace framework could be built simultaneously with the denuclearization process. But Bush appears to be saying that his government will start the peace process after all North Korea's nuclear program, including existing nuclear weapons, have been verifiably scrapped.
¡ß Bush hints at new proposal
Bush's formula could be a stepping stone to the normalization of bilateral ties. Experts speculate he is now thinking of three stages ? nuclear dismantlement first, then establishment of a peace formula, then normalization of bilateral ties. Bush has apparently become interested in a peace formula under the influence of Prof. Philip Zelikow of the University of Virginia, a former adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Bush first mentioned a peace treaty with Pyongyang when Chinese President Hu Jintao who visited Washington in April last year.
Bush twice this year said, "It's up to¡± Kim Jong-il -- on Aug. 31 and a week later. He then hinted at a ¡°present" for Kim Jong-il that would compensate for the North¡¯s nuclear disarmament with vaguer references of "many changes" or establishing a new peace formula ¡°in Northeast Asia." Discussion of a permanent peace will inevitably touch on the presence of the U.S. Forces Korea, which will require intense public debate in South Korea.
¡ß Does Bush's statement aim at the inter-Korean summit?
Some people suspect Bush's statement was aimed at preventing the upcoming inter-Korean summit from going too far. There are fears that the leaders of the two Koreas may gesture toward some kind of peace framework at the summit even before the North has disabled its nuclear facilities. Some within the ruling camp here have predicted that a declaration of the end of the Korean War and of a peace treaty could come around the end of the year. Washington worries that this would put up the USFK's presence for debate. This is why there is speculation that Bush tried to put the brakes on any such efforts at the inter-Korean summit.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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