Bush, S. Korean Leader Spar At Summit

Testy Public Exchange Over When U.S. Will Formally Declare End To Korean War

(CBS/AP)  President Bush bluntly told South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Friday that the United States would formally end the Korean War only when North Korea halts its nuclear weapons program.

The comment came in a testy exchange between the two leaders on the sidelines of a Pacific Rim summit, after they held talks dominated by the international standoff over communist North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

In front of television cameras, Mr. Bush and Roh agreed there had been progress in trying to resolve the issue, but then had a back-and-forth that was remarkable in the diplomatic world of understatement and subtlety.

Roh pushed Mr. Bush to be "clearer" about his position on an official end to the 1950-53 Korean War. The two Koreas were divided by the conflict, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, meaning they are still technically at war. The U.S. also has no peace treaty with the North.

The leaders' tone remained light, but Mr. Bush responded firmly: "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."

White House officials tried to downplay the incident, insisting there was no tension, reports CBS News correspondent Peter Maer from Sydney. But Mr. Bush appeared peeved, cutting off the discussion with a terse, "Thank you, sir."

Mr. Bush also talked about missile defense with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who like Mr. Bush was in Sydney for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Putin - who bitterly opposes a U.S. plan to base a missile defense system in Eastern Europe - said that the two presidents agreed for the countries' technical experts meet again to a Russian-backed alternative for a joint system; Bush did not comment.

The U.S. president also lunched with Southeast Asian leaders, inviting them to his Texas ranch for summit later this year.

In a speech to business leaders meeting alongside APEC, Mr. Bush defended his policies in Iraq and urged Asia-Pacific nations to keep up the fight against terrorism. He also urged the region to lead the way toward a worldwide trade agreement and cooperate on tackling global warming.

Mr. Bush prodded APEC members Russia and China to honor democratic principles and allow more freedoms.

The awkward moment with Roh came later Friday, when the two leaders each made statements to reporters after their meeting.

"I might be wrong. I think I did not hear President Bush mention a declaration to end the Korean War just now," Roh said through an interpreter. "Did you say so, President Bush?"

"It's up to Kim Jong Il," Mr. Bush said.

Roh pressed on: "If you could be a little bit clearer," he said, prompting an annoyed look from Mr. Bush.

Under a deal reached in February after years of negotiations, North Korea agreed to relinquish its nuclear programs. In return, Washington agreed to open talks on normalizing relations with the North and explore removing a terrorism designation for Pyongyang.

North Korea shut down its main nuclear reactor in July, and U.S. officials say Pyongyang has agreed to disable its nuclear programs by the end of this year. But Washington is suspicious the North may renege on the deal.

National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe downplayed the awkward Roh-Bush exchange, saying "there was clearly something lost in translation during the photo op."

Washington and Seoul agree on the steps Pyongyang must take before there can be a full peace agreement, he said.

In his earlier speech, Mr. Bush said nations must deploy both military might and democratic ideals to turn the tide against extremists.

"Pressure keeps the terrorists on the run, and when on the run, we're safer," he said. "We must be determined, we must be focused and we must not let up."

On climate change, the top agenda item at APEC, Bush acknowledged that some countries feared the United States was trying to construct a successor to the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol outside of international efforts already under way.

"We agree these issues must be addressed in an integrated way," he said. "We take climate change seriously in America."

The U.S has called for a Sept. 27-28 conference in Washington of the 15 biggest polluters. A broader conference will be held at the U.N. in New York on Sept. 24.

The high-level discussions at APEC could shape talks at a U.N. conference in December in Bali, Indonesia, that will start to chart a successor to Kyoto.

[toldyouso21]

Roh did not like the continual lying and evasion you were doing Mr. President. Could you please try better lies and evasive maneuvers the next time? Thank you. LOL

[toldyouso21]

WHAT ARE LIBS GOING TO DO WHEN BUSH''''S LEAVES OFFICE....SERIOUSLY? HAVE YOU GUYS THOUGHT ABOUT IT? WILL YOU GUYS JUST CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT HIM OR WILL WE JUST HEAR CRICKETS CHIRPING?
Posted by bizzzz at 11:53 AM : Sep 07, 2007


It depends. If they are like the Republicans and have a Bush fetish equal to the Clinton fetish, then they will talk about, blame or hide behind the actions of the former President.

If, on the other hand, they do what Democrats usually do...then they will just get on with trying to clean up the mess and leave all the blame game and deflection and whining back with the Republicans--who do it oh soooooo well.

[cantzon]

First of all it is the United Nations who must end the war since they are who fought it.

Second, I live in Jeju Do, South Korea. President Roh is an idiot and a very unpopular one at that. Incidentally, he only has a high school diploma. His Uri Party under his poor leadership collapsed around him

Third- Korean translators never translate things properly. They always modify the message in some way for cultural reasons rooted in confucianism.

[lars008-2009]

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. John Stuart Mill

It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it. Robert E. Lee

A self-respecting nation is ready for anything, including war, except for a renunciation of its option to make war. Simone Weil

If there must be trouble let it be in my day, that my child may have peace. Thomas Paine

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realise that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events. Winston Churchill

One ought never to turn one''s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Winston Churchill

[lars008-2009]

We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. Ben Franklin

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Ben Franklin

We make war that we may live in peace. Aristotle

It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war. John F. Kennedy

There''s a graveyard in northern France where all the dead boys from D-Day are buried. The white crosses reach from one horizon to the other. I remember looking it over and thinking it was a forest of graves. But the rows were like this, dizzying, diagonal, perfectly straight, so after all it wasn''t a forest but an orchard of graves. Nothing to do with nature, unless you count human nature. Barbara Kingsolver

They have not wanted Peace at all; they have wanted to be spared war -- as though the absence of war was the same as peace. Dorothy Thompson

There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the enemy. George Washington

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain. John Adams

[meboard]

Roh pushed Mr. Bush to be "clearer" ...LOL. That Korean guy sure doesn''t know our little liar very well. Hold on a little bit longer Mr. Roh, the idiot-n-chief will be OUT soon and you can talk with an intelligent President. We apologize for the delay!

[cruiser111-2009]

It''s too bad you all can''t see whats really going on. Blinded by the trees and can''t see the forest. Google NAFTA superhighway folks and take a look at our future. This lame brain idiot you all speak of is slowly and systematically dismantling our country and our way of life. I bet the Democrats are cheering right now. That too is a fallacy. The Repubs and Dems are all in cahoots. They are both strategically maneuvering towards the NEW WORLD ORDER. Has anyone asked themselves why the leaders of countries are meeting at economic summits where in the past the Secretary of Economic Development went to these things. NAFTA was engineered by Bush #1, Signed into law by Clinton #1, and moved forward by Bush #2. Let''s all sit around and wait for Clinton #3 in her lust for power to drive the final nail into the American coffin! WAKE UP!!!

[lars008-2009]

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM / PERFECT EXAMPLE OF FASCISM!!!

Fascist nazi terrorislam is intent on killing or enslaving all non muslims......

Why is there no muslim country that grants equal rights to non muslim citizens???

The most notable characteristic of a fascist country is the separation and persecution or denial of equality to a specific segment of the population based upon superficial qualities or belief systems.

Simply stated, a fascist government always has one class of citizens that is considered superior (good) to another (bad) based upon race, creed or origin. It is possible to be both a republic and a fascist state. The preferred class lives in a republic while the oppressed class lives in a fascist state.
http://www.couplescompany.com/Features/Politics/Structure3.htm

[mcvet]

what the censors did not want you to see is the bigger laughter they we got when you guys cannot even impeach this "moron"..sorry guys that makes you guys a bigger idiot.
Posted by libsluvsuvs at 04:14 PM : Sep 07, 2007

LOL Sparky ANY democrat who isn''t happy to have this walking Cluster f8%K in office while they are running for president is nuts. It''s like a constant reminder 24/7 how completely out of the mainstream the Republican Party is with it''s Southern Fascist take over. Not impeaching him sure made some of us made but having him there will make purging the Fascist from our Government very much easier! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! Come on Swastika Hugger sing it out! SIEG HEIL MEIN FUHRER!! ROFLMAO

[gkc99]

"I news they didn''''t mention in the US because of censorship. During a speech, Bush thanked the "austrian" troops for helping in Iraq, instead of the "australians", everyone laughed their arsesss off with that one."
Posted by andrew_693

Plus they missed the story about how Bushit called APEC "OPEC", mentioned John Howard would get him into OPEC as a funny joke to cover up his stupidity (but compounded it cuz Australia is not an OPEC member), then the dumbofucko Texasshole apparently almost walked off the wrong end of the stage.

This ************ is as stupid as Clarabell, and as independent as Howdy Doody.

[lars008-2009]

it is fascist nazi terrorislam stupid%u2026.

non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...

I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm

Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan

the truth about fascist nazi terrorislam...
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/

[pakaal]

President "Uniter, not Divider" strikes again.

[tylenol6]

Our "IDIOT IN COMMAND"!!!!!!! It just cannot end

soon enough for the american people.......

[tejasdemo]

Lol. Time for a pop quiz.

Republicans are the dumbest group of people on the planet.

A. Agree

B. Disagree

C. I dont like your tone you commi lovin liberal. Besides, I dont understand the question.

[libsluvsuvs]

Posted by andrew_693 at 04:02 PM : Sep 07, 2007
+ report abuse
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*****

what the censors did not want you to see is the bigger laughter they we got when you guys cannot even impeach this "moron"..sorry guys that makes you guys a bigger idiot.

[andrew_693]

I news they didn''t mention in the US because of censorship. During a speech, Bush thanked the "austrian" troops for helping in Iraq, instead of the "australians", everyone laughed their arsesss off with that one.

[cdfoxtrot]

This explains why N.Korea has felt threatened and needed to develop its own defense capabilities. More than 50 years after the end of the Korean War why can''t the US formally declare an end to the process? North Korea has been called part of the "axis of evil" and is officially in a state of war with us. Why shouldn''t they take steps to defend themselves, given what has been done to Iraq?

It''s good to see the South Korean president publicly challenging the moron-in-chief. If only our own politicians had such backbone.

[libsluvsuvs]

Posted by roach9703 at 02:39 PM : Sep 07, 2007
+ report abuse
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*******
sir, please remember that this process was started by this country..there IS A PROCESS because of this country..AND REST ASSURED that this process will end with this country in tow.

[roach9703]

George Bush was right but EXTREMELY clumsy. There is a strong drive in the South to reunify with the North and this current Korean President is part of that. The failure to acknowledge this desire was a mistake. The promise to close down the nuclear reactors in the North has sparked great hope in South Korea. We have to be part of that process otherwise we could be left in the cold.

[glossypan]

Have a nice day. Got to spiff up to go see Obama tonight. He is not my candidate but being amidst thousands of exuberant idealists listening to a passionate progressive speaker will be great fun. Worth a few dollars to his campaign. Ciao.