!
Bush backs away from Iraq war
21.44PM BST, 21 Oct 2002
US President George W Bush has said he believes Iraq can be disarmed peacefully, and he is willing to give diplomacy one more try.
"We've tried diplomacy. We're trying it one more time. I believe the free world, if we make up our mind to, can disarm this man peacefully, but if not we have the will and the desire as do other nations to disarm Saddam," Mr Bush told reporters at the White House.
He said US policy seeking a regime change in Iraq remained, but said if Saddam met all UN disarmament demands "that in itself would signal that the regime has changed."
Mr Bush also said that he aims to work with US allies and other nations to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to end his newly revealed nuclear weapons program and disarm.
Mr Bush called North Korea's Oct. 4 admission that it has a clandestine nuclear weapons program "troubling." The admission means the reclusive Stalinist state has violated at least four international commitments, including the 1994 Agreed Framework under which it promised to halt its nuclear efforts.
"I view this as an opportunity to work with our friends in the region and work with other countries in the region to ally against the proliferation of serious weapons and to convince Kim Jong-il that he must disarm,"Mr Bush told reporters.
21.44PM BST, 21 Oct 2002
US President George W Bush has said he believes Iraq can be disarmed peacefully, and he is willing to give diplomacy one more try.
"We've tried diplomacy. We're trying it one more time. I believe the free world, if we make up our mind to, can disarm this man peacefully, but if not we have the will and the desire as do other nations to disarm Saddam," Mr Bush told reporters at the White House.
He said US policy seeking a regime change in Iraq remained, but said if Saddam met all UN disarmament demands "that in itself would signal that the regime has changed."
Mr Bush also said that he aims to work with US allies and other nations to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to end his newly revealed nuclear weapons program and disarm.
Mr Bush called North Korea's Oct. 4 admission that it has a clandestine nuclear weapons program "troubling." The admission means the reclusive Stalinist state has violated at least four international commitments, including the 1994 Agreed Framework under which it promised to halt its nuclear efforts.
"I view this as an opportunity to work with our friends in the region and work with other countries in the region to ally against the proliferation of serious weapons and to convince Kim Jong-il that he must disarm,"Mr Bush told reporters.