President Bush Says All Options Are Open to Address North Korea's Nuclear Crisis - 2003-02-07

President Bush says all options are open to address the nuclear crisis in North Korea, but he hopes the issue can be resolved peacefully. The U.S. President told reporters today that diplomatic efforts to convince Kim Jong Il, the leader of North Korea, that if he continues his nuclear development program, his country will become increasingly isolated, will continue. President Bush mentioned that he has sought assistance from the President of China in this regard. Meanwhile, North Korea once again warned the U.S. today to refrain from bolstering its forces in East Asia to counter what it perceives as a threat from North Korea. The official North Korean news agency predicted today that an increase in U.S. forces in the region would have disastrous consequences. The report reiterated the North's policy that only direct negotiations with the U.S. can resolve the confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea regarding Pyongyang's nuclear program. President Bush expressed hope that the crisis could be resolved through diplomatic means. His predecessor, Bill Clinton, advised the President to stand firm against North Korea. In his interview last night with CNN, Clinton stated that the world should not allow North Korea to become a nuclear weapons arsenal.