Facing a crisis in Asia, US President George W. Bush joined with Japan and South Korea to demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons program "in a prompt and verifiable manner." They pledged to resolve the standoff peacefully.
Bush also sought support Saturday for possible war with Iraq as Pacific Rim leaders gathered for their annual two-day summit. He received no firm commitments.
The president met with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the sidelines of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, where the 21 leaders addressed terrorism's impact on people and economies.
"The three leaders called upon North Korea to dismantle this program in a prompt and verifiable manner and to come into full compliance with all its international commitments," read the statement from the United States, Japan and South Korea.
Coming one day after Chinese President Jiang Zemin called for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, the three-nation statement gave Bush a show of momentum as he tries to mobilize public opinion against North Korea.
But it fell short of what some advisers had sought -- a firm condemnation of North Korea's actions -- and did not even hint at economic or other sanctions.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said it is too early to talk about possible punishments. He also told reporters the US has no plans to open negotiations with North Korea as US officials gave mixed signals about Bush's plans to isolate the reclusive communist regime.
Advisers said Bush will not allow US-North Korean talks for now because he does not want to reward Pyongyang for its illicit nuclear weapons program. At the same time, Bush welcomed plans by Japan and South Korea to open talks with Pyongyang.
Asked about the apparent inconsistency, Powell said: "North Korea has isolated itself by this action."
US officials lobbied the full 21-member APEC for a statement on North Korea before the summit ends Sunday.
Earlier, Bush pressed his case with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who is hosting the summit at this upscale resort.
"The strategy is to make sure that our close friends and our allies and people with whom we've got relations work in concert to convince [North Korean President] Mr. Kim Jong-il that a nuclear weapons-free peninsula is in his interests," Bush said.
On Iraq, Fox soft-peddled his nation's opposition to a US-backed UN resolution.
"We are listening and talking and we want to search for and do everything possible for a strong resolution," Fox said.
Bush wants a resolution demanding that Iraq quickly get rid of its weapons of mass destruction or face consequences, potentially military action. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said it would be "not very hard at all" to assemble an international coalition to confront Saddam Hussein without UN help, if necessary.
Bush, however, seemed to let Mexico and other nations off the hook for opposing him. Asked if rivals to his resolution would face consequences, Bush replied, "The only consequence, of course, is with Saddam Hussein."
Fox has accused that Bush of ignoring immigration reform and other issues vital to US-Mexican relationship since the Sept. 11 attacks shifted Washington's focus to terrorism.
Meanwhile, a defiant North Korea yesterday issued a call to arms against the US as Washington and its allies joined forces to end the Stalinist country's nuclear weapons program.
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