US, Japan not to tolerate nuke weapons in N Korea

WASHINGTON: In a blunt message to North Korea, US and Japan have demanded a "complete, verifiable and irreversible elimination" of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, advancing efforts to forge a united front on the issue. "We will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea. We will not settle for anything less than the complete, verifiable and irreversible elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme," President George W Bush told reporters in a joint appearance with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday."The prime minister and I see the problem exactly the same way," Bush said after their talks at his Texas ranch. Terming North Korea's nuclear weapons as a "grave challenge to the entire world", Koizumi said, "we will not at all tolerate the possession, development or transfer of nuclear weapons by North Korea." He said North Korea must "promptly and completely dismantle all nuclear weapons development programmes in a verifiable manner". Pointing out that China had already called on North Korea to renounce nuclear weapons during talks held in Beijing in April, Bush said both he and Koizumi agreed that these talks must be broadened to include Japan and South Korea, and more countries later. "We are confident that our diplomatic approach will bring a peaceful solution," Bush said adding, "yet we (US and Japan) agreed that further escalation of the situation by North Korea will require tougher measures from the international community." Koizumi said, "President Bush was stating very clearly that our response to North Korea would be different from that to Iraq. The US position, I understand, is that all options will remain available." He said coordination among Japan, US and South Korea is crucial to resolve the crisis peacefully. Bush said US and Japan had agreed to "deepen and accelerate" cooperation on missile defences. On Iraq, Bush said Japan is committed to playing a "leading role" in long-term reconstruction providing immediate assistance to schools, medical supplies and sanitation. "Japanese forces," he said, "will provide logistical support for humanitarian and reconstruction activities." With regard to sending Japan's "self-defence forces" into Iraq for aiding Iraq's reconstruction, Koizumi said Japan will study in detail what it can do.