*EPF406 01/16/2003
Excerpt: Boucher Says Korean Peninsula Must be Free of Nuclear Weapons
(State Department spokesman's remarks at Jan. 16 briefing) (550)

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters at a January 16 briefing that all parties in the Asia-Pacific region agree on one thing ����- the Korean peninsula must be free of nuclear weapons.

"We all agree on the end result," Boucher said. "The Korean peninsula has to be free of nuclear weapons."

The consultations in Asia being conducted by Assistant Secretary of State Kelly, he went on, "are a very important part of the work on a diplomatic solution to eliminating North Korean nuclear weapons program."

Boucher said the entire region has told the Pyongyang regime that "it must address the world's concerns over its nuclear weapons program and North Korea must visibly and verifiably dismantle its nuclear weapons program."

The Chinese government will try to work with the United States on this issue, he added.

Following is an excerpt from the transcript of the State Department January 16 briefing:

(begin excerpt)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Thursday, January 16, 2003
12:50 p.m. EST

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

KOREAS/REGION
-- Using Regional Powers to Secure Peace
-- Update Assistant Secretary Kelly's Visit to Asia

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

12:50 P.M. EST -- THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I have no statements or announcements....

QUESTION: Can you update us, Richard, on Mr. Kelly's meetings today and, I believe, he's going to Singapore next after China?

MR. BOUCHER: He was in Singapore and is now in Jakarta. I think you have seen what he said in Beijing -- very good meetings, excellent chance to exchange views, work together and communicate with other people -- including North Korea -- very, very clearly, the message is that the Chinese will try to work together with us and communicate.

We all agree on the end result: the Korean peninsula has to be free of nuclear weapons. His consultations in Asia are a very important part of the work on a diplomatic solution to eliminating North Korean nuclear weapons program. The entire region has told North Korea that it must address the world's concerns over its nuclear weapons program and North Korea must visibly and verifiably dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

We will keep consulting with other concerned states. He has met with senior Chinese officials. On Wednesday, he visited Singapore, today, for meetings with senior officials there on all the issues of mutual concern. And he arrived in Jakarta late on January 16th.

QUESTION: When he meets in Singapore and Indonesia, is he discussing any other issues in addition to North Korea?

MR. BOUCHER: I am sure the -- even in the other stops, he is discussing other issues. Clearly with Japan, Korea and China -- the North Korea issues take great prominence. Singapore and other stops -- issues of cooperation, issues of counterterrorism, shared efforts against terrorism, issues in the world like Iraq and North Korea, obviously, come up.

QUESTION: When's he coming back?

MR. BOUCHER: At the end of his trip. (Laughter.) He is still got to go to Japan on the way back. I cannot remember if there is anywhere else between Indonesia and Japan, but a couple days....

(end excerpt)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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