Bush Takes a Softer Stance on North Korea (They have nukes but no oil)

CRAWFORD, Tex., July 21 — President Bush appeared today to shrug off evidence that North Korea may have begun producing plutonium at a second, hidden nuclear facility, and avoided any hint of confrontation with the country as it races to expand its nuclear arsenal.

"The desire by the North Koreans to convince the world that they're in the process of developing a nuclear arsenal is nothing new," Mr. Bush said, striking a far more moderate tone than in March, when he declared that the United States would not tolerate a nuclear North Korea.

He insisted that cooperation with China on a diplomatic solution was moving forward and said American allies would work "to convince Kim Jong Il," the North Korean leader, "that his decision is an unwise decision."

Mr. Bush's remarks — which are in sharp contrast to his words and actions regarding Iraq — come at a time when American and Asian officials have said there is "worrisome" but not "conclusive" evidence that North Korea has constructed a second plant for producing weapons-grade plutonium.

Nearly two weeks ago, North Korean officials declared that they had completed reprocessing 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods, enough to make about a half dozen nuclear bombs. American officials, however, have not been able to verify that.

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U.S. may consider N. Korea sanctions

<snip>When the U.N. Security Council took up the North Korea issue two weeks ago, sanctions were not discussed. The Council expressed concern over North Korea's withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. A stronger statement failed to pass because of opposition from China and Russia.

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