President Bush says "all options on the table" to deal with North Korea

<br>WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Bush on Friday pressured China to help diffuse a nuclear standoff with North Korea, and said ``all options are on the table'' as the United States seeks a solution

Thursday, February 6th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Bush on Friday pressured China to help diffuse a nuclear standoff with North Korea, and said ``all options are on the table'' as the United States seeks a solution to the crisis.

Bush repeated that he believed the situation can still be resolved peacefully but notably ratcheted up the U.S. position by raising the suggestion of the use of a military strike.

Bush's comments come a day after North Korea warned that any attack on its nuclear facilities would trigger a ``total war.''

Concerns about North Korea's nuclear program grew this week when the country announced it had placed its nuclear facilities on ``normal footing'' after they had been frozen for almost a decade. That could mean that it will soon produce nuclear weapons.

Speaking of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, Bush said, ``he must conform with the world's demands.''

Bush said he called Chinese President Jiang Zemin Friday morning and ``reminded him that we have a joint responsibility to uphold the goal ... of a nuclear weapons-free peninsula.''

The president said he had also raised the matter in recent days with the leaders of Japan and Russia.

``We will continue to work diplomatically to make it very clear to Kim Jong Il that should he expect any kind of aid and help for his people that he must comply with the world's demands that he not develop a nuclear weapon,'' Bush said.

However, he added. ``All options are on the table of course.''

By citing ``all options,'' Bush was reminding North Korea that the United States has not ruled out the use of military force.

U.S. officials have spoken before about their ability to respond to any potential hostile action by North Korea, in part to dispel any hopes Pyongyang may have about taking advantage of Bush's focus on Iraq. The nuclear standoff with North Korea, which intensified last fall, has complicated Bush's efforts to rally the nation and skeptical world leaders behind his bid to disarm Saddam Hussein.

On Thursday, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the United States has ``robust plans for any contingencies'' involving North Korea, including military action.

Bush deflected suggestions by Democrats that he is playing down the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program because of his focus on Iraq. Some Democrats have called for immediate direct negotiations.

Administration officials said they believe problems with North Korea will be resolved through diplomacy, but do not want to start talks yet because they don't want to submit to North Korean threats.

North Korea is considered a potent military threat because it is believed to possess one or two nuclear bombs, and has missiles that can reach Japan and is developing others that could reach Hawaii and Alaska. It has one of the world's largest armies, posing great danger to South Korea, where 38,000 U.S. soldiers are based.