Bush’s Top Three Priorities Include North Korean Nukes

George W. Bush listed international conflict resolution and his commitment to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue as one of his three top remaining priorities before he leaves office one year and two months from now.

In the run-up to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the U.S., Bush was asked about the three main things he wanted to complete in a joint conference held on November 7 with German broadcasters RTL TV, N-TV, and German TV.

His first priority is to defend the U.S. from the threat of extreme terrorists. His second priority is diplomacy. He said that he wanted to resolve the genocide in Darfur, the dictatorship’s violation of human rights in Myanmar, and nuclear development in Iran.

He added that he would continue East Asian diplomatic policies devoted to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. He went on to say that diplomacy will be emphasized to maintain firm ties with countries in Far East as well as North Korea.

His third priority is to combat and prevent AIDS and malaria. He said that too many children in Africa are dying from mosquito-borne malarial diseases.

srkim@donga.com