Baker`s interview with Dong-a Ilbo

U.S. President George W. Bush¡¯s new administration will execute policies on the basis of clear principles with regard to its North Korea policies and will evaluate them not by North Korea¡¯s words, but by its deeds and performance, said James Baker III, former U.S. secretary of state.

Baker, who has been maintaining close relations with the Bush administration, related observations on the new administration¡¯s diplomatic policies during an exclusive interview with Dong-a Ilbo on Jan. 23.

He noted that the United States would abide by its defense commitment to South Korea, suspend the continued production and sales of the North¡¯s weapons of mass destruction such as missiles and maintain the principle that compliance with all agreements should be verified without fail.

In this context, the former secretary of state said that the Pyongyang visit by Madeleine Albright at the end of the Clinton administration ¡°has a political and diplomatic symbolism, but was not fruitful in terms of judging that the North gave up the weapons of mass destruction.¡±

As for the result of South Korea¡¯s ¡°Sunshine Policy,¡± Baker reserved his evaluation, saying that there should be ¡°tangible effect.¡±

He also said that the U.S. government should be strong enough to guarantee security, stressing that the ¡°peace through strength¡± pushed by the past Ronald Reagan administration helped maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region and that the Bush administration would maintain this diplomatic line.

He went on to say that the new U.S. administration would pursue a national missile defense system to protect the United States and its citizens because North Korea¡¯s missiles threaten the U.S. mainland.