U.S. to N. Korea: No Need to 'Kneel Down'

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2006 — -- White House press secretary Tony Snow, responding to comments that North Korean Gen. Ri Chan Bok made to ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, said the United States does not want the communist nation to "kneel down," and in fact is offering "a better deal."

The general told Sawyer, the only Western journalist currently in North Korea, that "the U.S. wants us to kneel down before them. We cannot agree with them. If this tension continues war cannot be avoided."

"It is not unusual for the North Koreans to use strong rhetoric," Snow said. "On the other hand, let me make clear to the people of North Korea and the entire world, not only do we not want North Korea to 'kneel down,' what we're trying to do is offer them a better deal -- better economy, more security, better relations with their neighbors, integration into the global community, as opposed to isolation."

Snow expressed optimism about diplomatic efforts by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and especially by the Chinese, Japanese, Russian and South Koreans, who, he says, "have longer and closer ties" with North Korea.

In his exclusive interview with Sawyer, Ri Chan Bok complained about the Bush administration's designation of North Korea as part of the "axis of evil."

"This is complete lies," he said, and he called on President Bush to "stop saying lies."

Snow insisted that Bush is not concerned that his rhetoric might worsen relations with North Korea and said the administration has deliberately tried "not to engage in personal insults about Kim Jong-il but to talk directly about what the government has been doing and how we're trying to work with people in the neighborhood to help out North Korea."

This week the rhetoric has escalated, with the general saying it's possible that "war cannot be avoided" and Bush telling ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that North Korea would face a "grave consequence" if they transported a nuclear weapon.