01-08-09 Former President Bush calls for strong message to North Korea to end its nuclear program

Former President George W. Bush called on America's partners in negotiations on North Korea's nuclear program to send a strong and clear message to the regime to stop its atomic activity,a news report said Saturday.The U.S.,South Korea,China,Japan and Russia should tell the North it will continue to face economic sanctions and other consequences if it insists on defying U.N. resolutions,Bush said in a speech to an economic forum on the South Korean southern resort island of Jeju,according to Yonhap news agency.North Korea conducted its second nuclear test in May and a barrage of missile tests in July,drawing international condemnation and new U.N. sanctions.Bush's comments came as the U.S. is moving to enforce U.N. as well as its own sanctions against the communist regime to punish the atomic test.The U.N. sanctions strengthened an arms embargo and authorized ship searches on the high seas to try to rein in the nuclear program.The council also ordered an asset freeze and travel ban on companies and individuals involved in the North's nuclear and weapons program.North Korea has rejected the U.N. resolutions and vowed not to return to the disarmament talks,saying the forum seeks only to "disarm and incapacitate" the nation.The North,however,has recently suggested direct talks with the U.S. could defuse tensions over its nuclear weapons program.Pyongyang has long sought one-on-one negotiations with Washington,but the U.S. has said it is willing to hold direct talks with Pyongyang only on the sidelines of six-party process.Washington believes that negotiating directly with Pyongyang outside the six-party framework would marginalize its two closest Asian allies,Japan and South Korea,and reward the North for belligerent behavior.But U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he supports North Korea's willingness to engage in talks with the U.S