Bush warns N Korea against selling nuclear arms

WASHINGTON - US President George W Bush warned North Korea today it would be "held to account" if it sold nuclear weapons to others after it conducted its first nuclear test earlier this month.

Issuing a stern message to Pyongyang, Bush said the United States would use whatever means necessary to stop such a weapons transfer and North Korea would face a "grave consequence" for such an action.

The United States and others suspect that Pyongyang may carry out a second nuclear test despite international condemnation and UN Security Council sanctions for its October 9 underground explosion.

"If we get intelligence that they're about to transfer a nuclear weapon, we would stop the transfer, and we would deal with the ships that were taking the -- or the aeroplane that was dealing with taking the material to somebody," Bush told ABC News in an interview.

Asked how he would deal with North Korea if it tried to sell nuclear arms to Iran or al Qaeda, Bush said, "They'd be held to account."

"One of the things that's important for these world leaders to hear is, you know, we will use means necessary to hold them to account," he added.

The Bush administration has played down the prospects for military action against Pyongyang and has insisted the United States is doing everything it can diplomatically to end the North Korea nuclear standoff.

- REUTERS