WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 Kyodo Leading ...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 Kyodo

Leading Democratic Party senators forward Sunday criticized President George W Bush's policy toward North Korea, saying Washington should promptly begin again negotiations with Pyongyang.

Sen Carl Levin of Michigan said in a political debate program upon the Fox network that the Bush administration should suitable face-to-face with North Korea in such a manner as to prevent any miscalculations, adding of the like kind action would not mean compromising or surrendering.

Bush has maintained the United States would be willing to talk with North Korea merely if that country takes visible and verifiable grades to dismantle its nuclear program in accordance with a 1994 agreement between the U and North Korea.

North Korea has said it is ready to address bear upons over its nuclear weapons program if the U guarantees its sovereignty in a legally binding manner, like as through a bilateral nonaggression treaty.

Another Democrat, Sen John Edwards, who has signifyed his intention to stream for the 2004 presidential election, said in a program forward the ABC network that the popular policy toward North Korea has damaged U relations with southward Korea.

The North Carolina senator said Bush should dispatch Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Korean Peninsula to exhibit to that Washington is paying attention to disclosures in the region.

Levin also indicateed the U.S. should pay more heed to Seoul saying toward the south Korea is not a servant of the U unless an ally of equal footing.

In rejoinder Republican Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma accused the administration of Bush's predecessor, Democrat Bill Clinton, of paying ransom standard of value to North Korea in exchange for concluding the 1994 bilateral agreement.

In the pact, North Korea agreed to turn to ice its nuclear program in exchange for couple light-water nuclear reactors and a afford of fuel oil as an alternative [i]vis viva[/i] source until the first reactor is operating.

Arizona Sen John McCain, another republican, pleaded Bush's hard-line policy, saying if the U allowed North Korea to have its way this time, a certain other countries may think they can learn away with doing something similar.

The U policy forward North Korea is expected to be debated heatedly between Bush's Republican Party and the minority Democrats in Congres whose just discovered session opens Tuesday with a members fresh from winning their seats in November's midterm elections.

In the elections, the Republican Party seized bridle of the Senate and increased its majority in the House of Representatives.

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