Cabo San Lucas, Mexico ? Facing a crisis in Asia, President Bush joined with Japan and South Korea on Saturday to demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons program “in a prompt and verifiable manner.” They pledged to resolve the standoff peacefully.

Bush also sought support for possible war with Iraq as Pacific Rim leaders stung by terrorism gathered for their annual summit. He received no firm commitments.

The president met with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the sidelines of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a two-day summit addressing terrorism’s impact on people and economies across the globe.

“The three leaders called upon North Korea to dismantle this program in a prompt and verifiable manner and to come into full compliance with all its international commitments,” the three leaders said in a statement.

Coming one day after Chinese President Jiang Zemin called for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, the three-nation statement gave Bush a show of momentum as he tries to mobilize public opinion against North Korea.

But it fell short of what some advisers had sought a firm condemnation of North Korea’s actions and did not even hint at economic or other sanctions. Secretary of State Colin Powell said it was too early to talk about possible punishments for North Korea.

He also told reporters the United States had no plans to open negotiations with North Korea as U.S. officials gave mixed signals about Bush’s plans to isolate the reclusive communist regime.

Advisers said Bush wouldn’t allow U.S.-North Korean talk for now because he did not want to reward Pyongyang for its illicit nuclear weapons program. At the same time, Bush welcomed plans by Japan and South Korea to open talks with Pyongyang.

Asked about the apparent inconsistency, Powell said, “North Korea has isolated itself by this action.”

Earlier, Bush pressed his case with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who is host of the summit at this upscale sports-fishing resort.

“The strategy is to make sure that our close friends and our allies and people with whom we’ve got relations work in concert to convince Mr. Kim Jong Il that a nuclear weapons-free peninsula is in his interests,” Bush said.

On Iraq, Fox soft-peddled his nation’s opposition to a U.S.-backed United Nations resolution.

“We are listening and talking and we want to search for and do everything possible for a strong resolution, a resolution that will result in the prompt return of inspectors, that Iraq complies with the existing agreements with the United Nations,” the Mexican leader said.

Bush wants a resolution demanding that Iraq quickly get rid of its weapons of mass destruction or face consequences.