U. S. President Donald signaled an openness to talks with North Korea, citing “possible progress” after the regime told visiting South Korean envoys that it
U. S. President Donald signaled an openness to talks with North Korea, citing “possible progress” after the regime told visiting South Korean envoys that it was prepared to halt nuclear weapons and missile tests and would put scrapping its atomic arsenal on the table for discussion — an apparent breakthrough after months of bellicose threats from both Washington and Pyongyang raised the specter of a devastating war.
The stunning diplomatic opening, unthinkable just months ago, presents the United States with both an opportunity and a challenge as Washington and its allies seek to resolve the long-festering nuclear issue, analysts and former U. S. officials said.
“This will be a very long and difficult process, and a healthy skepticism is very appropriate,” said Abraham Denmark, a former Asia official at the Pentagon, now director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington.
Trump said Tuesday that the North Korean steps toward U. S. demands that Pyongyang demonstrate a commitment to denuclearization “have been very positive. That would be a great thing for the world,” Trump said, according to pool reports.
“I’d like to be optimistic,” he added.
Speaking at a televised news conference with the Swedish prime minister, the U. S. president said that he believes North Korea’s offer to hold denuclearization talks is “sincere.”
“I believe they are sincere,” he said. “I hope they’re sincere.”I think they’re sincere also because of the sanctions and what we’re doing with respect to North Korea,” Trump said, adding that China has been a “big help.”
The U. S. leader’s remarks came after envoys from Seoul said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told them he was ready to suspend weapons tests and hold “candid” talks with Washington on ways to realize the denuclearization of the peninsula and normalize bilateral ties, if the safety of his regime was guaranteed, the South Korean government said Tuesday.
In response, South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to meet Kim for a summit along their heavily armed border late next month.
“Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned,” Trump wrote in a tweet earlier Tuesday. “The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U. S. is ready to go hard in either direction!”
In a statement released earlier Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence also appeared to signal that the U. S. would accept the offer for talks with the North.
“Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, we will be firm in our resolve,” he said. “The United States and our allies remain committed to applying maximum pressure on the Kim regime to end their nuclear program.
