Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, to hold an unprecedented summit meeting to discuss the future of the embattled regime’s nuclear and missile programme.
In a stunning development following months of tension and mutual sabre-rattling, senior South Korean officials appeared outside the White House to announce the news, having verbally conveyed Kim’s invitation to Trump. The White House confirmed that Trump was ready to meet Kim “by May”, at a exact time and location yet to be determined.
If the meeting takes place it would be the first ever between leaders of the two countries. Pyongyang has long sought a summit with the US to reflect what the regime sees as its status as a regional military power. Bill Clinton came close to agreeing to a meeting with Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, in 2000, but arrangements had not been made by the time he left office in January 2001.
Administration officials on Thursday portrayed the invitation as a victory for Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” and stressed that the US would not relax its stringent sanctions regime before North Korea began disarming. Unlike previous administrations, a senior official said Trump “is not prepared to reward North Korea in exchange for talks”.
In return, Pak Song-il, North Korea’s US ambassador, praised Kim for his “broad-minded” and “courageous” decision in quotes reported by the Washington Post. He also advised the US to contribute to peace by bringing a “sincere position and serious attitude”.
Source:
theguardian
No comments:
Post a Comment