Trump plan to meet Kim even stuns White House
EU and Russia hail move as ‘step in right direction’
THE shock announcement that Donald Trump is to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to talk nuclear weapons received universal approval yesterday.
After months in which the two leaders have hurled threats and insults at each other, the decision stunned even White House officials. Only hours earlier, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson had insisted the two countries remained ‘a long way from the negotiating table’.
The White House yesterday confirmed a letter from Kim, delivered by a South Korean official, had ‘expressed eagerness’ to meet.
However, it said the location and timing of the meeting was still being worked out. And a spokesman insisted last night that it would only go ahead if Mr Trump sees some ‘concrete’ action by the North Koreans.
‘The president will not have the meeting without seeing concrete steps and actions take place by North Korea, so the president will get something,’ said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders
‘We look forward to the denuclearisation of North Korea. In the meantime, all sanctions and maximum pressure remain.’
Mr Trump would become the first US president to meet a North Korean leader. He has mocked Kim as ‘Little Rocket Man’ while Kim has called Mr Trump a ‘mentally deranged US dotard’.
However he boasted of the breakthrough on Twitter, saying: ‘Kim Jong-un talked about denuclearisation with the South Korean representatives, not just a freeze.
‘Also, no missile testing during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!’
Governments welcomed news of the meeting although analysts are sceptical that Kim will give up his nuclear weapons programme.
The British government said it ‘welcomed’ the announcement but a spokesman added: ‘We will continue to work closely with the US and South Korea to ensure pressure on North Korea continues and sanctions are strictly enforced until Kim matches his words with concrete actions.’
A delighted President Moon Jaein of South Korea said the news had come ‘like a miracle’.
China, North Korea’s key ally, said it hoped all parties ‘show political courage’ in restarting talks.
The EU also hailed the meeting as a ‘positive development’ while Moscow considered the move ‘a step in the right direction’.
He mocked Kim as ‘Little Rocket Man’