Trump, Kim arrive in Singapore for summit
HISTORIC MEETING COULD LEAD TO NORTH KOREA’S DENUCLEARISATION
United States President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore yesterday for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that could lay the groundwork for ending a nuclear standoff between the old foes and the transformation of the isolated Asian nation.
Trump flew into Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One, looking to strike a deal that will lead to the denuclearisation of one of America’s bitterest foes. He came from a divisive G7 meeting in Canada with some of Washington’s closest allies that further strained global trade ties.
After stepping down from Air Force One on a steamy tropical night, Trump was greeted by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: “Very good”. He then got into his limousine for the drive to his hotel in central Singapore.
North Korea’s Kim landed in Singapore earlier yesterday.
When Trump and Kim meet tomorrow at Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore’s port with a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches, they will be making history.
Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the telephone.
Kim arrived at Singapore’s Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark “Mao suit” and distinctive high cut hairstyle.
Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously — or even spoken on the telephone.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived yesterday afternoon hours before US President Donald Trump touched down at Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One on this bustling Southeast Asian island nation for a historic summit that is as improbable as any moment in the Trump presidency. Crowds thronged the street for a glimpse of the reclusive dictator as Kim’s limo drove to a protected area at the luxury St. Regis Hotel, where he is staying.
After stepping down from Air Force One on a steamy tropical night, Trump was greeted by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: “Very good”.
Trump is expected to hold his initial meeting with Kim faceto-face tomorrow with only translators in the room, leaving top advisers to wait outside, according to a senior administration official.
Trump’s advisers expect a brief encounter but do not know how long the president, who likes to improvise, will stay alone with Kim, keeping out Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other key administration figures. That portion of the summit could be crucial, however, as Trump told reporters on Saturday that he believes he will size up within the first minute whether Kim is seriously considering giving up his nuclear arsenal.
“It’s unknown territory, in the truest sense,” Trump said on Saturday as he departed for the Singapore meeting, following a contentious gathering of economic allies in Quebec. “I feel that Kim Jong-un wants to do something great for his people and he has that opportunity and he won’t have that opportunity again,” he said.
Unconventional, autocrat
Worldwide anticipation for Tuesday’s summit between the most unconventional American president in modern times and an autocrat who is perhaps the world’s most isolated leader has grown exponentially since the arms control talks were put together at lightning pace, amid persistent uncertainty, over the past few weeks.
But one thing is certain: Expect the unexpected. The impulsive American president, who just this weekend sowed chaos within the Western alli- ance, is set to face his match on the global stage.
Both of these leaders have a tendency to go with their instinct. And so, who knows what kind of direction it could veer off into, either good or bad. The two leaders are primarily trying to suss each other out, and their intentions, and to see if when they meet eye to eye and talk, whether they believe that they have something that they can work on a deal with.
In the historic first meeting between the leaders of the technically-still-warring nations, Trump is prioritising instinct over planning. Unlike traditional summits between heads of state, where most of the work is completed in advance, US officials say the only thing certain ahead of these talks will be their unpredictability. But Trump’s team has not always been on the same page, with Pompeo — who has been leading the administration’s efforts — more supportive, while the hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton has been more sceptical. Bolton has been far less visible in the planning process, after a comment he made about favouring the “Libya model” for denuclearisation enraged the North Koreans. Libya gave up its nuclear programme at an early stage only to see its longtime dictator overthrown and killed less than a decade later.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met with Kim yesterday afternoon, and is scheduled to meet Trump at midday today.
Singapore, famed for its litter-free streets, lush gardens and strict regulations, raced to spruce up. Skyscrapers were asked to keep their lights on at night to present a more dazzling skyline, and bouquets of tropical flowers decorated the 60 old cannons at Fort Siloso, near where the two leaders will meet on Sentosa Island, in honour of the summit.
About 2,500 members of the media have registered, the largest contingent ever hosted in Singapore, according to the Singapore Straits Times. That’s on par with the most recent Olympics held in South Korea.
But one thing is certain: Expect the unexpected. The impulsive American president, who just this weekend sowed chaos within the Western alliance, is set to face his match on the global stage.