A NUKE START
Hopes that summit will cut weapons risks Decoy jets for Kim in assassination fears
DONALD Trump and Kim Jong-un were less than 10 minutes from each other last night on the brink of their historic nuclear summit.
They were making last-minute preparations for tomorrow’s face-to-face meeting in Singapore.
They are due to thrash out America’s demand for North Korea to ditch its atomic weapons programme.
Kim flew in ahead of the US President – accompanied by two decoy jets.
Trump touched down six hours later at the Paya Lebar Air Base on board Air Force One.
Last night, they were at luxury hotels less than 10 minutes walk apart.
The President has said he will quickly tell if his “mission of peace” will be a success. He told reporters at the G7 summit before leaving Canada: “I think within the first minute I’ll know. Just my touch, my feel. That’s what I do.”
He added: “And if I think it won’t happen – I’m not going to waste my time. I don’t want to waste his time.
“You don’t know. This has not been done before at this level. This is a leader who really is an unknown personality.”
North Korea’s jets flew from Pyongyang – changing flight numbers en route to Singapore – amid fears that the North Korean dictator could be assassinated while abroad.
Shortly after landing, a motorcade with as many as 35 vehicles including local police escort motorcycles, left Changi Airport’s VIP complex.
The convoy headed for St Regis Hotel where Kim, in his trademark Mao Suit with buttoned-up jacket, is staying with his delegation. At least seven bodyguards, dressed in suits and blue ties, waited at the entrance of the hotel as the motorcade arrived, and were later seen jogging by one of the black Mercedes Benz cars, which drove into the car park.
It is not certain Kim was in the car as he fears being assassinated and is well known to use body doubles.
He later held brief talks with Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.
Meanwhile, Trump waved from the top of the steps of Air Force One before being welcomed by Singapore VIPs. Asked how he was feeling about the summit, Trump said: “Very good.” He got into his waiting limousine for the trip to the Shangri-La Hotel, down the road from the Kim delegation. The foreign leaders are set to hold their summit at the Capella Resort, ensconced amid 35 acres of land south of the city on Sentosa Island. “We’re going to have a great success,” President Trump predicted before he left the US. “A long time ago, this could have been solved in a lot less dangerous manner. But it wasn’t. So I’ll solve it, and we’ll get it done.”
I think I’ll know within the first minute. My touch ... my feel DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE ‘WON’T WASTE HIS TIME’
TWO unpredictable egotists meeting in Singapore is a long shot for a nuclear deal.
But as Winston Churchill observed, to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un coming together for their on-off-on talks could be total disaster – or an unlikely amazing success.
North Korea’s tyrant is achieving his wish to appear an equal on the global stage, while Trump hails himself a success before a single word has been exchanged.
Whatever anybody thinks of Trump – and he is many things, most of them bad – North Korea ditching its nukes would be welcome.
It is regrettable other countries giving up their weapons programmes, particularly Iraq and Libya, were attacked by the US and UK.
Kim Jong-un will be a tough nut to crack.