Pompeo says Trump only wants North Korea summit this year if ‘real progress’ can be made


Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that President Trump had little interest in holding a summit with North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un.

“The truth is that President Trump only wants to participate in a summit if we believe there is a sufficient probability that we can make real progress in achieving the results established in Singapore,” Pompeo told The Hill in a virtual interview on Wednesday. .

Pompeo said the United States is trying to participate in “informed discussions” about denuclearization efforts and stability in the region.

SHIPPED FROM UNITED STATES TO NORTH KOREA RARE PUBLIC CRITICAL PROBLEMS FROM OFFICIAL PYONGYANG IN THE MIDDLE OF NEGOTIATIONS

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton claimed in his recent book that Trump may be planning a “surprise October” deal with North Korea.

The deal, which could include the United States relaxing sanctions against North Korea in exchange for a path to denuclearization, was used as a diversion to potentially negative election news, according to NBC News.

According to KCNA Watch reports, the sister of Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea’s Supreme Leader, said last week that another summit could happen, noting that “something surprising can still happen” between Trump and Kim.

Pompeo said Wednesday that North Korean officials are unwilling to enter into talks.

“The North Koreans have chosen at this time not to participate in a way that can lead to a possible solution,” Pompeo said. “We hope they change their minds.”

ENVIRONMENT OF THE UNITED STATES ARRIVES IN SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH SAYS “HAS NO INTENTION” TO RESUME NUCLEAR TALKS

Pompeo said last week that he expected the talks to happen.

Trump and Kim first met in Singapore in 2018 to address denuclearization. But the talks stalled after a 2019 summit in Vietnam, and have yet to resume.

Kim Yo Jong, a senior official of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party, said the Korean government had no intention of threatening the United States, but did not believe a summit would be held between the leaders of the two eastern nations. year.

“Everything will be fine if they don’t offend us and provoke us,” Kim said.

“We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean that we will not join the denuclearization process, but we cannot at this time,” he added.

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“We have prevented a long-range missile from firing. We have avoided nuclear testing, ”Pompeo said Wednesday.

“Now is the time to tackle the most difficult problems and ensure a better outcome, not only for the security of the American people but also for the people of North Korea.”