Trump says North Korea talks could fail or bring ‘greatest deal’

Monday, 12 March 2018 00:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (Reuters): US President Donald Trump said on Saturday his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could fizzle without an agreement or it could result in “the greatest deal for the world” to ease nuclear tensions between the two countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump responds to a reporter's question about North Korea as he departs the White House, Washington, DC, U.S., for a day trip to suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a Make America Great Again rally supporting Republican candidate Rick Saccone, March 10, 2018 - REUTERS

“I may leave fast” if progress does not seem possible, Trump said at a campaign rally for Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone in western Pennsylvania. Trump said he believes North Korea wants to make peace and that, “I think it’s time.”

A time and place to meet has not yet been set, although the meeting is supposed to happen by the end of May.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” said Trump, who added that if the meeting takes place, “I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.”

Trump made the shocking decision on Thursday to meet with Kim after the North Korean leader’s invitation was relayed by a South Korean delegation who visited the White House. The move abruptly reversed decades of US policy aimed at preventing North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Earlier in Washington, Trump sought to rally international support for a potential summit, saying North Korea had agreed to not conduct another missile test until after proposed meetings had taken place.

“North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honour that commitment!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump’s comments aligned with what a South Korean official stated on Thursday about the possible talks. Trump’s tweet made no mention of nuclear tests, however.

It was not immediately clear which meetings Trump was referring to or their timing. South Korean officials said this week that Trump had agreed to an invitation from Kim to meet by May.

The White House has been under fire for agreeing to talks and responded to the criticism on Friday by warning that no summit would occur unless Pyongyang took “concrete actions” over its nuclear program.

Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to characterise the leaders of China and Japan as supportive of the potential dialogue, yet did little to clear up confusion over the preconditions and timing of any talks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping “told me he appreciates that the US is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “China continues to be helpful!”

Trump also tweeted on Saturday: “Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea.”