Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 7 March 2018

US greets talk of North Korea nuke concessions with hope, skepticism

By ROBERT BURNS Later, in an Oval Office
HYUNG-JIN KIM photo session with Swed-
Associated Press ish Prime Minister Stefan
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- Lofven, Trump said the
dent Donald Trump greet- North Koreans "seem to be
ed North Korea's reported acting positively," but that
willingness to negotiate the prospects will be clear-
away its atomic weapons er when diplomacy moves
with both hope and skep- to the next stage.
ticism Tuesday, insisting a "We have come certainly
potential diplomatic break- a long way, at least rhe-
through be tested against torically, with North Korea,"
the North's long history of Trump said. Of the possibil-
deception and threats to ity for peacefully resolving
target U.S. cities with nucle- the nations' deep differ-
ar missiles. ences, he said: "It'd be a
"I really believe they are great thing for the world,
sincere," Trump said at a would be a great for North
White House news confer- Korea, it would be a great
ence, sounding more opti- thing for the peninsula. But
mistic than his intelligence we'll see what happens."
chief, Dan Coats, who told In Chung's account, Kim in-
a Senate hearing he has President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan dicated he would not need
Lofven in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in Washington. President
"very, very low confidence" Trump greeted North Korea's reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both to keep nuclear weapons
that North Korean leader hope and skepticism Tuesday. if military threats against
Kim Jong Un intends to give (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) North Korea were removed
up his nuclear arms. and his nation received a
"Maybe this is a break- with the United States. The after participating in talks time" trying to talk with the credible security guaran-
through. I seriously doubt it," North didn't confirm those with Kim in Pyongyang, also North, tweeted Tuesday tee. That suggests the pos-
Coats said. concessions, which would said the North Korean dic- that "possible progress" had sibility Kim will insist in any
A senior South Korean presi- amount to a dramatic tator had agreed to meet been made in North Ko- deal that the U.S. withdraw
dential adviser said Tues- about-face for a nation with South Korea's presi- rea's capital and that all its nearly 28,000 troops from
day that Kim expressed that has frequently vowed dent at a border village in sides were making serious South Korea. The North sees
a willingness to discuss to preserve its nuclear arse- late April. efforts. He added: "May be those forces and their peri-
nuclear disarmament and nal at any cost. Trump, who last fall told false hope, but the U.S. is odic exercises with South
halt nuclear and missile Chung Eui-yong, the South Secretary of State Rex Til- ready to go hard in either Korean troops as a threat
tests during future talks Korean official who spoke lerson he was "wasting his direction!" to invade the North.q

Trump says he'll counteract Russia meddling

Paradise in the Caribbean By DEB RIECHMANN and maybe other individu- Paper. A lot of states are
WASHINGTON (AP) — als," he said at a news con- going to a paper backup."
President Donald Trump ference with Swedish Prime Also Tuesday, the nation's
said Tuesday that he's not Minister Stefan Löfven at top intelligence official said
worried that Moscow will the White House. the Trump administration
meddle in the upcoming Trump said his administra- was getting ready to slap
midterm elections because tion is conducting a deep new sanctions on Russians
the U.S. will take steps to study and will have strong over Moscow's meddling in
prevent it. "Whatever they suggestions on protecting the presidential election.
do, we'll counteract it very the midterms and beyond. The Trump administration
strongly," the president "You have to be very vigi- was harshly criticized for
said. Trump acknowledged lant," Trump said. not imposing new sanctions
that Russia interfered in the "And one of the things we're in January when a list of
presidential election, but learning it is always good — 114 Russian politicians and
said it had no impact on it's old-fashioned — but it's 96 oligarchs was released
the U.S. vote tally. "Certain- always good to have a pa- to comply with a law Con-
ly there was meddling and per backup system of vot- gress passed to punish Mos-
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com probably there was med- ing. It's called paper. Not cow for interfering in the
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com dling from other countries highly complex computers. 2016 U.S. election.q