Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Thursday 31 May 2018
Top North Korean official, Pompeo meet to discuss summit

By JOSH LEDERMAN, following a torrid run in
MATTHEW LEE and nuclear weapons and
CHRISTOPHER BODEEN missile tests in 2017 suggests
Associated Press that Kim Jong Un is eager
NEW YORK (AP) — A senior for sanctions relief to build
North Korean official and his economy and the
the top U.S. diplomat had international legitimacy the
dinner in New York on summit with Trump would
Wednesday as President provide. But there are
Donald Trump and Kim lingering doubts on whether
Jong Un try to salvage Kim will ever fully relinquish
prospects for a high-stakes his nuclear arsenal, which
nuclear summit. It's the he may see as his only
highest-level official North guarantee of survival in
Korean visit to the United a region surrounded by
States in 18 years. enemies.
Kim Yong Chol, the former Trump announced that Kim
military intelligence Yong Chol was coming
chief and one of the to New York for talks with
North Korean leader's Pompeo in a tweet on
closest aides, landed Tuesday in which he said he
midafternoon on an Air had a "great team" working
China flight from Beijing. on the summit. That was a In this May 9, 2018, file photo provided by the North Korean government, U.S. Secretary of State
Associated Press journalists shift from last week, when Mike Pompeo, left, shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a meeting at
saw the plane taxi down the Trump announced in an Workers' Party of Korea headquarters in Pyongyang, North Korea.
tarmac before the North's open letter to Kim Jong Associated Press
delegation disembarked at Un that he had decided
JFK International Airport. to "terminate" the summit from the meeting if he turn to belligerence or a pushing Kim away from the
During his unusual visit, Kim following a provocative believed the North wasn't feint to see how far Kim table. Trump's letter, the
Yong Chol had dinner for statement from the North. serious about discussing Jong Un could push the aides said, was designed
about an hour-and-a-half Pompeo, Trump's former dismantling its nuclear U.S. in the lead-up to the to pressure the North on
with Secretary of State Mike CIA chief, has traveled program. talks. Trump had mused the international stage for
Pompeo, who traveled to Pyongyang twice in After the North's combative that Kim's "attitude" had appearing to have cold
from Washington to see recent weeks for meetings statements, there was changed after the North feet. Kim Yong Chol is a
him. The two planned with Kim Jong Un, and debate inside the Trump Korean leader's surprise vice chairman of the North
a "day full of meetings" has said there is a "shared administration about visit to China two weeks Korean ruling party's central
Thursday, the White House understanding" between whether it marked a real ago, suggesting China was committee.q
said. Their talks will be aimed the two sides about what
at determining whether a they hope to achieve in
meeting between Trump talks. South Korean media
and Kim Jong Un, originally speculated that Pompeo
scheduled for June 12 but could make a third trip to
later canceled by Trump, Pyongyang and that Kim
can be restored, U.S. Yong Chol was carrying
officials have said. a personal letter from Kim
The talks come as Jong Un and might push
preparations for the highly to travel to Washington to
anticipated summit in meet with Trump.
Singapore were barreling North Korea's mission to
forward on both sides of the United Nations in New
the Pacific Ocean, despite York is its sole diplomatic
lingering uncertainty about presence in the United
whether it will really occur, States. That suggests Kim
and when. As Kim and might have chosen to first
Pompeo were meeting go to New York because
in New York, other U.S. it would make it easier for
teams were meeting with him to communicate with
North Korean officials officials in Pyongyang,
in Singapore and in the North Korea's capital. North
heavily fortified Korean Korea and the United States
Demilitarized Zone. are still technically at war
"If it happens, we'll certainly and have no diplomatic
be ready," White House ties because the 1950-53
spokeswoman Sarah Korean War ended with
Huckabee Sanders said an armistice, not a peace
of the Singapore summit. treaty.
Regarding the date for Trump views a summit
the meeting, she added, as a legacy-defining
"We're going to continue to opportunity to make the
shoot for June 12th." nuclear deal that has
North Korea's flurry of evaded others, but he
diplomatic activity pledged to walk away