There are “more discussions than one notices publicly” with North Korea: Mike Pompeo
Washington:
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday expressed his hope to hold high-level talks with North Korea soon and has not ruled out a summit, a break from recent pessimistic signs from the two countries.
Pompeo, without further details, said there were “more discussions than is publicly noted” with North Korea.
“I hope we can have a senior discussion before too long and hopefully move the ball forward,” said Pompeo at the New York Economic Club.
He refused to completely rule out that President Donald Trump, who held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, would see him again before the November 3 US election.
“I think it is unlikely,” he said.
“But if it was appropriate – we thought we could make material progress and the best way to do it was to put President Trump with President Kim to do it – I am convinced that the North Koreans and the President Trump find this in our best interest. “
Trump was the first serving US president to meet Kim, and the two agreed in general terms at their first Singapore summit in 2018 that North Korea would abandon its nuclear program.
But there has been little progress since then, with North Korea demanding less sanctions, and Pyongyang has recently stepped up threats against the United States’ allied South.
Former US national security adviser John Bolton, who vocally differed with Trump over North Korea, said the US leader could demand a new summit in an “October surprise” to increase his chances of re-election .
But Pompeo MP Stephen Biegun, who is in charge of discussions on North Korea, tempered expectations last week during a visit to Seoul and Tokyo.
He said he did not request any meetings with North Korea during his trip.
Trump spoke fondly of Kim, praising his “beautiful” letters, and boasted of having prevented war through his diplomacy.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
