U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday his historic summit with
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore could “work out very
nicely” as officials from both countries sought to narrow differences on
how to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula.
Kim, one of the world’s most reclusive leaders, made an evening tour
of sites on Singapore’s waterfront, on the eve of the summit that is due
to get underway on Tuesday morning at a nearby resort island.
While
Trump was optimistic about prospects for the summit between the old
foes, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo injected a note of caution
ahead of the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean
leaders, saying it remained to be seen whether Kim was sincere about his
willingness to denuclearize.
Officials from the two sides held
last-minute talks aimed at laying the groundwork for a meeting that was
almost unthinkable just months ago when the two leaders were exchanging
insults and threats that raised fears of war.
But after a flurry
of diplomatic overtures eased tension in recent months, the two leaders
are now headed for a history-making handshake that U.S. officials hope
could eventually lead to the dismantling of a North Korean nuclear
program that threatens the United States.
Offering a preview to
reporters, Pompeo said it could provide “an unprecedented opportunity to
change the trajectory of our relationship and bring peace and
prosperity” to North Korea.
However, he played down the
possibility of a quick breakthrough and said the summit should set the
framework for “the hard work that will follow”, insisting that North
Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible
denuclearization.
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