Trump to press Kim for irreversible denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula

Any new provocative behaviour by Pyongyang might force the US to halt the meeting: White House

In his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12, United States President Donald Trump would seek a complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, the White House said.

Hours after Mr. Trump announced the location and date of what is being billed as the historic US-North Korea summit, the White House cautioned against any new provocative behaviour by Pyongyang. Such a move might force the US to halt the meeting, a presidential spokesman said on Thursday.

“Our policy is to ensure the complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. And that’s what he’s going to be seeking,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told reporters aboard the Air Force One travelling to Indiana.

A note of caution

“We have a month and several days. And there are a number of things — provocative actions, for example, from North Korea would not be received well. All I’ll say is that the meeting has been agreed to, but obviously it could be halted for any number of reasons,” Mr. Shah said with a note of caution to the North Koreans.

He added that Singapore was selected as the venue for the historic meeting because it had political ties with both the countries. “Singapore has a relationship with both the United States and North Korea. They can ensure both the President’s and Kim Jong-un’s security, as well as provide neutrality,” he added.

“Singaporeans have been gracious up until now and also in the past. In fact, on a historical note, the first meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan took place in Singapore some years back,” Mr. Shah noted.

As of now, only one day has been kept for the meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim, he said, adding that planning was still in progress.

Later Victoria Coates, Senior Director for International Negotiations at the National Security Council, the White House, told reporters that the meeting could be scuttled if Mr. Kim did something unacceptable to the US.

It is possible that leaders from South Korea and China could also be present in Singapore at that time, she added.

Pyongyang’s toddler steps

Mr. Shah told reporters that prior to the invitation being accepted, the North Koreans had agreed to halt their ballistic missile testing, their nuclear testing, and not publicly oppose joint US-South Korean military exercises.

“So those were the initial steps that the North Koreans took. We’ll hold them to those steps. And then, obviously, there have been subsequent conversations,” Mr. Shah said.

On being asked if anything else was to happen between now and the summit, he replied, “I’m not setting additional preconditions. It’s now been set.”