Trump 'happy' as long as N Korea does not test weapons
US President Donald Trump has said he would be happy as long as North Korea does not test weapons.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday two days before his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un kicks off in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Speaking in Washington on the eve of his departure for the Asian country, the president also said he was in no rush to strike a nuclear agreement with Kim.
"I'm not in a rush. I don't want to rush anybody," Trump said. "I just don't want testing. As long as there's no testing, we're happy."
Trump, however, said on Twitter that he and Kim could come to an agreement on denuclearization.
He added they "both expect a continuation of the progress made at first Summit in Singapore" last year.
Trump also said Kim "realizes” that without any nuclear weapons, his country will quickly become “one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World."
Chairman Kim realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World. Because of its location and people (and him), it has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2019
Trump’s aides, however, worry that he may get outfoxed in the summit. That is why figures such as national security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Defense Secretary James Mattis have distanced themselves from the talks, Politico reported.
“There is not optimism in the administration,” said Ian Bremmer, founder and president of the Eurasia Group. “Pompeo is deeply skeptical that we are going to get anything of substance on denuclearization from Kim Jong-un, and Pompeo believes the North Koreans are just playing for time.”
In their first summit, the two leaders reached a vague denuclearization agreement. The ensuing talks between the two sides have had little progress since then.
North Korea has complained that the US has done little to reciprocate its actions to dismantle some weapons facilities and freeze its weapons testing.
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