Trump cuts short North Korea summit saying: ‘Sometimes you have to walk’

 

 

 

President Trump abruptly walked away from negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam and headed back to Washington on Thursday afternoon, saying the U.S. is unwilling to meet Kim’s demand of lifting all sanctions* on the rogue regime without first securing its meaningful commitment to denuclearization. [*sanctions are actions that are taken to force a ｃountry to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that ｃountry, by not allowing economic aid for that ｃountry, etc.]

Trump, speaking in Hanoi, Vietnam, told reporters he had asked Kim to do more regarding his intentions to denuclearize, and “he was unprepared to do that.”

“Sometimes you have to walk,” Trump said at a solo press conference following the summit.

Trump specifically said negotiations fell through after the North demanded a full removal of U.S.-led international sanctions in exchange for the shuttering of the North’s Yongbyon nuclear facility. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that the United States wasn’t willing to make a deal without the North committing to giving up its secretive nuclear facilities outside Yongbyon, as well as its missile and warheads program.

“It was about the sanctions,” Trump said. “Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn’t do that. They were willing to denuke a large portion of the areas that we wanted, but we couldn’t give up all of the sanctions for that.”

“I’d much rather do it right than do it fast,” Trump added, echoing his remarks from earlier in the day, when he insisted that “speed” was not important. “We’re in position to do something very special.”

Both leaders motorcades roared away from the downtown Hanoi summit site within minutes of each other after both a lunch and the signing ceremony were scuttled. Trump’s closing news conference was moved up, and he departed for Washington on Air Force One several hours ahead of schedule.

The president said he trusted Kim’s promise that he would not resume nuclear and missile testing, but that the current U.S. sanctions would stay in place.

“No agreement was reached at this time, but their respective teams look forward to meeting in the future,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement prior to Trump’s press conference.

Regardless, Sanders described the meetings between Trump and Kim as “very good and constructive.”

As for a potential third summit, Trump remained noncommittal.

Kim had signaled during an earlier, unprecedented question-and-answer session with reporters [in which he actually answered one reporter’s question] that he is “ready to denuclearize,” reaffirming a commitment long sought by the Trump administration and the international community.

“If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now,” Kim said through an interpreter.

“That’s a good answer,” Trump replied.

Trump and Kim signed a document during last year’s summit in Singapore agreeing to work toward the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” but tensions have since flared between the two nations, and North Korea later said it would not remove its nuclear weapons unless the U.S. first reduced its own nuclear threat. …

Earlier [on Thursday], history appeared to have been made when Kim answered questions from a foreign journalist — almost certainly for the first time ever.

Asked by a member of the White House press pool about his outlook for Thursday’s summit, Kim said: “It’s too early to say. I won’t make predictions. But I instinctively feel that a good outcome will be produced.” …

Reporters didn’t get opportunities to ask questions of Kim during his three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his four meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim ignored questions shouted at him during his first summit with Trump last June in Singapore.

Trump, speaking next to Kim at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel, said that “a lot of great ideas” are “being thrown about.” He asserted that “when you have a good relationship, a lot of good things happen.”

“I just want to say: I have great respect for Chairman Kim, and I have great respect for his ｃountry,” Trump told reporters as he sat at a table across from Kim in Hanoi. “And I believe it will be something — hard to compete with for other ｃountries. It has such potential.”

Kim, meanwhile, said the “whole world” was watching the talks and suggested that, for some, the image of the two “sitting side by side” must resemble “a fantasy movie.”

President Trump added that while reaching a lasting agreement was critical, “speed is not important.” The two leaders then retired to begin their negotiations privately, but were photographed shortly afterward walking on the Metropole hotel’s pool patio, where they were joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean official Kim Yong Chol. …

 

Image Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Trump_N-Korea_sometimes-you-have-to-walk-820x522.jpg

Article Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/trump-cuts-short-north-korea-summit-saying-sometimes-you-have-to-walk/

 

Vocabulary:

1. rogue / noun : a dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel.

2. regime / noun : a mode or system of rule or government:

3. shutter / verb : a solid or louvered movable cover for a window.

4. scuttled / verb : to run with quick, hasty steps; scurry.

5. flare / verb : to burn with an unsteady, swaying flame, as a torch or candle in the wind.

6. assert / verb : to state with assurance, confidence, or force; state strongly or positively; affirm; aver:

 

Questions:

1. Why did President Trump cut short negotiations with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un? Be specific.

2.  What did the president say about coming to a quick agreement with North Korea?

3. a) What are sanctions?
b) What did the president say about U.S. sanctions on North Korea?
c) Ask a parent or grandparent: how important do you think it is for North Korea to get rid of their nuclear weapons and facilities before the U.S. ｄrops sanctions against North Korea? Please explain your answer.

4. Define diplomacy.