Pompeo says hopes Trump letter to North Korean leader can restart talks

[webfact]

Pompeo says hopes Trump letter to North Korean leader can restart talks

By Jeff Mason and David Lawder

 

FILE PHOTO: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump talk in the garden of the Metropole hotel during the second North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi, Vietnam February 28, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that he hopes a letter sent by President Donald Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un can pave the way for new talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme.

 

Pompeo, who confirmed Trump's letter to Kim before departing Washington on a trip to the Middle East, said that the United States was ready to resume talks with North Korea immediately.

 

"I'm hopeful that this will provide a good foundation for us to begin ... these important discussions with the North Koreans," Pompeo told reporters at Joint Base Andrews.

 

Earlier North Korea's state-run news agency KCNA said Kim had described the letter as being "of excellent content" but did not disclose any details about Trump's message.

 

The KCNA report said Kim "would seriously contemplate the interesting content."

 

U.S.-North Korea talks stalled after a failed summit in February between Trump and the North Korean leader in Hanoi, Vietnam.

 

A U.S. official said on Wednesday the United States had no pre-conditions for new talks, but that progress would require meaningful and verifiable North Korean steps to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

 

Pompeo did not discuss the contents of Trump's letter, but said the United States has been working to lay foundations for discussions since the Hanoi summit abruptly ended by Trump. He added: "I think we're in a better place."

 

Asked if working-level discussions between the countries would begin soon, Pompeo said: "I think the remarks you saw out of North Korea this morning suggest that may well be a very good possibility. We're ready to go, we're literally prepared to go at a moment's notice if the North Koreans indicate that they're prepared for those discussions."

 

Trump leaves for Asia later this week for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, and meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Seoul.

 

Pompeo also will join Trump at the G20 summit and accompany the president to Seoul, but said he will first travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to consult with the U.S. allies on growing tensions with Iran.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and David Lawder; Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-24

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[neeray]

"Are we tired of winning yet"

 

Trump is desperate for a win. I wouldn't be surprised if Kim and his Iranian counterpart were in cahoots about how to stick-handle the POTUS. Not too hard to do though !

[Tug]

I wonder if Donald realizes the Chinese have little to gain helping Donald or has the (great negotiator)realized yet that by giving away the readiness practice with South Korea  pissing off China don’t strengthen his hand thease asians have to be laughing at him like taking candy from a baby he is just pathetic 

[CanadaSam]

I know nothing about politics.

 

But instead of Putin (or Kim) spending vast sums of money trying to (illegally) "influence" the American public against Trump, wouldn't a simple statement given by either to the world press simply saying we are doing all these negative things to harm the US and the world are because we think Trump is a bumbling fool, and all dangerous moves by us will come to an end if there was a sane, logical leader for the US in the next election, effectively (legally) "sway" public opinion against Trump in the elections?

 

 

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a letter sent by President Donald Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

Was it like a pop up valentine card?

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=pop+up+valentine+card&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi4woXfmoHjAhWJRY8KHUdeBe8Q7Al6BAgDEBs&biw=1114&bih=513#imgrc=KPjMWgeaxqkkkM:

 

[tomacht8]

Trump's approach is stupid.
In order to make a difference in North Korea, he needs allies with influence. Instead he covers half the world with trade wars. On the world stage, Trump has lost many allies. The same with Iran. Trump has maneuvered his self offside with his megalomania. His inflated MAGA takes place only in the echo chamber of his hollow head.

[sfokevin]

There will come a point when ConManDon will be sayin he never met this Kim guy... 

[johnnybangkok]

I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again. If anything concrete comes of Trumps attempts to get NK onside, I'll come back on this forum and publicly apologise to all the Trump fans who think this man is going to make any difference to the NK situation.

I have a sneaky suspicion though that my public shaming is never going to happen.    

[marko kok prong]

Content of the letter was;

 I finally concede it was your grandfather who invented the Hamburger.

[jany123]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Pompeo says hopes Trump letter to North Korean leader can restart talks

US diplomacy at work (sorry Palestine... no love from you, your screwed)... truly staggering, as we await slack jawed and drooling.... will the trump have included enough xoxoxo’s to bring a grin to kimmies Chinny chin chin, or will he want more more more... oh the horror, double down Donny, send another love ode to your bro

 

its just as well the trump doesn’t accept his salary... which would be another example of fraud

[Tug]

7 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again. If anything concrete comes of Trumps attempts to get NK onside, I'll come back on this forum and publicly apologise to all the Trump fans who think this man is going to make any difference to the NK situation.

I have a sneaky suspicion though that my public shaming is never going to happen.    

I find no shame when admitting when I’m wrong but in dealing with Donald I think we are safe the man is an absolute fiasco