'America will only accept denuclearisation': Donald Trump lays out demands ahead of North Korea summit
Donald Trump has arrived in Singapore for peace talks with North Korea, telling reporters he thinks that ‘things can work out very nicely’ during the meetings.
Ahead of the landmark summit, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo laid out America’s demands, insisting that ‘denuclearisation is the only outcome to US will accept.’
Mr Pompeo, who has been instrumental in setting up the talks, said that discussions are so far ‘moving quite rapidly’, and revealed that Mr Trump’s ‘most senior expert on weapons of mass destruction’ has flown out with the US delegation.
"North Korea has previously confirmed to us its willingness to denuclearize, and we are eager to see if those words prove sincere," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says ahead of President Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tomorrow https://t.co/Aq6xVJhGRT pic.twitter.com/BvwgEJBuzx
— CNN (@CNN) June 11, 2018
‘The US has been fooled before,’ he told a press conference.
‘We are going to ensure that we set up a system that is robust to verify the outcomes of the summit.’
A US official confirmed earlier that Mr Trump and Mr Kim would first meet on Tuesday one on one with translators, in a session that could last up to two hours before they open the meeting to their respective advisers.
The summit is the first of its kind between a leader of North Korea and a sitting US president.
Shortly after landing in Singapore Donald Trump indulged in a lengthy Twitter rant as he took swipes at Canada following the G7 meeting at the weekend.
In an extraordinary tirade, the President took issue with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, describing him as ‘dishonest’ and ‘weak’, over his stance on trade.
Trump had at first agreed to a group statement on trade, only to withdraw from it while complaining that he had been blindsided by Mr Trudeau’s criticism of his tariff threats at a summit-ending news conference.
Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal. According to a Canada release, they make almost 100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S. (guess they were bragging and got caught!). Minimum is 17B. Tax Dairy from us at 270%. Then Justin acts hurt when called out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
Why should I, as President of the United States, allow countries to continue to make Massive Trade Surpluses, as they have for decades, while our Farmers, Workers & Taxpayers have such a big and unfair price to pay? Not fair to the PEOPLE of America! $800 Billion Trade Deficit…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
….And add to that the fact that the U.S. pays close to the entire cost of NATO-protecting many of these same countries that rip us off on Trade (they pay only a fraction of the cost-and laugh!). The European Union had a $151 Billion Surplus-should pay much more for Military!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
….Germany pays 1% (slowly) of GDP towards NATO, while we pay 4% of a MUCH larger GDP. Does anybody believe that makes sense? We protect Europe (which is good) at great financial loss, and then get unfairly clobbered on Trade. Change is coming!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who also attended the summit, told German public television that she found Trump’s tweet disavowing the G7 statement ‘sobering’ and ‘a little depressing’.
She also said the European Union would ‘act’ against the US trade measures.
Earlier, the White House escalated the initial tirade and levelled more criticism against Mr Trudeau, branding him a back-stabber unworthy of Trump’s time.
Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro said: ‘There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door.’
Canada’s foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, said her country ‘does not conduct its diplomacy through ad hominem attacks’.
Trudeau, who had said at the news conference that Canada would retaliate over new US tariffs, did not respond to questions about Trump when the prime minister arrived at a Quebec City hotel on Sunday for meetings with other world leaders.
Spokesman Cameron Ahmad said on Saturday night that Mr Trudeau ‘said nothing he hasn’t said before – both in public and in private conversations’ with Trump.
Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Trudeau, took his own swipe at Trump on Twitter, writing: ‘Big tough guy once he’s back on his airplane. Can’t do it in person… He’s a pathetic little man-child.’
