Hanoi summit needs to result in action plans for denuclearization: U.S. experts
  • 5 years ago
The specific details about any deals being negotiated by North Korea and the U.S. are still unknown.
Our Kim Min-ji talked to several U.S. experts... to get their views on what needs to come out of the meeting.
With the contents of the joint statement for Kim-Trump summit 2.0 still pretty much under wraps ,... and with no sign yet of either side making a big concession,... U.S. experts on North Korea seem to have lowered their expectations.

"The leaders have done a very effective job of setting our expectations low and so they've made their job easier."

But with the first summit producing vague promises towards denuclearization,... there's pressure on both sides to hammer out something more.
U.S. hardliners have long called for an all-or-nothing deal -- and if the summit does not bear fruit, President Trump is expected to face criticism back at home, especially from the Democrat-led House.

"I certainly hope that before President Trump walks into a room with Kim Jong-un, they will have reached some agreement on details. But I'm not so optimistic about that because President Trump above all wants the photo opportunity of a summit."

Then what's the bare minimum that needs to come out of these talks?
Experts stress that both sides need to agree on action plans that will form part of a phased roadmap for the objective of denuclearization and peace.

"I think a useful first step would be to stop producing fissile material not just at Yongbyeon, but anywhere in North Korea. No testing of nuclear weapons, no flight testing of long range missiles, no export of nuclear technology."

But some optimists on the current situation call for more on Washington's part,... raising the need for action for action -- to speed up the denuclearization process.

"From actual issues about nuclear security to simply waiving, allowing more humanitarian aid into the country to supporting or lifting some types of economic sanctions."

But as far as the *lifting of sanctions is concerned,.... most experts seem to agree that they need to be in place until the very end.

"I think it's possible to say that we will keep the sanctions in place until the very end but also waive them along the way to facilitate progress. But by keeping sanctions in place you also retain the leverage if the process breaks down."

Watchers say what's important now is that the two sides are able to keep dialogue going even after the summit,... so that the promises reached are kept, not broken.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News.
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