CIA leader Pompeo has stated requirements that North Korea must meet for a meeting between Trump and Kim. The US is not ready for any concessions.
The US wants to carry out military maneuvers on the Korean Peninsula despite President Donald Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. As a prerequisite for talks with Donald Trump Kim should "continue to accept that we hold our necessary military maneuvers on the peninsula," said CIA chief Mike Pompeo in the show "Fox News Sunday".
As a further prerequisite Pompeo called a stop of missile tests. This had previously been demanded by US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. In addition, the CIA director said Kim must remain open to the discussion on denuclearization in order to have a conversation with Trump. In the run-up, Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders already said that the meeting was linked to the initiation of verifiable steps to denuclearize North Korea.
Trump had surprisingly accepted an invitation from Kim to a meeting and thus initiated a radical change of course of US policy towards North Korea. Place and time of the meeting, which should take place by the end of May, are still open.
According to Pompeo, the US won't make any concessions and also stick to economic sanctions up front. "President Trump is not doing it as a showcase, he will solve a problem," Pompeo told the broadcaster.
For the CIA, the president has chosen the right time to meet Kim. "Never before have the North Koreans been in a position where their economies have been exposed to such risks and their leadership has been under such pressure."
In addition, the CIA rate Kim as a rational person. Even Trump switched to conciliatory tone against the North Korean leadership: Previously he had referred to Kim as either "madman" or "rocket man".
On Saturday, Trump emphasized that a gathering could close the "greatest deal for the world". But it could also be that he will leave quickly.
Source: dpa, Reuters, Fox News
Image: Pixabay
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