But the statement also indicates that Trump is not allowing for a second day of talks with Kim in Singapore.
By LOUIS NELSON and ELIANA JOHNSON 06/11/2018 06:39 AM EDT Updated 06/11/2018 09:11 AM EDT
SINGAPORE — The White House said Monday that discussions between the U.S. and North Korea “have moved more quickly than expected,” while also apparently removing the possibility — for now — that President Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong Un could extend into a second day.
In a statement sent roughly 12 hours before Trump and Kim are due to sit down, the White House said the two leaders will participate in a one-on-one meeting, accompanied only by translators, to be followed by a “working lunch” with an expanded group of officials. That broader delegation will include National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has chafed the North Koreans with his hawkish and deeply skeptical view of the negotiations.
The White House also said that at the conclusion of the meeting, Trump will take part in a media availability at 8 p.m. local time, before flying back to the United States. Previously, the White House had appeared to hold open the possibility that the meeting could stretch into a second day if the talks were going well.
Still, the statement expressed optimism about the historic sitdown, which follows days of talks between high-level officials on both sides about denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“The discussions between the United States and North Korea are ongoing and have moved more quickly than expected,” the statement read.
Earlier Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered his own preview of the summit, saying the United States is prepared to offer “different” and “unique” security assurances to North Korea in exchange for the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear program.
Citing a desire to avoid airing negotiations publicly, Pompeo declined to say what assurances the U.S. would offer and specifically refused to say if the removal of American troops from South Korea will be on the table. North Korea has long expressed outrage over the U.S. military presence in South Korea and Japan, as well as over joint military exercises in the region involving the three nations, viewing them collectively as an existential threat to the Kim regime.
“I’m not going to get..........to read the full details
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