North Korea Threatens to Cancel Talks with Trump if Faced with One-Sided Pressure for Nuclear Disarmament
North Korea’s deputy foreign minister says if pressure on his country continues to unilaterally disarm its nuclear weapons, Pyongyang will reconsider forthcoming negotiations with the United States.
Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s deputy foreign minister, said on May 16 to the country’s official news agency, “If [America] wants us to agree to negotiations that corner us completely and make one-sided demands that we abandon our nuclear weapons, we will no longer be interested in negotiations.”
Kim Kye-gwan added that under such circumstances, “it is clear that we will reconsider our response to forthcoming negotiations with America.”
He said, “If the Trump administration enters negotiations with a sincere commitment to improve relations, it will receive an appropriate response from us.”
Donald Trump wrote on Twitter on May 7: “The meeting between Kim Jong-un and me will be on June 12 in Singapore. Both of us are trying to create a special moment for world peace.”
North Korea’s deputy foreign minister, meanwhile, criticized remarks by John Bolton, the U.S. president’s national security advisor, and other U.S. officials about the need to pursue the “Libyan option” regarding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and accept “complete and irreversible nuclear disarmament” by Pyongyang.
This North Korean official’s reference is to Washington’s demand for complete abandonment of nuclear weapons in the first step, and then suspension or lifting of sanctions. South Korean media in recent weeks quoted South Korean officials as saying two options are available regarding North Korea: one where the U.S. government, like nuclear talks with Iran, implements suspension for suspension, meaning the nuclear program and sanctions are dismantled step-by-step, or that Pyongyang be asked to completely and irreversibly abandon its nuclear program, and after verification of this, benefit from suspension or lifting of sanctions.
Recently, Japan’s state news agency said U.S. government officials told Tokyo that they want the second option.
John Bolton, Trump’s national security advisor, said last week that the U.S. government’s withdrawal from the “JCPOA” is a sign that America will not accept “unsatisfactory” proposals and plans, and this will strengthen America’s position. Bolton said, “I think the message to North Korea is that the president wants a real agreement.”
Trump is a staunch critic of the nuclear agreement with Iran and has withdrawn his administration from the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.” He sought modifications to the JCPOA, including to irreversibly and without time restrictions prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and result in extensive inspections of Iranian facilities. Tehran refused to renegotiate the JCPOA.
A senior Trump administration official, at the time the U.S. president accepted talks with North Korea’s leader, told reporters, “All options are on the table and our position toward the North Korean government will not change unless we see serious actions for nuclear disarmament. What we are seeking are serious steps toward nuclear disarmament.”
The latest remarks from the North Korean senior official come hours after Pyongyang announced it would suspend planned talks with Seoul due to joint military exercises by South Korea and America. South Korea’s defense ministry says the joint exercises will take place.
Source: Radio Farda
