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Two US officials and other sources familiar with the preparations for the trip say that the top American diplomat should have some clarity on other issues: the return of the US military remains of the Korean War, a deadline for the destruction of a missile A test site that President Donald Trump said was already dismantled and an idea of who will be his North Korean trading partner. But Pompeo, who has punctuated his political future on efforts to dismantle the isolated country's nuclear program, could return to Washington with little detail on how and when Kim will dismantle his nuclear weapons, say those officials and sources.
Current officials, diplomatic sources and other people familiar with domestic policy discussions say that the Trump administration still needs to engage with North Koreans on a common goal or on who will negotiate with Pyongyang alongside Pompeo. These sources say that the situation seems to be characterized by a certain degree of chaos regarding the next steps. North Korean sources are compounding the problem, say the sources, as well as many domestic challenges ranging from incomplete recruitment, intelligence leaks, government rivalries, and presidential tweets that are adding pressure to Pompeo.
Administration officials who know the work on North Korea say they worry if Pompeo was coming back from this last trip without a definite plan to go ahead. The White House and the State Department have the feeling that they need a precise timeline or some details about the denuclearization of North Korea by the end of the month of April. # 39; August.
Shortly after, military exercises suspended with South Korea. and Pompeo called "war games", using North Korean terminology – should restart. There is also speculation that Trump and Kim could meet again at the United Nations General Assembly, which will take place every September.
A source has noted that Pompeo not only works without a fully formed team, but that he is relatively new to this kind of role, with only one year of management experience. And while Pompeo spends much of his time on North Korea, he is also pushed by the White House to show progress.
Trump's tweets and statements that things are "good" and that "there is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea" only increase the pressure for produce results.
Pompeo repeatedly stated that Kim had promised to dismantle his weapons programs, and tweeted before leaving for Pyongyang that he "looks forward to continuing our work toward the final denuclearization, entirely verified by #DPRK, as agreed by President Kim. "
But defense and administration officials working for North Korea's portfolio say it's still It is unclear whether the United States and North Korea will be able to agree on the definition and scope of this promise.
Questions remain as to whether Kim is willing to abandon civilian nuclear programs, search, missiles and warheads, or whether he would also put North Korea's launch program on the table.
Constant Conflict
At each stage of negotiations, while Pompeo asks North Korea to do things, these officials say that Kim will respond by asking what he gets in return.
Pompeo also faces tough home opponents. He and National Security Advisor John Bolton are in constant conflict over North Korea, according to CNN administrative sources.
Bolton, who has spent decades observing and working on Pyongyang, has advocated for regime change and has largely been kept out of this recent attempt at diplomacy. While Pompeo told CNN that he will not set a timetable for negotiations and that he just needs to continue to make progress, Bolton recently told CBS that the administration had set a deadline from one year for Pyongyang to divide all its missile and weapon programs. The comment was seen in some circles as an attempt to lock Pompeo.
"I am sure that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will discuss with North Koreans in the near future on how to dismantle all their WMD and ballistic missile programs in one year," Bolton said. at & # 39; Face the Nation & # 39 ;.
"We'll see, we'll see, all I can tell you, is this: you did not have a single missile launch and you did not have a single rocket ", he said. 19659002] He also stressed his personal chemistry with Kim
"I had a very good feeling about him – I shook his hand, I thought we got along very well, I thought we had good chemistry together I think we understand each other, I really believe that he sees a different future for North Korea, I hope it is true, if it is not not true, we will return to the opposite, "he said
.The administration said the information leaks could be the result of frustration within the community intelligence that Trump and his secretary of state speak of a regime that is one of the most dubious and dangerous that the United States has ever dealt with.
"Definitively Untrustworthy"
"They are probably fed up with the fact that POTUS and Pompeo continue to publicly trust one of the the most definitely untrustworthy with which the United States has ever negotiated, "said the source. Using the initials of Kim in place of his name, the source said that the intelligence community "does not assess that KJU is acting in good faith."
Leaks on North Korea have raised concerns in the White House officials who suspect an attempt to undermine the president.
In the National Security Council, there are fears that leaks will undermine the talks, according to the source that recently left the administration.
Most NSC employees think it is too early to judge the progress of the administration with North Korea, given that Trump and Kim met there were fewer people there. ;a month. But it is feared that intelligence flees Kim who refuses to denuclearize may diminish the likelihood that he is cooperating, "he thinks that, whatever he does, the United States will Have already warned to be untrustworthy, "said the source. 19659002] In the State Department, the senior official described the leaks as a "very curious phenomenon" that "seemed almost coordinated." The source suspected that this might be due to the desire to undermine the president, but she did not know for sure.
This official said that the state and Pompeo are aware that North Koreans are not yet acting on denuclearization, but said that it was not surprising and that Pompeo sees it as an attempt to play hard before the negotiations begin seriously.
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