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Felicia Sonmez
National reporter on Washington Post's new political team
The White House said Monday that negotiations are underway with North Korea to hold a second summit meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Press officer Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Kim had asked for the continuation of Singapore's historic summit in June in a "warm and very positive letter" to Trump in recent days.
"We want this to happen and we are already working to make it happen," said Sanders, although she pointed out that no decision was made on the timing or venue of the competition.
The announcement was the last sign that Trump, despite growing frustration, remains heavily invested in efforts to bring Pyongyang to abide by the promises of denuclearization made at the Singapore meeting. Trump abruptly canceled a planned visit by state secretary Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang three weeks ago, citing the lack of progress.
But the president reacted positively to Kim's recent opening, bragging at a rally in Montana last week, that Kim had "said great things about me."
"He said very firmly that we wanted to denuclearize North Korea during President Trump's term," Trump told his supporters at the Billings event, citing reports from South Korean envoys who had visited Pyongyang. "It is good
Sanders said the White House would not release a copy of Kim's letter without Pyongyang's permission. She cited North Korea's decision not to include ballistic missiles in a military parade in Pyongyang this weekend, a sign that Kim's regime was taking steps to not upset the United States.
"The recent parade in North Korea, for once, was not about their nuclear arsenal," said Sanders. "The president has been enormously successful with his policies so far. And this letter was further evidence of progress in this relationship.
Some analysts have indicated that two-week meetings of the US General Assembly in New York were a possible venue for a Trump-Kim meeting, but the North Korean leader has indicated no intention to attend. . US officials privately suggested that it was unlikely that such a meeting would take place during Trump's two-day visit.
In a tweet on Sunday, Trump described Kim's decision not to post ballistic missiles as a "positive and important statement," adding that there was "nothing better than a good dialogue between two people." who love each other!
But other White House advisers took more cautious notes on Monday. Sending to reporters, National Security Advisor John Bolton said the administration is still waiting for them to take meaningful action. Among other things, the United States is seeking a detailed North declaration on the size of its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenals.
"The possibility of a new meeting between the two presidents obviously exists," said Bolton, "but President Trump can not get North Korea through the door he's holding open. measures to denuclearize, and that's what we expect. "
The last meeting in Trump's relationship with Kim echoes the Singapore meeting, when Trump announced he was pulling out after Pyongyang made inflammatory comments, to start again after Kim sent a high-ranking aide to deliver a personal letter. to the president.
Foreign policy analysts, however, warned that Kim's willingness to meet with Trump was not a signal that Pyongyang would make serious efforts to denuclearize. On the contrary, Kim's goal is to convince Trump to sign an agreement that would proclaim the end of the Korean War without giving up major concessions.
US intelligence agencies have concluded that Pyongyang continues to secretly develop its nuclear weapons programs, even though it has not tested a weapon since its agreement on the Singapore summit.
"Kim Jong Un is shown very skilled in manipulating Trump through flattery and empty promises," said Sue Mi Terry, a Korean expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Kim "look at everything that's happening, [Trump’s] domestic problems and everything else, and they feel an opportunity.
In recent weeks, Trump has accused China, in the midst of a trade war with the United States, of exerting a negative influence on Kim, who had contributed to the breakdown of the negotiations.
A senior Chinese official joined Kim in the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North, signaling Beijing's intention to continue to strengthen ties with Pyongyang.
Asked if Beijing deserved some credit for Kim's openness to Trump, Sanders said, "The president deserves credit in this process. He was the main voice and the one who exerted the initial pressure on North Korea. . . Frankly, we would always like to see them step in and do more.
The South Korean leaders said after meeting Kim that the North Korean leader had pledged to denuclearize by 2020, by which time Trump would face a reelection effort. Analysts have suggested that the timetable indicates that Kim thinks he must lock up a peace treaty before Trump leaves office, as a successor is less likely to engage in such negotiations.
"Kim concluded that he had to make an agreement with Trump," Terry said. "He is the only person to conclude a peace treaty. This is the one and only opportunity for North Korea to achieve what it has always felt it should do. "
Karen DeYoung contributed to this report.
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