Trump and Kim Meet, Sign Declaration of Friendship
The Singapore Summit
After over a year of schoolyard trash-talking and displays of military might between former reality TV star, US President Donald J. Trump, and Chairman of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea), Kim Jong-un, , the two met face-to-face to discuss new bilateral relations. The summit was hosted by the nation of Singapore on Sentosa Island and comes after about three months of warming relations between the two nations and their leaders. As President Trump has stated on many occasions, the core issue for the summit is the “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”.
President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Joint-Statement and Declaration of Friendship
The two leaders emerged after extensive deliberations to issue a joint-statement and sign a “Declaration of Friendship” before the press. According to the White House press release of the joint statement, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un “conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
The joint-statement issued by the two leaders stated four points:
- The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
- The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
- Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
- The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
The joint-statement also included a commitment by both sides to “hold follow-on negotiations . . . at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.–DPRK summit.” But most notable is item number 3, where the DPRK commits to work toward “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”. This would, of course, have to include a complete denuclearization of North Korea. If the two leaders and nations honor the terms of this declaration of friendship, I guess you could call it a pre-agreement, then President Trump’s claims that this is an historic moment will certainly be vindicated. Only time will tell.
Anyone can make war. But only the most courageous can make peace.
President Trump cautiously optimistic about the prospects for peace
President Trump also addressed the press later by himself and sounded cautiously optimistic about the new relations between the United States and North Korea. The President expressed his hope that the summit would eventually lead to an official end to the Korean War. The President stated, “Anyone can make war. But only the most courageous can make peace.” In his remarks Trump also stated that US sanctions on North Korea would remain in effect “for the time being”, but also said that the United States would be stopping the war games unless future negotiations are not “going along like it should”.
The President also pointed out that the cessation of the war games would save the United States “a tremendous amount of money”.
Related:
- Trump-Kim Summit Set for June 12th, June 1, 2018
- Trump Announces Withdrawal from Iran Deal, May 8, 2018
- Trump and Abe Stress U.S.-Japanese Cooperation and Weapon Sales at Joint Press Conference, November 6, 2017
Resource Links:
- Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit, The White House [Press release], June 12, 2018
- DPRK Chairman Kim Jon-un and US President Donald Trump at Singapore Summit image credit: WhiteHouse.gov
