Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist March 2019 | Page 43
GLOBAL CENTRE STAGE
It was good to frame a
summit for denuclearization.
But the way it ended is not
a good sign or a proper way.
Although President Trump
has declared it successful
without any agreements, its
premature expiration is a
diplomatic failure.
measures, which is why we saw
the partial lifting of sanctions as
the corresponding action.”
Since late 2017, North
Korea has not conducted any
nuclear tests. A recent report
by Stanford University’s Center
for International Security and
cooperation said: “North Korea
appears to have produced enough
bomb fuel in the past year to
add as many as seven nuclear
weapons to its arsenal.” Trump
also said that Kim promised him
there would be no resumption of
North Korea’s missile testing.
Before the summit, it was already indicated by North Korea
that how much it is important for them. North Korea warned
it faced a food shortfall of around 1.4 Million tons this year
highlighting the importance of lifting economic sanctions are
essential to them. They need a better economy and it will not
be possible until the economic sanctions are lifted from them.
Ben Yong a North Korean analyst and historian told Al Jazeera
“they really mean it and getting rid of sanctions is a big deal
for them”. According to him, “Kim wants to fashion himself
as an economic reformer of sorts. The lifting of sanctions was
thus imperative but they were simply asking for too much.”
Progress in relationship
Trump looked at his decision to walk away and described
it as - it is better to stay away from a bad deal. It raises a
broader question about the future of Trump’s high stakes
eff ort and questioned a newly emerged critical friendship.
But Trump said “This wasn’t a walk away like you get up
and walk out. The relationship was very warm and when
we walked away it was a very friendly walk. According to
Trump “we have a very special relationship we made a lot of
progress, and I think the biggest progress was our relationship
is really a good one”. Trump repeatedly said that leader to
leader connections were much required for the success of the
relationship. Trump also described his correspondence with
Kim as “Love Letter”. Despite all eff orts made by Trump
administration, it will not be called completely successful
as it was not enough to overcome the impasse between the
two sides. Although Trump continued to tout the strength of
their relationship yet he had not committed to a third summit.
Only one thing that can be seen as a positive development
is both the leaders agreed to talk on the table and within a
very short span of time after the Singapore summit they met
again in Hanoi.
What actually happened?
It was good to frame a
summit for denuclearization.
But the way it ended is not
a good sign or a proper way.
Although President Trump has
declared it successful without
any agreements, its premature
expiration is a diplomatic failure.
Trump declared his walk away as
a friendly walk, not a walk out,
but the hasty move taken by the
President was not the proper way
to end the summit. And now it
leaves a question mark over the
fate of full denuclearization.
Trump has repeatedly undermined his own negotiating
position by making clear that he already saw his diplomacy
with North Korea as a success. Trump’s eagerness to make
a quick statement with satisfactory remarks shows his
diplomatically immature behavior. After the fi rst summit with
Kim in Singapore in 2018, he falsely claimed that “there is
no longer a nuclear Threat from North Korea.” Days before
the Hanoi summit, Trump said that he didn’t promise Kim
to make any more concessions. He said “as long as there is
no testing of nuclear weapons and missiles we are happy.
It was already cleared that Kim was not interested to give
more in Hanoi Summit because Trump has been telling him
for months that the status quo is just fi ne. Considering his
eff orts for denuclearization and talks with Kim as a great
success, President Trump has closed the door for further
gains. He has been showing a green signal to Kim without
any concrete achievements. He called Kim a “friend” and
defended him from blame for the murder of Otte Warmbier,
an American college student, while earlier he admitted that
Warmbier was “tortured beyond belief” by North Korea and
got a severe neurological injury. It is really a matter of grave
concern and surprising move of standing up for a tyrant who
has been found by a United Nations Commission to have
committed “crimes against humanity”.
It is quite obvious that there is no other option besides
“talking on table” diplomacy to yield impressive results but
it should be in a responsive manner. More sanctions and a
return to “Maximum Pressure” will not help. Similarly, too
much generosity and praise for Kim will be fatal too. And
at the same time, we should be wary of the immense danger
of a return to the “fi re and fury” talk. Trump’s initiative and
friendly gesture and avoiding any deal in favour of Kim is
a good thing. But it is also required to create continuous
pressure on North Korea for denuclearization. Trump and
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 3 • March 2019, Noida • 43