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