by Editor | May 25, 2021 | World
Mike Pompeo
Washington : The US Department of State has said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss Helsinki meeting fruits and issues over bilateral and regional concerns.
According to a statement issued by State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert on Sunday, the phone conversation took place on Saturday when the two foreign ministers discussed a broad range of issues, “some of which were following up from the meeting between President Trump and President Putin” in Finland on July 16, Xinhua reported.
Among the topics discussed was the situation in Syria.
The two also discussed how to implement ideas on counterterrorism process coordination and the mutual goal of establishing business-to-business dialogue between private, non-governmentally controlled entities in the two countries, another deliverable of the Trump-Putin meeting.
Pompeo and Lavrov also discussed “the need for Russia to provide equal diplomatic access to the US, at a level that is fair and reciprocal”.
US White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said Thursday that Putin will be invited to Washington in the autumn, and “those discussions are already underway”.
Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said on Friday in response that that his country is open to a new meeting between the two presidents.
Trump has been widely attacked after his meeting with Putin on July 16, due to his reconciliatory remarks that many saw as a sign to side with Moscow against US intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 US elections.
—IANS
by Editor | May 25, 2021 | World
Tokyo : Visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said North Korea had reaffirmed its commitment to denuclearization during his recent trip to Pyongyang.
At a joint press conference here with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts, Taro Koko and Kang Kyung-wha, Pompeo described his talks in North Korea as “very productive” and these were in “good-faith”, adding that Pyongyang had agreed to the destruction of a missile facility, reports Efe news.
He also said the sanctions against the regime would remain in place until it has completely dismantled its nuclear weapons program.
“While we are encouraged by the progress of these talks, progress alone does not justify relaxing the sanctions regime,” Pompeo said, adding that the road ahead would be difficult and challenging.
Pompeo downplayed criticism by the North Korean foreign minister Gen. Kim Yong-chol, who on Saturday called Washington’s attitude during the negotiations “regrettable” and “gangster-like” and the outcome of the talks “very concerning” in a statement issued hours after the top American diplomat’s departure.
He said Pyongyang understood that the regime’s denuclearization must be complete and verified.
Kim is considered an important figure of North Korean intelligence and was a key player in paving the way for the historic summit in Singapore between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.
Pompeo also reiterated the US’ commitment to defending its allies, including South Korea and Japan, and said that Sunday’s trilateral meeting, the third in less than a month, served to strengthen cooperation to ensure the implementation of the agreements signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump at a summit in Singapore last month.
—IANS
by Editor | May 25, 2021 | World
Pyongyang : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday arrived here in North Korea, amid growing speculation over the possible release of three US detainees, to prepare for the historic talks between Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump.
Pompeo’s arrival coincided with the first trilateral summit between Japan, China and South Korea, who endorsed the agreement signed by Pyongyang and Seoul to achieve complete denuclearisation and long-term peace on the Korean Peninsula, Efe news reported.
Ahead of the surprise visit, the US Secretary of State said he hoped North Korea would “do the right thing” and release three Americans imprisoned in the country.
“We’ve been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months,” the BBC quoted Pompeo as saying.
A South Korean presidential official told news agency Yonhap that Pyongyang was expected to release the US citizens –Kim Dong-chul, 64, Kim Sang-duk, 58, and Kim Hak-song, about 60, — as a “goodwill gesture” ahead of the summit.
A State Department official travelling with Pompeo said the US would also be “listening for signs from North Korea that things have substantially changed” with the nation’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump on Tuesday referred to Pompeo’s latest visit while announcing the US’ withdrawal from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran.
This is Pompeo’s second trip to Pyongyang after meeting with Kim in April.
Pompeo had said that a “good relationship” was formed at that meeting, which marked the highest level of US contact with North Korea since 2000.
At a trilateral summit in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to join forces and focus on an open dialogue with Pyongyang to make it abandon its nuclear arsenal.
In a joint press meet after the summit, Abe stressed the importance of the inter-Korean agreement for peace and stability in the region and said he shares a common stand with Beijing and Seoul that the successive UN resolutions on North Korea should be complied with.
Kim was earlier quoted as saying that he hoped “phased and synchronised” measures would be taken to realise denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.
Li said the dialogue in the peninsula was heading in a good direction and added that all parties should take advantage of this moment to resolve the conflict.
Moon welcomed the strong support from Li and Abe for the “Panmunjom Declaration” signed between Seoul and Pyongyang on April 27, and said he would do everything possible to implement the pact.
This was the first trilateral summit since 2012 and it comes amid a whirlwind of diplomatic activity to finalize preparations for the upcoming Kim-Trump meet.
—IANS
