Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, Vietnam
The North Koreans are proving to be tough negotiators as they refuse to give something for nothing. This much the Americans found out during the just-concluded summit in Hanoi. However, Mr Kim is not about to slam the door shut as he is reported to be committed to continuing negotiations including a third meeting with the US president.
The outcome of the Hanoi summit was thus a confirmation that the first summit in Singapore was mere window-dressing and not a proper foundation. It was simply why the second summit failed to produce anything meaningful.
Nevertheless, the world appeared not to have been prepared for what happened in Hanoi which was a complete breakdown of negotiations and no agreement at all.
Notably, it seemed the North Koreans knew exactly what they wanted as they put their cards on the table. They demanded an end to sanctions in return for steps towards de-nuclearisation.
It is now clear that Mr Trump's charm offensive which he launched after the first summit failed spectacularly to have the desired effect. Pyongyang chubby tyrant has remained resolute.
You may recall that the American president had apparently hoped he could flatter a seemingly impressionable young man into making concessions. At a point, Mr Trump revealed the “beautiful” letters sent to him by Mr Kim. He even spoke of the chemistry between them.
The fact remains that North Korea has an arsenal of nuclear missiles capable of threatening the US mainland. It is therefore important for the North Koreans to de-nuclearise.
Mr Trump may need to change his approach in order to be able to bring home the deal he seeks.
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