US cites North Korea to get relief only after “verifiable” denuclearization steps

Singapore, June 4: In a dramatic turn of course in the high stakes diplomacy aimed at ending Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program, United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday North Korea will receive relief only after it takes clear and permanent steps to end its nuclear program.

 

Speaking at a security conference in Singapore ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Jim Mattis said it is vital that the international community keeps UN Security Council sanctions in place for now.

“North Korea will receive relief only when it demonstrates verifiable and irreversible steps to denuclearization,” Mattis said during public remarks at a meeting with the South Korean and Japanese defense ministers.

Skipping questions pertaining to the much anticipated US-North Korea summit which the US President Donald Trump confirmed will take place on June 12, the Defense Secretary deferred to the state department.

US Defense Secretary said, “As defense ministers, we must maintain a strong collaborative defensive stance so we enable our diplomats to negotiate from a calm position of strength in this critical time.”

The strategic task ahead of the summit is to settle the agenda. The main uncertain block is likely to be the concept of “denuclearization” both sides say they are in favor of it, but there is a wide gap between their definitions.

Washington wants North Korea to quickly give up all its nuclear weapons in a verifiable way in return for sanctions and economic relief. But North Korea will be unwilling to surrender its nuclear deterrent unless it is given security guarantees that the US will not try to topple the regime.