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Both Pompeo and North Korean Foreign Minster Ri Yong Ho were in
Singapore, less than two months after an unprecedented summit
between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un that Trump has hailed as a success despite a lack of
concrete action by Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons
program.
Pompeo and Ri's interaction nevertheless appeared limited to a
brief handshake at the ASEAN Regional Forum. When Pompeo left
the meeting on Saturday, Ri delivered an address in which he
said Pyongyang was alarmed by U.S. intentions. He also
complained about U.S. calls to maintain sanctions on North Korea
and reluctance to declare a formal end to the Korean War.
Pompeo was asked in a briefing to reporters traveling back with
him to Washington whether he was concerned by Ri's remarks. He
noted the tone of the North Korean statement was far different
that it was last year.
"The minister made very clear of their continued commitment to
denuclearize," Pompeo said. "I probably don't have his words
exactly right, but it's pretty close. Compare the anger,
frankly, over years and years, and hatred, as spewed by the
North Koreans; his comments were different."
Pompeo stressed the U.S. "mission statement" remained clear.
"The U.N. Security Council has said they must end their nuclear
program and their ballistic missile program. He has to deliver
on the commitments he's made," he said, referring to North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
At the June 12 summit, Kim committed in broad terms to work
toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula but North Korea
has offered no details on how it might go about this. U.S.
officials, including Pompeo, have said North Korea has continued
to work on its weapons programs. Ri said North Korea was
committed to implementing a joint statement by Kim and Trump at
their summit "in a responsible and good-faith manner." But he
reiterated a call for a phased approach to talks, which differs
from the U.S. insistence that North Korea give up its weapons
before relief from sanctions.
Asked whether North Korea could be offered concessions other
than sanctions relief, Pompeo replied: "I am not going to
comment on the sanctions and what others may have proffered."
Asked why he had apparently not held a formal meeting with Ri in
Singapore, Pompeo, who has been leading U.S. negotiating efforts
with Pyongyang, replied: "Your question has a predicate and I'm
just going to say, there are lots of conversations taking
place."
According to the State Department, in their brief exchange on
Saturday Pompeo told Ri: "We should talk again soon," to which
Ri responded: "I agree, there are many productive conversations
to be had."
Ri's later comments were not the first since the summit in which
that North Korea has appeared to offer a more negative
impression of the progress of talks with the United States
shortly after Pompeo has departed from a meeting.
Following a trip to Pyongyang in July, Pompeo spoke of progress,
but as soon as he had left the country North Korea accused the
United States of "gangster-like" diplomacy, casting doubts about
the future of the discussions.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Matt Spetalnick and
Bill Trott)
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