Image: Blue House (Republic of Korea)/Wikimedia Commons
President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are in Singapore for their much-anticipated June 12 meeting, raising expectations from what Trump has called an unknown territory.
Security analysts and foreign policy experts are weighing in on the possible outcomes of the meeting from different standpoints, geopolitical to nuclear non-proliferation goals.
Ahead of the meeting, President Trump dangled carrots, calling the talks as a one-time opportunity for the North Korean leader to lift his people out of poverty. He also warned of ramifications in the event Kim Jong un fails to capitalize on the opportunity.
For Washington D.C. non-proliferation goals, with an eye on Iran after the U.S. Administration’s pullout of the nuclear deal, has tremendous importance.
North Korean neighbors including major economic powers China and Japan have stakes of their own.
Yet, a lot of questions remain unanswered as the meeting marks a kind of uncharted territory.
Will the meeting ultimately lead to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula?
Given the history of unknowables around North Korean conduct, what do we know about the possible outcomes?
It’s quite possible both leaders may maximize their demands during the negotiations.
It is also possible that they may go back on their commitments for the time being, and use new negotiating tactics.
The unconventional nature diplomacy and approach to the meeting has left analysts carefully navigating between great expectations and un-thought of possibilities or even surprises.
Trump had earlier canceled the meeting unilaterally over objections to Pyongyang’s diatribe against Vice President Mike Pence.
If the meeting is successful, it might well set a new precedent, a new denuclearization model.
But between the great expectations and unknowables, even surprises, Trump and Kim will have to have a patient hearing and show diplomatic skills to carry the process forward.
Although, both Trump and Kim have shown willingness to at least start a process of negotiations, the success of the summit would be no less than a surprise in the face of ups and downs that have characterized the run-up to the meeting.
In Washington, Brookings Institution hosted a briefing this week, where some of the known South Korean, American and international experts looked at the possible results and hopes linked to the meeting.
The Singapore meeting has high-stakes for both countries as well as the two leaders. It also presents an unprecedented opportunity for the U.S. and North Korea to fix long-running Pyongyang puzzle over nuclear weapons and missile system.
What to expect out of the Trump-Kim Jong-un summit briefing brought together a range of perspectives from experts.
