(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Hopes for a lasting peace in the Korean peninsula are not entirely dashed following President Trump's tweet late Friday that the next month's talks with North Korea in Singapore could be back on after 'productive talks between the two countries.
The announcement comes just days after the US president cancelled the meeting in Singapore with Kim Jong-un that was scheduled for June 12.
Trump had blamed the Pyongyang regime's 'tremendous anger and open hostility as he pulled out of the talks, saying the world had 'lost a great opportunity for lasting peace.
But late on Friday, Trump tweeted: 'We are having very productive talks with North Korea about reinstating the summit which, if it does happen, will likely remain in Singapore on the same date, June 12th, and, if necessary, will be extended beyond that date.
Apparently, the president's comments came after North Korea said it was still willing to engage in direct talks, calling the planned summit between Trump and Kim 'desperately necessary.
'We express our willingness to sit down face-to-face with the US and resolve issues anytime and in any format, North Korea's vice foreign minister Kim Kye-gwan said in a statement.
'Our commitment to doing our best for the sake of peace and stability for the world and the Korean peninsula remains unchanged, and we are open-minded in giving time and opportunity to the US.
Trump now says he remains open to holding a summit and noted 'the lines of communication had opened between the two countries.
After the earlier news the summit was called off, Democrats had criticised Trump for the decision.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in Capitol Hill at the weekend that the cancelled summit was 'a good thing for Kim Jong-un.
Pelosi said the meeting 'takes preparation, this takes knowledge, this takes judgment, and clearly it takes preparation, which the president didn't make.
Earlier, the US allies in Asia were blindsided by Trump's cancellation. The South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, called an emergency meeting saying: 'I am very perplexed and it is very regrettable that the North Korea-US summit will not be held.
'Denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace are historic tasks that can neither be abandoned nor delayed, Moon said.
Meanwhile, Trump welcomed the North's conciliatory response to his Thursday letter withdrawing from the Singapore summit with Kim Jong-un. He even said it was possible the meeting could take place on the originally planned June 12 date.
'They very much want to do it; we'd like to do it, he said.
North Korea's vice foreign minister said his country remained open to resolving issues with Washington 'regardless of ways, at any time, any format.
Lasting peace in the Korean peninsula is critical not only for the region but also for the entire world.
The highly anticipated summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un in June will have been a golden opportunity to avert nuclear standoff and provide the much-needed peace and stability in a highly vulnerable region of the world.
MENAFN2705201800670000ID1096913234
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.