Washington, May 25 (TNS): US President Donald Trump has refused to attend a planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, raising concerns tensions between the two nations will escalate again with the threat of war.
Trump said in a letter sent to Kim on Thursday, the summit which is scheduled for June 12 in Singapore – would no longer be possible “Due to the tremendous anger and open hostility” shown by Pyongyang in its most recent statements, Aljazeera reported.
Whereas Pyongyang calls US President’s decision to cancel the talks ‘unexpected’ and says open to dialogue ‘at any time’.
“The world and North Korea has lost an enormous opportunity for lasting peace and great prosperity and wealth,” Trump wrote.
buy aygestin generic https://andnewonlineblo.com/aygestin.html over the counter
“This missed opportunity is truly a sad moment in history.”
The meeting would have been the first time a sitting US president met a North Korean leader.
North Korea called Trump’s decision “unexpected” and “regrettable” and expressing willingness to talk to the United States “at any time, (in) any format”.
“As far as the historic North Korea-US summit is concerned, we have inwardly highly appreciated President Trump for having made the bold decision, which any other US presidents dared not, and made efforts for such a crucial event as the summit,” Kim said.
A statement earlier on Thursday from Pyongyang referred to Vice President Mike Pence as a “political dummy”, and said it is just as ready to meet in a nuclear confrontation as at the negotiating table with the United States.
In a later statement at the White House, Trump said the US military is “ready if necessary” to respond to a “foolish or reckless act” by North Korea.
“Our military is the most powerful in the world. We are more ready than we have ever been before,” Trump said.
The Pentagon said it was prepared for any “provocative actions” from North Korea.
“We are in a boxer stance, we are ready to respond,” Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, director of the US military’s Joint Staff, told reporters.
“We’ll see what develops over the next few days. If any provocative actions occur from North Korea, we will certainly – in concert with our allies and partners in the region – be ready for it.”
Earlier this month, Pyongyang said ongoing US-South Korea war games off the peninsula were not conducive to peace talks and demanded the maneuvers
