Korean imbroglio

Korean imbroglio

Trump must come up with a consistent strategy to negotiate with Pyongyang.

A day after he cancelled the June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, US President Donald Trump threw another curve ball by suggesting the meeting could still happen. Trump had called off the summit citing the North’s vituperative statement directed at US vice-president Mike Pence, calling him a political dummy. That in turn was provoked by Pence’s remark that any US agreement over the North’s nuclear programme would likely follow the Libya model. The latter is a red rag for Pyongyang as former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had given up his nuclear programme, only to be killed later by an uprising facilitated by the US.

If the Trump administration is serious about denuclearisation negotiations with the North, it must refrain from making inflammatory suggestions that are bound to rile Pyongyang. Neo-conservatives in the Trump team like national security adviser John Bolton might prescribe a no-holds-barred muscular foreign policy. But this is precisely what led to messes that ended up creating global disorder, like the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Trump might consider himself the ultimate dealmaker, but blowing hot and cold only adds to confusion. Ultimately, even this tactic will be gamed by other countries to Washington’s disadvantage.

Besides, with Trump recently pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal – an agreement that took years to put together and was clearly working – US credibility has taken a blow. The only way a deal can be made with Pyongyang now is through building trust from scratch. And that requires a consistent and coherent diplomatic approach on Washington’s part. Pyongyang isn’t going to give up its nukes without concrete security guarantees. It’s high time Team Trump works on what those can be. With Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in holding a surprise meeting on Saturday, talks may yet be possible. Washington must not let this opportunity slip.