Mike Pompeo
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Friday pulled the plug on his top diplomat’s upcoming trip to North Korea — and took a swipe at China over stalled efforts to disarm Kim Jong Un’s regime.
“I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,” Trump said on Twitter.
Pompeo was due to return to Pyongyang next week for what he described as the next stage in ensuring the “final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea.”
But Trump – facing a slew of domestic problems and independent reports that North Korea has done little or nothing to roll back its nuclear programme – vetoed the plan.
Pompeo and Trump met earlier Friday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.
Trump also stepped up his rhetoric against China, which has grown harsher as November congressional elections approach, with the world’s top two economies now embroiled in an escalating trade war.
“Additionally, because of our much tougher trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearisation as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place),” Trump said.
In another tweet, the president added Pompeo would still head to North Korea ‘in the near future,’ saying this would likely occur when the US-China trading relationship is ‘resolved.’
“In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!” Trump said. — AFP