Singapore summit: Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un sign historic document
MORE details have emerged about the document North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump have signed in front of the world’s media that will change the course of history between them forever.
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NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong un has committed to “complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula” in his joint text at his historic summit with US President Donald Trump.
The document, signed by the two leaders, commits the US to security guarantees in return for denuclearisation and the establishment of “new US-DPRK relations”, AFP reports.
The text made no mention of US demands for “complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation” — jargon for scrapping weapons and committing to inspections — but did restate a vaguer commitment, AFP saw in a photo of the document.
Mr Kim pledged to “leave the past behind” as he signed the document with Mr Trump in front of the world’s media.
“We are about to sign an historic document. The world will see a major change,” Mr Kim said in an extremely rare public comment.
The pair sat side by side in front of a flower arrangement at a wide table to sign their agreement, which Mr Trump described as an “historic and comprehensive” document that would be released shortly by the White House.
Describing Mr Kim as “a very talented man who loves his country very much”, he said he hoped to meet him again and would welcome him at the White House.
Mr Kim said: “I want to express my gratitude to President Trump to make this meeting happen.”
On the question of denuclearisation, Mr Trump said the parties were “starting that process very quickly”.
Earlier, Mr Trump hailed the historic talks in Singapore as “very positive” and “better than anyone expected”.
“Top of the line,” the US President said after emerging from a series of talks with the North Korean leader adding that there had been “a lot of progress”.
Mr Trump then told waiting media the leaders were “going right now for a signing”. When asked what they were signing, he said he would answer that shortly.
The pair then headed back into a separate area of the hotel on Sentosa Island with their entourages.
The signing was not a part of the original meeting schedule between the two leaders.
It cames after Mr Trump and Mr Kim’s earlier one-on-one sitdown at Capella Hotel was “very, very good”, according to the US President, who said the pair have an “excellent relationship.”
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An aide who was translating Mr Kim’s words to Mr Trump said at the end of their first handshake: “Many people in the world will think of this as a form of fantasy…from a science fiction movie”.
The historic meeting began with the pair approaching each other from opposite ends of a long colonial portico outside the luxury island hotel.
The pair spoke briefly before turning to face cameras in front of alternating American and North Korean flags.
In a significant gesture of goodwill, Mr Kim appeared to greet Mr Trump in English, saying: “Nice to meet you, Mr. President.” However afterwards, the White House said it was unclear if it was Mr Kim or his interpreter who uttered the greeting.
Mr Trump twice patted Mr Kim on the arm and walked with to guide him into a room where the pair briefly addressed the press.
“I feel really great. We will have a great discussion and I think we will be tremendously successful,” Mr Trump said, before their meeting.
Mr Kim heralded the historic moment, the first time a sitting US president has met with the leader of the rogue state.
“The past and the old prejudices and practices work as obstacles to our way forward but we overcame all of them and we are here today,” he said.
Trump added that by “working together” the pair will “get it taken care of”.
At that press conference Mr Kim was asked if he would give up his nuclear weapons. He did not reply.
The pair spoke alone with just their translators for 38 minutes before being joined by their aides, including White House chief of staff John Kelly and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
MORE: The craziest Trump, Kim summit memes
“It’s a great honor to be with you, and I know we’ll have tremendous success together,” Mr Trump said ahead of that meeting.
“We’ll solve the big problem, the big dilemma, that until this point has been unable to be solved.
“We will be successful. And I look forward to working on it with you. It will be done.”
Mr Kim was quoted as saying: “There will be challenges ahead but we will work with Trump. We overcame all kinds of skepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace”.
The parties were then scheduled to have a working lunch for four-and-a-half hours before Mr Trump will front the press again at 4pm local time (6pm AEST).
There was speculation the leaders would enjoy a meal of hamburgers however according to the White House the menu was more refined. Traditional prawn cocktail served with avocado salad, Green mango kerabu with honey lime dressing and fresh octopus and “Oiseon”, Korean stuffed cucumber, was served as an entree.
For the main course, the parties dined on beef short rib confit, served with potato dauphinois and steam broccolini, red wine sauce on the side, combination of sweet and sour crispy pork and Yangzhou Fried Rice with homemade XO chili sauce and “Daegu jorim”: Soy Braised cod fish with Radish, Asian Vegetables.
For dessert, dark chocolate tartlet ganache, Haagen-Dazs vanilla iced cream with cherry coulis and Tropezienne was served.
Mr Trump arrived at the hotel on the resort island of Sentosa shortly before 8.30am local time (10.30am AEST). He was captured looking poker-faced by cameras as he entered the hotel. The North Korean leader was also expressionless as he walked into the foyer of the exclusive establishment.
The fact that I am having a meeting is a major loss for the U.S., say the haters & losers. We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle launches have stoped, and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
Ahead of the meet, Mr Trump took to Twitter to savage the “haters and losers ... who have called me wrong from the beginning”.
The Republican leader’s missive came after Kim Jong-un was greeted in Singapore to a rock star welcome after arriving at the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel.
Trump tweeted twice from his car on the way to the summit, one tweet in reference to an Ohio Supreme Court decision on voter policy, the other on a heart attack suffered by his economic adviser and good friend Larry Kudlow.
KIM SHOWS RESPECT TO TRUMP
Mr Kim arrived at the Capella Hotel about seven minutes before Mr Trump.
According to Korean media, in order to show repect in their culture, the younger person arrives before the elder. President Trump is 71, the North Korean leader is 35.
Cameras followed the pairs’ departure from their respective hotels, their trip to Sentosa and their arrival at the hotel.
Trump left the Shangri-La hotel for the 13 minute drive after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed and the North Korea delegation left the St Regis hotel.
RODMAN BREAKS DOWN OVER SUMMIT
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who is considered a friend of both state leaders and who has visited the rogue state a number of times, is expected to attend the summit. Rodman has previously hailed Trump as “the world’s greatest negotiator”.
He was seen on CNN where he broke down in tears over the historic event.
While wearing one of Donald Trump’s Make American Great Again hats, he told the network: “It’s a great day. I am here to see it. I’m so happy”.
The former Chicago Bull said he was ostracised after meeting with Mr Kim four years ago and ignored by then-President Barack Obama.
“I believed in North Korea, and when I went home … I couldn’t even go home. I had to hide out for 30 days. I couldn’t even go home,” he said.
“I got so much bad press. But I kept my head high, brother. I knew things were gonna change. I was the only one. I had no one to hear me, no one to see me, but I knew it. I took those bullets, I took all that.
“Everyone came at me, but I’m still standing. Today is a great day for everyone. Singapore, China, everyone — today is a great day.”
JULIE BISHOP: TWO LEADERS ‘UNORTHODOX’
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan escorted Mr Kim around the city last night and the pair posed for selfies.
“I was in contact with Vivian last night and he confirmed that both leaders are very upbeat and positive about a potential breakthrough at this meeting,” Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Seven Network.
“So let’s hope the summit is a success and we do see real concrete genuine steps towards peace on the Korean peninsula.”
Ms Bishop also told Sky News she hoped the two leaders would nail out “concrete steps” toward progress.
“After the getting-to-know-you period, hopefully there will be a moment when the officials and advisers can also sit down and work through some concrete steps toward another meeting,” Ms Bishop told Sky News.
“Our expectation should be that some progress will be made.”
She also mentioned the two leaders were “unorthodox” in their approaches and that their first informal meeting is not unusual for world leaders to have in diplomatic circles.
KIM JONG-UN’S RAPTUROUS WELCOME
Kim Jong-unenjoyed a rapturous reception in Singapore ahead of the summit.
The dictator was greeted by dozens of tourists cheering the arrival of him and his considerable entourage on Monday.
Kim Jong-un smiled broadly and waved as he walked into the Marina Bay Sands hotel surrounded by his delegation which had arrived in a fleet of minibusses and cars. His sister Kim Yo-jong wore white and stared straight ahead as they entered the luxurious hotel.
He arrived by convoy to a large waiting media scrum with a significant security presence including his black-suited Korean guards.
But the North Korean dictator didn’t stay long, leaving 20 minutes after he travelled to the top floor of the hotel, which offers panoramic views of Singapore.
There was a large security presence at the hotel ahead of the visit, with heavily armed police, barricades on the street, and visitors being asked for identification.
Among the crowd gathered at the Marina Bay Sands were tourists staying at the hotel.
They included entrepreneur and mother of two Pinky Malhotra, of Utra Pradesh India, who was waiting in a penned up area of the lobby with her two children aged seven and three.
“I am really excited to see him because he is a powerful leader,” she said.
“He is the man here who can tell America who is the boss.
“It’s about two countries — who has the power? I think it is him and I want my kids to see that.”
The North Korean leader then went on a night walk through Singapore where politicians were able to grab selfies with the leader.
Kim Jong un cheered a like a rockstar on his arrival at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore #trumpkimsummit pic.twitter.com/jchEPcgTW7
— Sarah Blake (@sarahblakemedia) June 11, 2018
REMARKABLE TURNAROUND
The negotiations are a remarkable turnaround for Mr Kim, until now an international pariah who has repeatedly threatened the “nuclear annihilation” of Pyongyang’s enemies.
Brought to the negotiating table by crippling sanctions under Mr Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, Mr Kim has committed to the US and to the host country of Singapore that he is open to surrendering his nuclear weapons.
The first meeting between a sitting US president and a leader of the rogue state has the potential to impact the lives of tens of millions of people, as well as their own political futures.
Pundits are discussing whether Mr Trump would be considered for a Nobel Peace Prize if he can bring his legacy-defining ambition to fruition.
Previous peace talks have failed because North Korea would not countenance giving up its nuclear capabilities.
Expectations for the summit of the century range from a formal end to the Korean War to the beginning of full denuclearisation in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
However, both leaders are renowned disrupters, so it is also possible nothing concrete will emerge from the bilateral.
If this were to occur, it would possibly be framed as a victory for Mr Kim, who would then have apparently achieved his longheld desire of international legitimacy.
This outcome would also do little for Mr Trump, who prides himself on his negotiating skills and would not relish the perception that he had been played.
Mr Trump has said he has “over 300 massive, in some cases, sanctions” ready to rollout if the talks fail.
The leaders spent much of Monday huddled in five-star hotels within a kilometre of each other in the city-state’s diplomatic zone.
Originally published as Singapore summit: Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un sign historic document