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Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un summit ends in disarray but there are lessons to be learnt, experts say
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- Title
- 'Kim Jong-un once again walks away the winner': What experts have to say about the summit
- Published
- Mar 1 2019
- Word count
- 1299 words
Lessons like 'when 2 people who can't be trusted to uphold their deals get together to make a deal, it's probably a waste of time'?
Lessons like 'this is a distraction from the Cohen hearing'?
Lessons like 'sending a racist to negotiate with the leader of a country he's described as a shithole isn't a smart move'?
It's like I'm back in school, the learning is just overwhelming.
But what did you think of the points raised in the article by the experts?
My takeaway is that they weren't properly prepared. This was, as Rebecca Hersman puts it in the article, "top down, summit-driven diplomacy," which I agree is worth a try, but it seems they should have had their terms discussed with diplomats before the leaders bothered meeting again.
In-Bum Chun:
That miscalculation wouldn't have been possible with the proper diplomatic preparation. They shouldn't have gone in without knowing each other's terms. Negotiations have to start from a baseline, and it seems the DPRK had "close Yongbyon, receive immediate relief from all sanctions" as theirs, and the US had "close Yongbyon, let us inspect to verify, and we'll lift some sanctions." Knowing that, discussion of which sanctions, and Kim allowing the inspections, would have been the things to negotiate.
Jean H Lee:
Again, lack of preparation, and I suppose we could say "on both sides."
Zhiqun Zhu:
He didn't really say that in his answer to the question, but it's interesting to hear that that was Zhu's takeaway from Kim. I don't think I'd heard before that Kim actually acknowledges that we don't want them to be a nuclear power, and apparently is serious about it.
Christine Ahn:
That makes it clear that it's possible the lack of preparation has to do with the DPRK just not having proper diplomatic processes and personnel in place. We're starting from a place where they were isolated for so many decades; it may just take time to reach a meaningful deal.
Jie Chen:
Again, it appears no one was prepared for this summit.
It seems this particular summit was handled very poorly, possibly by both sides. The White House minted freaking coins for this thing, yet no one (apparently) discussed just what exactly their baseline terms were ahead of time. Here's hoping they do reach a meaningful deal. I'd like for the man who represents my country to do at least one thing that I see as a real benefit for the US, and it would be great for the world, and specifically North Koreans to get out from under the isolation, human rights abuses, and economic destitution that has shrouded their country for so long. (sorry for the length; there was a lot of insight I hadn't read before in that article.)
I don't think the assessment that this was a miscalculation on the North Koreans part is entirely accurate. I've always got the impression that Kim (and his father) are willing to sit down and meet with the US president. They have a lot to gain just by being seen with him, even if the talks don't actually go anywhere.
Trump was just the first one who didn't recognize that this benefits North Korea a whole lot more than it benefits the US. All his predecessors knew to stay away until there was a real chance of North Korea changing their ways, which doesn't require a face-to-face conversation to find out.
Take my opinion with a grain of salt though. I'm hardly an expert, just an idiot on the internet with opinions.
Not to be too blithe, but 'ends in disarray' seems to suggest that there was any other end result on offer.