Optimism soaring over Hanoi summit

By Mohssen Arishie 

A few days before he flew to Hanoi to meet today North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he was not in a hurry to see North Korea denuclearize. Trump asserted that the North Korean leader had promised to denuclearize; and that he would keep his word.

Also prior to his departure to Hanoi, the ebullient U.S. President lauded the North Korean leader by tweeting that [Kim] realised better than anyone else, that ‘without nuclear weapons, [North Korea] could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the world’. The U.S. President highlighted North Korea’s location and expressed his admiration for its people and its leader. “North Korea has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation,” Trump tweeted.

Trump is giving strong indication that he has no doubt that Kim is very serious about establishing lasting peace in the Korean peninsula to fulfill the North Korean people’s long-held dream of having a better life. The U.S. President also appears to be confident that Kim has wisely reached a conclusion that ditching his nuclear weapons would guarantee prosperous future for his country and its people.

The U.S. President’s tweet should reinforce speculations that a joint declaration of the end of the 3-year Korean war that erupted in 1950 will be made in Hanoi summit. President Trump understands that denuclearization will take some time to be fulfilled; and that such an issue should not allow for the postponement of the declaration of the end of the Korean war.

President Trump’s highlights of Kim, his people and his country’s potentials to rival major economic powers in the world should increase optimism held by the North Korean people that the U.S. President is willing to lift—or at least ease—sanctions Washington imposed on their country for decades.

Peace-loving nations across the world heaved a deep sigh of relief in June last year when Trump and Kim met in Singapore. Their handshaking ceremony and exchange of broad smiles must have increased optimism embraced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the architect of Trump-Kim historic summit, that the Korean peninsula will soon be the stronghold of regional and international peace.

Perhaps, Hanoi is wisely selected to host the second session of Trump-Kim summit. Being in Vietnam, the North Korean leader will have firsthand experience of how this former communist state has transformed itself from bitter U.S. enemy to peaceful partner, which enjoys prosperous economy after adopting market reforms.