Cancellation of US-North Korea summit is ‘testing humanity’s nerve’ — Russian senator

Cancellation of US-North Korea summit is ‘testing humanity’s nerve’ — Russian senator
# 25 May 2018 05:30 (UTC +04:00)

US President Donald Trump’s refusal to hold a North Korean summit in Singapore is testing humanity’s nerve, member of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Frants Klintsevich said. Washington not being able to provide a scenario for the Korean crisis resolution may dictate Trump’s decision, APA reports quoting Ä°TAR-TASS.

Earlier, Trump informed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he had made a decision to withdraw from the planned bilateral meeting in Singapore on June 12. According to Trump’s letter to Kim Jong Un, published by the White House press service, Kim Jong Un "has lost a great opportunity for lasting peace". Nevertheless, the US leader assured that he is ready to hold these negotiations in the future.

"This is the reply of Washington to North Korea dismantling the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. This is some kind of political balancing act that is testing all humanity’s nerve. It seems that Washington is putting this problem on hold on purpose, and I don’t think that North Korean leader’s last statement is the reason. The countries used to exchange harsh words before, this is just an excuse," Klintsevich told journalists on Thursday.

According to him, a good chance for peace may be lost this way, and nobody knows when the next opportunity will present itself. "It is especially worrying after the US’ ultimatum to Iran. Russia will monitor this situation," the senator added. "Most likely, the US doesn’t have a strategy for the Korean crisis resolution yet."

On Thursday, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea has dismantled the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. According to KCNA, there have been no radiation leaks during the dismantlement. Punggye-ri is one of the key objects of the North Korean nuclear program. In 2006-2017, six tests were performed at the site, including testing of a thermonuclear bomb.=

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