Trump says no problem in crossing into N.Korea

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – U.S. President Donald Trump Saturday said that he will surely cross into North Korea at Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from South Korea if Kim Jong-un comes to meet him.

“Sure… I will have no problem in doing that [crossing into North Korea],” Trump told reporters during his press conference aired by TRT World live from Japan’s western city of Osaka.

Trump added that North Korean leader follows his twitter account. “We quickly get calls [from Pyongyang],” he replied to a question in the press conference in Osaka at the end of the G20 summit.

Trump early on Saturday tweeted an offer of meeting North Korean leader Kim during his state visit to Seoul at DMZ. Pyongyang termed the offer “interesting suggestion” but said it did not receive a formal proposal for the meeting.

He will be flying to Seoul later this evening for a summit with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in.

Confirming that he favors a third summit with Kim, Trump said, “[it] could happen, he [Kim] would like to do it, and I won’t mind doing it.”

Trump added, "I may or may not see Kim Jong-un. We'll see what happens."

Trump and Kim held two summits since June 2018 on denuclearization of Korean peninsula, however, the leaders could not reach a deal.

However, the U.S. has said that it is ready for “constructive” dialogue with North Korea over denuclearization.

North Korea is facing severe UN sanctions ever since 2006 when it test-fired nuclear armament.

- Next summit in wonderful part of world

Lavishing praise on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said he played a good host.

14th G20 summit is being hosted by Japan.

“Next summit will be in one [of the] great, wonderful parts of the world,” Trump said referring to Saudi Arabia, next host of 15th summit of G20.

He said Osaka was a tremendous, big, beautiful and clean city.

- No more tariffs on Chinese goods

Referring to his bilateral meeting with Chinese counterpart alongside G20 summit, he said, “U.S. won't lift [already imposed] tariffs [on Chinese goods]…. [we] won’t be adding additional taxes [either].”

“We work with China from where we left off,” he said referring to trade negotiations with China over last several months.

“China is going to be consulting with us, spending money for our farmers [even] during our [trade deal] negotiations,” he added.

The U.S. president said that Washington will send a buyer list of products to Beijing. “China is going to buy food and agricultural products [from us], will give them a list that we would like them to buy,” he said.

He, however, said that Chinese students were welcome to study in US colleges.

- Unfair agreement with Japan

Touching upon the Japan-U.S. security pact, Trump said that the agreement was “unfair”.

“I am not [scrapping it],” he replied to a question. “But what I have said in last 6 months is that if Japan is attacked, U.S. will come to their help but should America be attacked Japan won’t.. that is the agreement which is unfair.”