President Trump's summit with North Korea 'is not going to happen', says Professor
DONALD Trump’s proposed summit with Kim Jong-un is never happen after the US President scrapped plans to meet the North Korean leader next month, a London-based American academic has said.
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It will be postponed if it happens at all
Professor Michael Cullinane of the University of Roehampton made his remarks as Mr Trump confirmed he was calling off his visit to Singapore for the historic meeting, which had been scheduled for June 12.
He said: “I think it was pretty clear it was not going to happen."
He suggested that there now were serious question marks over it would ever happen.
In a letter to Kim released by the White House today, Mr Trump said: "I was very much looking forward to being there with you.
"Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting."
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“It was a poor strategic play.
“The point is it’s an easy thing for North Korea to get upset about.
“I think Mr Trump has some trouble understanding the situation, and the fact that this is a the only communist country in the world with a hereditary monarch.”
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Professor Cullinane said he also suspected Kim had an ulterior motive – keeping China happy.
He said: “I’ve no doubt that this also relates to China and the possible trade war.”
He pointed out that Mr Trump had recently described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “good poker player” and Professor Cullinane suggested Xi was using Kim to apply some “leverage”.
He said: “It’s not coincidental that Kim has made two visits to China in two months – that’s very unusual because he rarely leaves his country.
"He will be talking to China daily, as his closest and indeed his only ally.
“If North Korea doesn’t do what China says, they can turn out the lights.”
The prospect of a successful summit, Professor Cullinane suggested, might persuade Mr Trump to take a more relaxed approach in respect of his plans to slap tough new tariffs on steel and aluminium imported from China.
Professor Cullinane argued that Mr Trump badly needed to score a diplomatic victory on the issue to offset the pressure of the Russia investigation behind spearheaded by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, coupled with the allegations of an affair with porn star Stormy Daniels.