Monday, June 4, 2018

Trump Unpacks the One Bundle Approach to Negotiations


I spent some time watching this program because it correctly analyzed Trump's statements after meeting with Kim Yong Chol at the White House. I drew the same conclusions after listening to Trump's remarks on the White House lawn afterwards, several times. This was a significant breakthrough but certainly not some kind of risky capitulation to North Korea as depicted in the NY Times, Washington Post and US Senate.

So the upper left corner of the screen identifying the subject matter of the show (and this was the headline number one out of ten on Top Ten) US retreats on from speedy CVID. Here's the link for the A Channel Top Ten program from which the graphic was taken on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YFc0YbH3U

Across the top it says secretly, a lot of communications- did Trump offer North Korea carrots?

Here is the three part imaginary dialogue depicted which was reflected in Trump's public statements on the White House lawn.
Kim: Phased denuclearization? Trump: You can go slow: Kim: Relax sanctions? Trump: I don't want to use the term maximum pressure; Kim: Guarantee for our system? Trump: We can discuss a declaration of the end of the war.

So the real concession here is allowing for the possibility of a step by step process of denuclearization. Trump said he didn't expect to get everything resolved in one meeting, and allowed for the possibility of additional meetings. He didn't really give up any sanctions, and didn't say he would. He said he wouldn't impose more as long as talks were progressing. The statement about declaring an end to hostilities is really in the same category, symbolic, words on paper. He said he'd discuss it. That's all. What he basically did was signal that he understood what the North Korean objectives were. He didn't concede anything tangible yet.

Trump also emphasized that the US wouldn't be paying for anything, and the costs for any economic matters would be borne by S.Korea, China and Japan. So he's basically picking up at the point where previous talks failed and has avoided any commitments, while conveying that he wishes to remain engaged, and make tangible progress. So what's the panic in DC and New York all about?




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