Senator Rand Paul explained Tuesday that reports of North Korea threatening to cancel the imminent peace summit talks with President Trump are being ‘over-read’, and that the negotiations should go ahead unhindered.
Reports emerged yesterday suggesting that North Korea had suspended talks with the South over military drills being carried out in conjunction with the US.
BREAKING: North Korea suspends talks with South Korea over S.Korea-U.S military drills, North Korean state news agency KCNA reports. Talks between the Koreas were set to resume Wednesday.
— David P Gelles (@gelles) May 15, 2018
BREAKING — North Korea has suspended talks with South Korea, because of a military drill conducted by South Korea and the US, North Korean state news agency KCNA reports.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2018
The talks between the Koreas were set to resume Wednesday. KCNA said the Max Thunder 2018 air combat drill was against the Panmunjom declaration – signed last month by N and S Korea. KCNA labelled the Max Thunder drills a “deliberate provocation”.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2018
North Korean state news: the US should carefully consider the fate of the North Korea- US summit, in view of what it calls “provocative military disturbances with South Korea" (the joint US/S Korea military exercise)
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2018
This quickly escalated into reports of North Korea threatening to scrap the talks with Trump and refusing to denuclearize.
The State Department, however, said it was unaware of any problems:
.@statedeptspox says "We have not heard anything from that government or the government of South Korea to indicate that we would not continue conducting these exercises or that we would not continue planning for our meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un next month.”
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2018
State Department: We are operating under the notion that the meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un is happening next month
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) May 15, 2018
“This is consistent with the historic position [on the exercises] and that is why I wouldn’t over-read what is going on here,” said Senator Paul, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“I’m hopeful the talks will still occur and the talks we’re talking about having in Singapore. I think those will still occur.” Paul told Wolf Blitzer on CNN.
Senator @RandPaul: I’m hoping North Korea’s warnings against military drills are a “temporary setback” but “I’m still optimistic” there is a peaceful solution ahead https://t.co/cTKHmIEtGA pic.twitter.com/g96koYewrH
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) May 15, 2018
“From their perspective, they also feel they gave up the three prisoners and said they are ending military-weapons testing,” Paul continued, adding “They are giving and haven’t seen a little bit on the other side from us.”
“This is just their way of responding and pushing back,” Paul said. “But I don’t think it endangers the upcoming talks.”
The Senator also commented on the Iran nuclear deal, noting that he supports talks between Iran and President Trump, saying “I think that we need more discussion at a higher level with Iran.”
“I think we’ve taken a step backwards” by exiting the Iran nuclear deal, “I foresee years and years of trying to figure out how to get better relations with Iran again … it was a mistake,” Republican Senator @RandPaul says pic.twitter.com/trxZ1t7WkX
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) May 15, 2018
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