Trump should sit down with Kim Jong-un and talk: Ex-Pentagon official
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is seeking leverage to save his regime, a former Pentagon official says, adding that the only way to prevent an imminent catastrophe is to start direct talks between the US and the North.
Shortly after the UN Security Council strongly condemned Pyongyang’s latest missile launch over Japan, Kim said his country sought a military "equilibrium" with the US.
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North Korea seeks military equilibrium with US: Kim Jong-un
Michael Maloof, a former Pentagon official, told Press TV that for North Korea’s young leader “survival of his regime is what’s paramount.”
“Kim Jong-un is seeking some kind of leverage ” to save his regime from being toppled by the sanctions slapped on the country, said the former Pentagon official based in Washington.
Maloof said these sanctions, however, have failed to stop North Korea from pursuing its missile and nuclear programs which Pyongyang says it needs to defend itself against US hostility.
He said Kim would use his weapons if he is cornered, and this is not what the world wants.
Maloof pointed out the logical approach for US President Donald Trump would be to allay concerns and begin direct talks.
“The US should first try to allay the concerns, and basically, just offer North Korea full diplomatic relations. Nothing else has worked,” he said.
“Let’s try the opposite. That will hopefully give the North Korean leader the sense that the US is not after regime change, as he has seen in the past, and in exchange, cease any further nuclear and missile testing, “he said.
Maloof said last year and earlier this year, before the recent “resurrection of a lot of military bluster by the US”, Trump had suggested talking to the North Korean leader over a hamburger.
“President Trump suggested what amounts to a hamburger summit; to sit down with Kim Jong-un and talk ... This has not been tried before. Direct talks ought to be tried ... I don’t see why that doesn’t occur, “ he asked.
“The UN has actually said it would sponsor such a gathering,” he said.
Maloof warned against the other options on the table.
The veteran analyst said that “a military option would be catastrophic”.
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