Reports suggest CIA director Mike Pompeo travelled to Pyongyang during the Easter period for a secret visit with Kim Jong–un. This unexpected and clandestine meeting would mark the highest level US contact with North Korea since 2000. President Trump alluded to talks as he hosted Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida. Speaking to the assembled media Trump said: "We have had direct talks at… extremely high levels."
Sputnik: How important could this meeting between the North Korean leader & the CIA Director turn out to be?
Atul Bhardwaj: Definitely the meeting between Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong-un which took place during Easter that is being reported is an important development. Most probably they would have discussed the venues for the talks and the other details of the talks. It sends a very positive signal before the start of the talks between the North and South Korean leaders, which is due to be held on 27th April. I hope the two neighbours draw and end to the Korean conflict during those talks and it paves the way for further peace deal between America and North Korea.
Sputnik: Could we see a softening of the stance by North Korea and the US with these talks and also the proposed talks on the Korean War?
Atul Bhardwaj: if you look at the North Koreans they are more keen for peace deal now, they may not agree to denuclearisation in the first go, but they are more keen to have peace. However, I’m not sure about Trump, is he equally keen about peace with North Korea, because America has a record of launching pre-emptive strikes. My fear is if the talks were to fail for any reason that should not give America any leeway to launch any type of strikes against Pyongyang or to disturb peace in the region.
Sputnik: How will US ally’s view the news of the CIA director meeting, with Japan worried about being pushed aside?
Atul Bhardwaj: Japan is definitely worried; Japan is worried about the North Korean issue being put on a backburner by the Americans. Japan is equally worried about the South and the North Koreans coming together, because if the two Korea’s were to come together they would be come a larger nation, which directly impacts the Japanese power in the region.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.