Trump willing to meet North Korea's Kim given 'right circumstances'

Among growing tensions, US President Donald Trump said that he would be honored to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un, under the right circumstances, even though the Asian country has continually suggested that it will continue its nuclear weapons test.

The offer is a continuation of what the President had said on the campaign trail before he took office in January. "If it would be appropriate for meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honoured to do it," Trump is reported to have said in an interview. "Under the right circumstances I would meet with him," he added.

Though following his recent pronouncement, he did not clarify what would be the right conditions for such a meeting to take place, the President's press secretary, Sean Spicer, did later clear that such a meeting could clearly not take place under the current conditions and he does not see it taking place any time soon.

North Korea, which has been developing its nuclear program even though it has been under pressure not to from western countries led by the United States, has been at the centre of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Trump's statement comes after North Korea, under the regime of Kim, had warned on Monday that it will carry out nuclear tests anywhere and anytime as decided by its leadership.

It had also test-launched a missile on Saturday, which countries like the US and South Korea have said was unsuccessful but still has drawn widespread international condemnation. The country has also conducted five nuclear tests in defiance of the UN Security Council and unilateral resolutions.

The American Secretary of State Rex Tilerson had told the United Nations Security Council on Friday that his country would not negotiate with North Korea, while the Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday that Trump had made clear "that the era of strategic patience is over."

While later the same day, US state department spokeswoman said in a statement, "The United States remains open to credible talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula; however conditions must change before there is any scope for talks to resume," and added that the country must abandon its nuclear weapons program.

The Korean countries, North and South, are technically still at war after the conflict between the two nations in the period of 1950-53 ended in a truce and not a treaty.

Trump in an interview last week had reportedly said that a major conflict with North Korea was possible, while China had warned that the situation on the Korean peninsula could escalate or slip out of control. China, which is the North's major ally, is being pursued by the US to help stop the growth of the country's nuclear and missile development program.

OneIndia News