RUSSIALINK: “State Duma doesn’t expect instant results from U.S.-N. Korean summit, stands for six-party talks” – Interfax

MOSCOW. June 12 (Interfax) – The meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a historical event, but it would not give instant results, to that end negotiations should move to the six-party format, Alexei Chepa, the deputy chair of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, told Interfax on Tuesday.

“It is a historical meeting and its outcomes will make history. […] I believe this process will be arduous and mistakes could exacerbate the situation, if negotiating process is progressing with difficulties and the U.S. tries to obtain an instant result – it wouldn’t happen. This is why one should expect longer talks, but the outcomes of those talks could be very positive,” he said.

Moving the negotiations to the six-party format could give much more for achievement of good results, he said.

“In the future, when talks would enter a normal cycle, I believe, the most appropriate thing is participation of the six parties, those are the Unites States, North and South Koreas, China, Russia and Japan. Resolving issues at the six-party talks would be the best solution and give more guarantees to North Korea,” Chepa said.

He said he hopes that the whole world would see that difficult issues can only be resolved at the negotiating table and “it would be a good lesson for many people.”

U.S. leader Donald Trump needs the meeting with the North Korean head to solidify his image of a unique politician capable of resolving conflicts, which no president could resolve before, Chepa said.

“It is clear that Trump wants to return to the U.S. as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, in triumph, a victor. Naturally, Trump wants to return as a victor, as he managed to resolve the issue, which no president could resolve for decades and the peace treaty may be signed finally,” he said.

“Only a few months ago, it was hard to imagine such a meeting could indeed happen. Trump called Kim Jong UN ‘a rocket man’ during a session of the United Nations General Assembly and the latter called him ‘a dotard’ in response and the U.S. said that it is capable of destroying North Korea,” the lawmaker said.

The future goals of resolving the North Korean issue are the following: the first step is the withdrawal of the North and South Korean troops from the demilitarized area, the second one is full cessation of nuclear tests by North Korea, the third one is the closedown of the nuclear scientific center under the international community’s monitoring and the fourth one is the start of North Korea’s full destruction of its nuclear warheads, Chepa said.

“In response, sanctions would be lifted from North Korea, North Korea would receive economic assistance, in the future it may result in Koreas’ full rapprochement and, eventually, the reunion of North and South Koreas,” Chepa said.

The Russian side made a lot of efforts to convince the world and, primarily, the North Korean leadership that issues can only be resolved by peaceful means, by peaceful negotiations, Chepa said.