ZCZC
BFF-39
VIETNAM-NKOREA-US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY
Vietnam’s foreign minister to visit North Korea ahead of Trump-Kim summit
HANOI, Feb 11, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Vietnam’s foreign minister will fly to
North Korea Tuesday for an official state visit, the ministry announced,
ahead of a second planned summit between US President Donald Trump and North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump announced last week on Twitter that the communist state’s capital
Hanoi will be the host for a second summit with the elusive North Korean head
of state on February 27-28.
Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh “will pay an official visit to
DPRK from February 12 to 14” at the invitation of his North Korean
counterpart Ri Yong Ho, Vietnam’s foreign ministry announced on its website
Monday.
No further details were provided for the visit, but ministry spokeswoman
Le Thi Thu Hang said last week Vietnam is “willing to make positive
contributions… for a successful US-North Korea summit”.
The high-profile event is expected to draw hundreds of reporters from all
over the world, as the two leaders discuss steps for North Korea’s
denuclearisation.
It follows a landmark first meeting between Trump and Kim in Singapore in
June, which produced a vaguely-worded document in which Kim pledged to work
towards denuclearisation — with no hard timelines stamped down.
Vietnam is looking to follow up on its successful hosting of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2017 and the regional World
Economic Forum last year — boosting its diplomatic gravitas on the global
stage.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1740 hrs