Philippines – President Duterte welcomes the upcoming meeting between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong-un, saying that this finally causes the tension between the two countries to simmer down.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after it was reported that Trump has accepted Kim’s invitation to meet over North Korea’s nuclear program after trading threats of war.
Roque said that Duterte wishes nothing but for these two strong-willed countries to come to terms as a war would only put the world to its end.
“We welcome this dialogue between the head of North Korea and President Trump. Si Presidente Duterte po noong ASEAN, noong APEC, paulit-ulit po niyang sinasabi na wala pong interes na magkaroon ng giyera dito sa ating rehiyon,” Roque said.
“Ang giyera po ay magiging dahilan para tumigil na naman ang nararamdaman nating pag-unlad dito sa ating bayan. Kaya ang inaasahan po niya, ang mga hindi pinagkakasunduan ng Amerika at ng North Korea, mapag-uusapan,” he added.
Roque also said that Duterte hailed the upcoming meeting between the two leaders, citing that this may finally prompt the peaceful resolution of the tension in the Korean Peninsula.
“At ngayong mag-uusap po sila, ito po’y dahilan para magalak naman ang Presidente, at nagbibigay ng pag-asa na itong kontrobersiya ng Korean Peninsula ay mabibigyan ng mapayapang solusyon,” he said.
According to the White House, Trump agreed to meet Kim by May this year in the hope of achieving a permanent denuclearization.
Trump, in his Twitter account, said that North Korea’s earlier talks with the South about denuclearization are a welcome development. However, the US President said that sanctions will remain until they reach an agreement. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
