The meeting will be held at a hotel on Sentosa Island. Putin calls Trump’s decision to meet Kim “brave and mature”. Meanwhile, experts look at the timing and costs of denuclearisation: ten years and US$ 5 billion. The IAEA is available for verification but funds are needed. Red Cross calls for action to solve immediately humanitarian problems.
Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump will meet at 9 am on 12 June at the Capella Hotel, on Sentosa Island (Singapore).
The White House made the announcement after weeks of diplomatic meetings and uncertainties, putting an end to the speculations about the fate of the summit.
Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Trump's decision to meet Kim “brave and mature” and expects a "positive outcome".
Sentosa (peace and tranquillity in Malay) is Singapore’s fourth largest island.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the airspace over Singapore will be temporarily restricted for 11, 12 and 13 June. On the ground, Singapore’s Gurkha troops will provide security.
Meanwhile, experts and the media have started to look at the costs of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and how long it would take.
The US hope for a quick denuclearisation is considered technically impossible. Experts believe it could take up to 10-15 years.
According to reports, South Korean intelligence community estimates that North Korea’s nuclear weapons workforce stands at about 3,000 individuals including 200 experts.
Finding new jobs for the staff will take time, and the costs of denuclearisation could total about US billion.
For his part, Trump said he did not expect the United States to spend a lot, and that South Korea and China would help North Korea.
In fact, costs also weigh on the denuclearisation process.
On Monday Yukiya Amano, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the UN agency is prepare to play the crucial role of verifying the process once the parties reach an agreement.
However, “How to ensure the staffing needed for real inspections is going to be the biggest question,” an IAIE official said.
North Korea’s humanitarian situation will also be on the table. Since last September, tough sanctions have been in place against the country.
“Humanitarian aid [to North Korea] needs to be provided without conditions, divided family reunions included,” said International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) president Peter Maurer.
“Solutions to humanitarian issues need to be achieved at their own pace. There are serious humanitarian issues on the Korean Peninsula,” he explained.
Sanctions have had a negative impact on the North Korean people and should be reduced as soon as possible, he added.
Maurer noted that the ICHR is ready to offer assistance for the upcoming meetings between families separated by the war of 1950-1953.