British Ambassador to Vietnam optimistic over US-North Korea talks

Hanoi: British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward on Saturday expressed optimism over the upcoming United States and North Korea Summit.

Ward posted a video of a cheerful parade in Vietnam and wrote that he is hoping the “positive atmosphere outside will encourage progress on denuclearisation at the talks.”

“Good luck to @MOFAVietNam in its preparations for the United States and North Korea summit. Today’s parade outside my Residence looks cheerful. Let’s hope a positive atmosphere outside will encourage progress on denuclearisation at the talks,” tweeted Ward.

It could be seen in the video Vietnamese youth marching on a street all wearing blue t-shirts and carrying the US and North Korea flags on their bicycle.

US President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un is scheduled to meet on February 27 and 28 at Hanoi in Vietnam.

Trump and Jong-un met last in Singapore last year, where they had agreed on a spectrum of issues, the most prominent being the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

However, the US and North Korea reached an impasse regarding sanctions relief for Pyongyang soon after the first Summit, leading to extremely slow progress on the denuclearisation front.

North Korea has sought relief in sanctions in light of the steps taken by the country towards denuclearisation. The United States has repeatedly stated that there would be no sanctions relief until complete denuclearisation is achieved by North Korea.

While advocating bipartisanship in American politics during his State of the Union address, Trump maintained his stance on ‘illegal immigrants’ and asserted he will build the proposed wall along the border with Mexico.

Trump also touched upon a number of other issues, including withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Syria, the tariffs imposed on China, rise of anti-Semitic sentiments, healthcare and infrastructure.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]