Chairman Risch Statement on Hanoi Summit and Ongoing Negotiations with North Korea

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement following President Trump’s departure from the Hanoi Summit with no final agreement between the U.S. and Chairman Kim of North Korea:

“For more than 20 years, U.S. presidents of both parties have sought to engage with North Korea in an effort to convince North Korea that peace is the only path to prosperity. 

“The president was right to engage with Chairman Kim, and I believe additional progress has been made this week. Unfortunately, Chairman Kim remains unwilling to present an acceptable denuclearization offer to the president. I applaud President Trump for rejecting North Korea’s limited offer and for seeking a complete and comprehensive agreement. I join the president in urging Chairman Kim to offer a substantive plan that ends his nuclear program. It is important to note that he has committed to no further nuclear or missile testing, but he must move towards a greater commitment to end the program.

“I look forward to hearing the details of these ongoing negotiations from Stephen Biegun, special envoy to North Korea, in a classified setting with committee members in the coming days.”

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