US-North Korea summit ‘an important milestone’ towards denuclearization, says Guterres

Tuesday’s historic summit between the leaders of the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been hailed as “an important milestone” by the UN Secretary-General.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un concluded their meeting in Singapore by signing a statement covering issues that included a pledge from North Korea to complete the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and end its nuclear weapons programme.

In a statement issued by his Spokesman, UN chief António Guterres urged the parties “to seize this momentous opportunity”.

For the Secretary-General, the summit was “an important milestone in the advancement of sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.”

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also welcomed the outcome of the talks that took place over the course of several hours in Singapore, which was the first time that a sitting US President had sat down face-to-face, with a leader of DPRK.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said the agency stands ready to undertake any nuclear verification activities in North Korea, if requested.

Last September, the IAEA established a team in its Department of Safeguards to enhance its ability to monitor the country’s nuclear programme.

At the time, Pyongyang had just launched its sixth and largest nuclear test since it began its programme, in 2006.