IAEA director general voices support for US-North Korea summit
Stresses need to address North Korea's nuclear program through dialogue
The Herald Business international desk delivers a daily briefing on Trump-related issues through its "One Day, One Trump" newsletter and series. Click "Original Article" below the headline and byline at the top of this article to read more.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi has voiced support for a US-North Korea summit as he pursues a bid to become the next UN secretary-general.
Speaking with The Washington Post on Thursday (local time), Grossi said it was "very important" for President Donald Trump to pursue talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, adding that "leaders must meet each other." He stressed the need to resolve the issue through negotiations.
Grossi said Kim's reputation as a human rights-abusing dictator should not stand in the way of dialogue.
He pointed to Trump's efforts to mediate between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing war as an example. "People say, 'How can you shake hands with someone like that?' But a handshake is the reason diplomacy exists," Grossi said. "After the handshake, you expect a conversation — and through that conversation, which must be conducted in a polite and respectful manner, we try to get something done."
The IAEA plays a central role in the declaration, verification and inspection processes of nuclear negotiations under the banner of nonproliferation. Should Trump reach an agreement with Kim on North Korea's nuclear program, the agency would likely be deeply involved in overseeing implementation. It has previously raised allegations about North Korea's nuclear development and sent inspection teams to the country to verify compliance with agreements.
When the United States signed an MOU with Iran in June to end hostilities and launched 60 days of substantive negotiations, the return of IAEA nuclear inspectors to Iran was touted as the first concrete achievement. The MOU expired Aug. 17 amid renewed exchanges of fire between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Grossi is running as a candidate for the next UN secretary-general and finished tied for second place among eight candidates in the second straw poll held Friday. To be appointed, a candidate must receive affirmative votes from at least nine of the Security Council's 15 members and must not be vetoed by any of the five permanent members — the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and France — known as the P5.
yckim6452@heraldcorp.com
