Kim Jong un-Donald Trump shake hands, begin 'terrific relationship'

Singapore US President Donald Trump shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jongun on Tuesday and welcomed the beginning of a terrific relationship a momentous step in an improbable courtship that has opened a new era for the worlds largest nuclear power and the most reclusive oneIn a carefully choreographed encounter at around 9 am Trump and Kim strode towards each other arms extended in the redcarpeted reception area of the grand Capella Hotel in Singapores Sentosa Island reports The New York TimesThis is the first time a sitting American President and North Korean leader have ever metThe two leaders then shared a 12second handshake in the courtyard of the Britishcolonial style hotel against a backdrop of American and North Korean flagsPosing for photographs Trump put his hand on the younger mans shoulder Then the two alone except for their interpreters walked off to meet privately in an attempt to resolve the crisis over North Koreas nuclear programmeI feel really great Trump saidIts gonna be a great discussion and I think tremendous success I think its gonna be really successful and I think we will have a terrific relationship I have no doubtThe handshakeKim spoke in Korean saying that the old prejudices and practices worked as obstacles on our way forward but weve overcome all of them and we are here todayThe goal of the summit was to ratify the outlines of a joint statement to be released before the two men left Singapore later on Tuesday that laid out a framework for additional talks reports The Washington PostAfter their oneonone meeting which lasted for about 45 minutes the two leaders were joined by senior aides for an expanded bilateral meeting and working lunchAsked how the earlier discussion went Trump said Very very good The Straits Times reportedOn the US side Trumps team included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo National Security Adviser John Bolton White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung KimThe North Korean delegation included Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho ViceForeign Minister Choe Son Hui and ViceChairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers Party of Korea Kim Yong CholThe two delegations are sitting across a nearly 80yearold 43 metrelong teak wood table formerly used by the Chief Justice of Singapore in the daily administration of the courtIt has been loaned by the Singapore National Gallery to the US EmbassyOn Monday North Koreas Choe and US Ambassador Sung Kim led a workinglevel meeting to finalise last minute details of the summitThe two leaders reached Singapore on Sunday followed by their individual meetings with Prime Minister Lee Hsien LoongThe summit which was almost scrapped by a mercurial Trump last month comes after a flurry of diplomatic activities and barrage of invective and insults traded between the US President and an equally aggressive KimWhile the US seeks complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula Kim fears giving up of all nukes may invite an invasion by WashingtonIn 2017 Pyongyang fired off ballistic missiles and even conducted the most powerful nuclear test till date infuriating the US Its sole ally China was left embarrassedThe summit also marks a diplomatic landmark between the two countries with a long history of tense tiesThe 195053 Korean War ended without an official peace treaty Previous US Presidents have made several attempts to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons without successTwo major diplomatic efforts an agreement in 1994 and the sixparty talks in the 2000s were ultimately abandoned with both sides either failing to agree or accusing the other of not abiding by the terms of the agreementsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever