Possible Abe-Kim Summit to Help Solve North Korea Nuclear Issue - Bolton

TOKYO (Sputnik) – The possible meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un might be helpful in the settlement of the Pyongyang nuclear and weapons issue, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday.

Bolton is currently on his visit to Tokyo where US President Donald Trump will arrive later on Saturday for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In early May, Abe expressed readiness to hold negotiations with Kim without any preconditions.

READ MORE: Trump to Meet New Japanese Emperor, Hold Bilateral Talks With PM Abe

Bolton said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency, that the potential Abe-Kim meeting would also assist in solving the issue of abducted Japanese nationals detained in North Korea.

The national security adviser argued that the recent missile launches by North Korea had been held in violation of UNSC resolutions.

Moreover, Bolton insisted that the door to the third summit between Trump and Kim was open.

Speaking about the reported planned visit by Abe to Iran amid the Washington-Tehran row, Bolton said that this issue would be discussed during Trump’s Japan visit.

North Korea held several launches, including tests of short-range missiles, in early May.

In February, Trump and Kim held their second summit in Hanoi, which followed the first meeting in Singapore in June. However, the Vietnam meeting finished without any declaration or agreement.