Dr. Alon Levkowitz, lecturer and coordinator of the Asian Studies Programme at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, has expressed an optimistic outlook for the DPRK-USA Summit taking place in Ha Noi from 27-28 February.

The DPRK-USA Summit will take place in Ha Noi from 27-28 February. (Photo: VNA)

Viet Nam was chosen to hold the second high-profile meeting between US President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un as it ticks a lot of boxes, he told Viet Nam News Agency’s correspondent in Israel.

Besides being a good friend to both the US and the DPRK, Viet Nam is a short distance from Pyongyang for Kim, while Ha Noi and Washington are now close partners despite past confrontations, he said.

He described the first summit between the two sides in Singapore as significant for the second event as they reached a consensus on several issues, like the DPRK halting nuclear tests on the Korean Peninsula and the US pausing joint military exercises with the Republic of Korea.

The second meeting is on the right track; however, it needs specific outcomes, he underlined, explaining that Pyongyang should show Washington it is crucial to continue negotiations to bring peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Levkowitz cast doubts on the breakthroughs of the outcomes if both sides focus only on what they want. The US expects the DPRK to slow down its nuclear weapon programme while the latter wants the American nation to remove economic sanctions.

(Source: VNA)