Two-Day Talks Between Trump And Kim?

Washington: The upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore could extend into a second day if it goes well, informed sources told CNN.

US officials have laid the groundwork for a second day of meetings if the two men decide they want to continue discussions, the sources said on Wednesday.

Trump and Kim are due to meet on June 12 for the first time and the US leader is due to return home the next day, but American officials in Singapore have established a contingency plan for a second day of discussions. However, the White House is still yet to confirm the development.

It's not clear if Trump is eager for a two-day summit with Kim, but he has expressed a desire for flexibility in the negotiations and stressed to aides and US allies that he plans to follow his gut as he negotiates with the North Korean leader, the sources told CNN.

The summit will be a historic first meeting between a sitting US President and North Korean leader. Talks will begin at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island at 9 a.m. on June 12.

The US has stressed that it is seeking complete and verifiable denuclearisation of North Korea, but a week ahead of the summit, questions remain about whether Kim is truly committed to achieving that aim.  US officials emphasise that it is a decision Kim still needs to make.

IANS