General Cuong: Vietnam is the "bridge connecting the happy shores" of countries

“We have overcome all the challenges and we have come here today,” Mr. Kim told President Trump as the two leaders sat down to start talking on February 27 in Hanoi. Photo: AP.

The summit was fruitful.

PV:On the afternoon of February 28, 2019, the second US-North Korea summit in Hanoi ended. International public opinion has had different assessments and comments on the results of this US-North Korea summit. As a researcher, how does the Major General evaluate the results of this summit?

Major General Le Van Cuong:On this issue, in my opinion, we must start from the current state of US-North Korea relations to assess whether this summit is a success or a failure. To have a certain frame of reference and based on that frame of reference, we can evaluate objectively and avoid sentimentality.

I think that for the past 66 years, since 1953, the United States and North Korea have been on opposite sides of the battle line, and they see each other as enemies. North Korea has sought to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to force the United States to sit at the negotiating table with them. North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons programs have existed for about 20 years.

And on June 12, 2018, during the first summit, President Trump and leader Kim Jong-un issued a joint political statement. The two sides pledged to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, but unfortunately this statement had no specific binding points, no roadmap, no steps, no solutions for inspection, supervision, and verification, so after more than 7 months, the denuclearization process still stagnated. In that context, they were forced to meet, and the initiative belonged to President Trump.

Mr. Kim Jong-un once declared that North Korea's missile and nuclear programs had completed their mission.

If we base our assessment of this second summit on the goal of denuclearization, it is clear that there has been no result. But if we take the long-term goal of decades, and put it into a summit and then consider it unsuccessful, I think that is unreasonable, not objective and not realistic. Because the process of denuclearizing North Korea must take place in a roadmap, with a time length equal to at least 50% of the time that North Korea developed nuclear weapons (from about 1994 to now).

I think that this denuclearization process will take place over a long period of time, over one or two terms of the US President. It is unrealistic to ask for just one summit to resolve issues that have been pending for more than half a century, issues that have accumulated over two decades. But objectively speaking, if on the afternoon of February 28, 2019, President Trump and leader Kim Jong-un sign a joint statement, this meeting will be complete.

Major General Le Van Cuong

Although they did not sign a joint statement, they still verbally committed to major issues. That is, they were united and determined to find reasonable and satisfactory solutions to achieve the goal of denuclearization.

Second, they committed that both the United States and North Korea would continue to study proposals from the other side to find ways and solutions in which each side would de-escalate, make concessions, and partially meet the other side's demands.

Third, on the afternoon of February 28, 2019, they continued to commit to maintaining dialogue at many levels. And the final commitment of the two leaders was to take concrete actions to maintain a peaceful atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula, first of all in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

They also pledged that North Korea would not test nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles. The US would not conduct military exercises, consider North Korea's proposals to partially lift the embargo, and not leave nuclear weapons in Japan and South Korea... And so this summit was a success, not a failure.

Overshadowing this meeting is the international community that has witnessed the US-North Korea relationship maintaining dialogue, on the basis of international law, mutual respect, and they are also on the path to the final destination of denuclearization.

Major General Le Van Cuong

Therefore, in my opinion, the failure to issue a joint statement does not mean that this summit was not successful. Of course, a joint statement would be complete. But it must be said that it has had real results, continuing to promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. And especially, the people of South Korea and North Korea will continue to live in an atmosphere of peace and friendly cooperation with each other in the coming time.

Vietnam successfully hosted the US-North Korea summit.

PV:According to the Major General, through this summit, what successes has Vietnam achieved?

Major General Le Van Cuong:In my opinion, Vietnam has completely successfully organized the US-North Korea summit. This was officially confirmed by President Trump, recognized by leader Kim Jong-un, and more importantly, confirmed by nearly 3,000 international journalists present in Hanoi in recent days: Vietnam has done its utmost to successfully protect the second US-North Korea summit.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and US President Donald Trump at the Government Office at noon on February 27.

In particular, through the safety protection of this US-North Korea Summit, Vietnam has sent a message to the world: The Vietnamese people are a kind-hearted people, Vietnam is a peaceful and stable country. Vietnam is ready to welcome and create conditions for all countries with conflicts and contradictions to resolve their difficulties and obstacles, choosing Vietnam as a place for dialogue. Vietnam has become an ideal destination for high-level, bilateral and multilateral international forums.

Through this US-North Korea Summit, the international community received an image of a peaceful, stable, friendly, and hospitable Vietnam. Moreover, the Vietnamese government has the capacity to organize bilateral and multilateral summits. And in fact, Vietnam has done this.

The international community has placed its trust in Vietnam, as “a bridge connecting happy shores”. Vietnam has become a place with sufficient conditions to resolve conflicts and differences between countries.

Major General Le Van Cuong

International press praised Vietnam's "diplomatic victory" after the second US-North Korea Summit held in Hanoi. Illustration photo: AFP

In all aspects, Vietnam has succeeded in ensuring the absolute safety of the second US-North Korea Summit. Thereby, Vietnam's role and position have been enhanced. The international community looks at Vietnam with friendly eyes, acknowledging that Vietnam is a peace-loving country, and that the Vietnamese people are kind, open, and hospitable. That is Vietnam's greatest victory through organizing this US-North Korea Summit.

PV:Thank you, Major General!