TRUMP SAYS TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA “MAY BE FALSE HOPE, BUT THE U.S. IS READY TO GO HARD IN EITHER DIRECTION” -TWEET</s>Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump hailed "possible progress" in breaking a nuclear deadlock with North Korea Tuesday, after Pyongyang floated the idea of abandoning its weapons in return for a US security guarantee.

"Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea," the US commander-in-chief tweeted, in a first cautious response to the overture transmitted through US ally South Korea.

"For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned," Trump tweeted after a South Korean envoy returned from a landmark meeting in the North with Kim Jong Un.

"The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!" Trump said, keeping options open.

South Korea's national security advisor Chung Eui-yong announced the potential breakthrough, as well as plans for a landmark summit between North and South Korean leaders in the Demilitarized Zone this April.

In return for a security guarantee -- likely a US promise not to attack or overthrow the Kim regime -- Chung said that the North was willing to suspend and ultimately abandon nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The United States believes North Korea is testing, and could soon complete, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering an advanced nuclear device to the continental United States.

That ominous technological breakthrough would put cities like Los Angeles and even New York in striking distance of a unpredictable and hostile regime, something that is unthinkable to many security officials in Washington.

In response, Trump has mounted a campaign of "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang, introducing biting sanctions and keeping open the option of preemptive strikes.

The offer of talks is a tantalizing one for Washington, offering a possible off ramp for the road to an inevitably bloody war. But is also fraught with risks.

"It's a big deal," Jung Pak, a former CIA analyst told AFP. It is the first time in Kim Jong Un's seven-year-rule that he has countenanced the prospect of giving up weapons, she said.

But while this is a new gambit for Kim, it is not new for the North Korean regime.

On multiple occasions his father Kim Jong Il dangled the prospect of talks and denuclearization as a means of buying time and dividing South Korea from its allies.

"It could be that 'maximum pressure' is working and (Kim) wants to loosen sanctions, there might be domestic drivers, there could be rumblings among the elite," she said.

"It is probably a gambit to try and lure South Korea away from the West. It's also related to creating this international prestige for Kim Jong Un," she added.

"We just have to be very clear eyed that we've been down this road before," said Pak.

The US is certain to look for further evidence that North Korea is serious about mothballing weapons, including possible international inspections of nuclear and missile programs.

Trump will also have to decide whether to go ahead with "Foal Eagle" a major military exercise between South Korea and the United States that is scheduled around the same time as the Korean summit.

According to a senior official at the South's presidential office, Kim said during Monday's meeting he would "understand" if the South goes ahead with the delayed exercises that usually infuriate Pyongyang.</s>President Donald Trump promised Tuesday his proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum will be applied in a "very loving way."

Trump said the measures were necessary to balance global trade deficits.

"The United States has been taken advantage of by other countries, both friendly and not so friendly," Trump said during a news conference with his Swedish counterpart.

The President said he didn't blame individual countries but instead past presidents for allowing trade deficits to balloon.

"I don't blame the countries," he said. "I blame our leadership for allowing it to happen."

He singled out the European Union in particular, saying barriers on trade made it difficult for US goods to enter the bloc.

"The European Union has been particularly tough on the US. they make it almost impossible for us to do business with them," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump attempted to rebut claims that his West Wing is rattled with disorder and low morale. But his message on Twitter only heightened speculation that some aides may soon depart the White House.

"The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong!" Trump wrote. "People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!"

The news conference also provided Trump an opportunity to weigh in on upcoming talks between North and South Korea, which were announced Tuesday. Trump has said talks between the US and North Korea must only begin after Pyongyang agrees to denuclearization.

Unlike the United States, Sweden has a diplomatic relationship with North Korea. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has offered to assist the United States in its efforts to end the nuclear crisis there.

Löfven is the first European leader to visit the White House since Trump announced he would slap stiff new tariffs on steel and aluminum last week. The European Union has vowed to take reciprocal action, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker discussed the matter with Löfven before he arrived in Washington, according to Swedish news agencies.

Trump hit back at the EU on Saturday during closed-press remarks to donors at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

"I will tell you the European Union -- brutal. They've been brutal to us," Trump said.

He wrote on Twitter later that if the EU increases tariffs on US goods "we will simply apply a Tax on their Cars which freely pour into the U.S. They make it impossible for our cars (and more) to sell there. Big trade imbalance!"

Final details of the tariff plan aren't yet known, and foreign allies have been lobbying Trump over the phone to narrow the scope of his trade decision. Trump will meet with Swedish business representatives midday Tuesday before his news conference.</s>US President Donald Trump took a shot at Hollywood on Monday, gloating over the fact the Oscars 2018 suffered from poor television ratings. Trump's tweet is the latest shot fired in his fraught relationship with the film industry and its leading faces.

"Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don't have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!" read Trump's tweet.

Trump's animosity with stars - movies, television and otherwise - is well known. In the run-up to the 2016 election, most stars had spoken against Trump and many had supported Hillary Clinton. Even after Trump emerged victorious, he was unable to get A-list celebrities to attend his inauguration.

Awards ceremonies have also become a major stage to voice political dissent ever since Trump took charge as President. The biggest Hollywood stars, from Meryl Streep to Leonardo Di Caprio, have used the platform to appeal for exactly the kind of politics that Trump stands against.

An estimated 26.5 million people watched the 90th Oscars awards show on Sunday. That's not just a record low, but a whopping 20 percent lower than last year's viewership numbers. The show was hosted by talk show personality Jimmy Kimmel, a regular Trump-basher.

And this is not the first time the President of the United States has taken time to gloat over the ratings of an awards show. His obsession was TV ratings is well-documented, considering his stint on reality TV. He has in the past gloated over the poor ratings of the Emmys, news shows, talk shows, NFL, golf tournaments, the US Open… and the list goes on.</s>The White House has said that Donald Trump had been referring to a call with South Korea's leader when he appeared to suggest a landmark direct contact with the nuclear North.

Trump raised eyebrows at a Washington media dinner on Saturday when he said "they, by the way, called up a couple of days ago and said 'we would like to talk.'

"And I said, 'so would we, but you have to de-nuke, you have to de-nuke,'" Trump added.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Trump had in fact been referencing a call he had on Thursday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Pyongyang is the Korean peninsula's only nuclear-armed power, prompting speculation of rare direct contact between US and North Korean officials.

Moon has prodded Trump toward negotiations, and has met North Korean officials himself.</s>Trump’s announcement that he will impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum has upended political alliances on Capitol Hill.

President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with steel and aluminum executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, March 1, 2018, in Washington. Trump’s announcement that he will impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum has upended political alliances on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump issued a pair of early-morning tweets that say American tariffs on imported steel and aluminum will only come off if there’s a new NAFTA agreement that’s fair to the United States.

The president also wrote that Canada must treat U.S. farmers better and Mexico must do more to stop drugs from getting into the United States.

Related: Trump promises big tariffs on steel, aluminum; impact on Canada still unclear

The president has invoked national security as the reasons for imposing tariffs of 25 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, on all imported steel and aluminum.

But the Trump administration is coming under political pressure at home to exclude Canada, which is the largest source of imported steel and aluminum to the United States.

His administration is in the midst of renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, which covers trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Related: Trudeau sounds alarm bell as U.S. inches toward tariff war

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!</s>WASHINGTON — A cautious President Donald Trump spoke of possible progress Tuesday after South Korea announced that North Korea would halt nuclear weapons and missile tests and put its entire atomic arsenal up for discussion if the U.S. agrees to enter a negotiation. It could also be "false hope," the American leader said.

Trump credited all sides with a "serious effort" as U.S.-allied South Korean envoys returned home from a rare visit to their northern neighbour with the news of an inter-Korean summit planned for late April. But given the North's long history of broken promises on a nuclear program that now threatens the U.S. mainland, it wasn't surprising that Trump hedged.

"Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned," Trump tweeted Tuesday. "The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

North Korea has yet to confirm details of the announcements from Seoul that appeared to open the door to dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang after a year of escalating threats by Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and escalating fears of war.

While the offer of talks could ease tensions, the adversaries will still have to overcome deep mutual suspicion. The U.S. has consistently demanded North Korea give up its nukes, which the reclusive socialist state had previously insisted was off the table until Washington abandoned its "hostile policy" toward it. At a minimum, the Americans wanted a halt in nuclear and missile testing for talks to begin.

"Maybe this is a breakthrough. I seriously doubt it," Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, told a Senate hearing Tuesday. He said his doubts are grounded in what he called failed efforts by previous U.S. administrations to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear program.

Coats said Kim is "very calculating" and views his nuclear capabilities as "essential to his well-being as well as the well-being of his nation."

Since taking office, Trump has championed a policy of "maximum pressure" on North Korea, cranking up international sanctions to limit the country's trade. The North's commerce with China, its main trading partner, appears to have plummeted in recent months. The U.S. has said the pressure is designed to force North Korea to negotiate on giving up its nukes, but Trump hasn't ruled out military action.

Vice-President Mike Pence said the U.S. would remain "firm in our resolve" whichever direction talks with North Korea go. "All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable and concrete steps toward denuclearization," Pence said in a statement.

Diplomatic prospects had appeared bleak until a flurry of interactions between the two Koreas that sealed their joint participation in last month's Winter Olympics in South Korea, and a rare visit by Kim's sister to the country. The momentum has continued since then. The high-level South Korean delegation that visited Pyongyang this week was the first to meet Kim since he took power after his dictator father's death in late 2011.</s>President Donald Trump is citing “possible progress” in talks with North Korea, but says it may also be “false hope.”

Nonetheless, Trump adds that a “serious effort” is being made by all sides.

Trump commented Tuesday on Twitter after the South Korean government announced that North Korea has agreed to halt tests of nuclear weapons and missiles if it holds talks with the U.S. on denuclearization. South Korea and North Korea have also agreed to hold summit talks in late April.

Trump tweeted: “Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!</s>* Trump says the possible progress “may be false hope”

* North, South Korea to hold first summit since 2007 (Adds China, U.S. officials comment)

SEOUL/WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he saw “possible progress” regarding North Korea after South Korea said Pyongyang is willing to hold talks with the United States on denuclearization and will suspend nuclear tests while discussions are under way.

China also encouraged North and South Korea to continue their reconciliation efforts after a delegation from the South met with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

“Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea,” Trump wrote in a Twitter post. “For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!”

There was no immediate comment from Pyongyang.

“North Korea made clear its willingness to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and the fact there is no reason for it to have a nuclear programme if military threats against the North are resolved and its regime is secure,” the head of the South Korean delegation, Chung Eui-yong, told a media briefing.

The two sides will hold their first summit in more than a decade next month at the border village of Panmunjom, Chung added. The last inter-Korean summit was in 2007 when late former president Roh Moo-hyun was in office.

North and South Korea are experiencing a significant easing in tensions since the Winter Olympics in the South last month, even though they are technically still at war.

Chung cited North Korea as saying it would not carry out nuclear or missile tests while talks with the international community were under way. North Korea has not carried out any such tests since last November.

“The North also said it can have frank talks with the United States on denuclearization and the normalisation of ties between North Korea and the United States,” Chung added.

To ensure close communication, the two Koreas, whose 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty, will set up a hotline between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, Chung said.

The prospect of talks between the isolated North and the United States helped boost global stock markets, with the broadest gauge of global shares, MSCI’s All Country World Index , rising 0.7 percent and Wall Street stocks opening higher .

Washington and Pyongyang have been at loggerheads for months over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, with Trump and Kim Jong Un trading insults and threatening war. North Korea has regularly vowed never to give up its nuclear programme, which it sees as an essential deterrent and “treasured sword” against what it calls U.S. plans for invasion.

The United States, which stations 28,500 troops in the South, a legacy of the Korean War, denies any such plans.

In Washington, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the United States would have to know far more before assessing North Korea’s willingness to hold talks on denuclearization.

“Hope springs eternal but we need to learn a lot more relative to these talks. And we will. And the IC (intelligence community) will continue to do every possible collection and assessment we can relative to the situation in North Korea,” Coats told a U.S. Senate Armed Services hearing.

The director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, told the same hearing that he did not share a sense of optimism, adding, “That’s kind of a ‘show me,’ and so we’ll see how this plays out.”

Three U.S. officials who follow events on the Korean Peninsula cautioned against getting too optimistic that the talks would lead to a breakthrough.

“There’s no indication that Kim (Jong Un) has abandoned his conviction that his country must develop a nuclear capability that can reach the continental U.S. in order to deter an invasion and the overthrow of his family dynasty,” said one of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified intelligence assessments.

The officials cautioned that history suggested North Korea has agreed to talks to buy time for more research out of sight of U.S. reconnaissance and to seek food and other aid from South Korea to offset the effects of tightening international sanctions.

“We don’t really have any choice but to welcome this development and take it seriously, but there also is every reason to hold our applause and watch for a real shift in the North’s military programs and posture,” one of the officials said.

Kim Jong Un met senior South Korean government officials for the first time on Monday and said it was his “firm will to vigorously advance” inter-Korean ties and pursue reunification, North Korea’s official news agency said earlier.

Tensions between the two Koreas eased during the Olympics in South Korea, where Moon hosted a high-level North Korean delegation and the two sides presented a joint women’s ice hockey team. Kim Jong Un had invited Moon to North Korea for a summit, which was the first such request from a North Korean leader to a South Korean president.

North Korea has boasted of developing nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the United States, in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, but Pyongyang and Washington both say they want a diplomatic solution to the stand-off.

The first inter-Korean talks in more than two years were held early this year to bring North Korea to the Winter Olympics, when South Korea and the United States also postponed an annual joint large-scale military exercise that North Korea views as a preparation for invasion.

During this week’s visit, a senior Blue House official said North Korea was informed it was not feasible to postpone the joint military drills between South Korea and the United States again and that Kim Jong Un acknowledged the situation.

Kim Jong Un said he understood the drills, expected in April, would be of a similar scale seen in previous years, the official said. The North Korean leader also had a request for the world: that he be seriously acknowledged as a dialogue counterpart, said the official.

The South’s delegation leader, Chung, said he would travel to the United States to explain the outcome of the visit to North Korea and that he had a message from North Korea he would deliver to Trump.

Chung will later visit China and Russia, while Suh Hoon, the head of South Korea’s spy agency and another member of the delegation, will head to Japan.

The United States has said before it is open to talks but its position has been that dialogue must be aimed at North Korea’s denuclearization, something Pyongyang has rejected.

Moon has also remained vigilant against North Korea’s weapons ambitions, saying on Tuesday South Korea should bolster its defences in tandem with talks with Pyongyang. (Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, Ben Blanchard in Beijing and John Walcott in Washington Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Will Dunham)
U.S. President Donald Trump tweets that possible progress is being made in talks with North Korea.