Syria's Bashar al-Assad considers trip to meet Kim Jong Un, North Korea says

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post




By Brian Murphy
June 3 at 7:27 AM

SEOUL — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has expressed interest in traveling to North Korea to meet Kim Jong Un, North Korean media reported Sunday, adding another layer of possible intrigue onto the planning for next week’s summit between President Trump and the North Korean leader.

The report by the state-run KCNA news agency gave no details on the timing for a possible trip by Assad, who has rarely left Syria since the country’s civil war erupted more than seven years ago. There also was no immediate comment from Syrian officials.

But even the suggestion of Assad’s outreach to North Korea is certain to ripple through White House efforts to define an agenda for the planned June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and Kim. It also reflects Kim’s push to shed his reclusive image and seek wider contacts, including apparent efforts underway to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The KCNA report said Assad made the comments about a possible trip to North Korea last Tuesday while receiving the credentials of the North Korean ambassador. The report did not say why it took almost a week to note Assad’s purported comments.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/syrias-bashar-al-assad-considers-trip-to-meet-kim-jong-un-north-korea-says/2018/06/03/a63f20a4-671d-11e8-bea7-c8eb28bc52b1_story.html

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Tripartite Pact

can't be far behind

[louis c]

2. Trump has Elevated Kim Jong Un to an International Diplomat

Why other President's didn't just meet with North Korean dictators on a "meet and greet" was that as a repressive, threatening hermit dictatorship, they did not want to give any credibility to that nation. It went beyond the nuclear weapons. Even North Korea's staunchest ally, China, shied away.

Not now. Trump has put Kim on the international stage so that Kim can meet proudly with our adversaries in Russia and Syria.

What a fucking moron Trump is.

[riversedge]

9. I agree. And trump gives the international impression he is begging to meet Kim one on one.

[jpak]

3. Trump-Kim-Assad Axis

yup

[7962]

4. Two losers meet.

[Cold War Spook]

5. That is Trump's out.

We are at war with Syria and doesn't want to meet with Bashar al-Assad. Al-Assad probably isn't going, just messing with Trump's mind.

[secondwind]

6. They all want the TRILLIONS in precious metals recently discovered in a NK mountain. n/t

TEN TRILLION DOLLARS' WORTH

[Brother Buzz]

7. Experts are not sold on the legitimacy of the reserve estimates claim, however.....

I could entertain the idea that cash strapped North Korea could be receptive to the idea of selling a nuclear warhead, albeit a small one, to Bashar al-Assad's regime.

[riversedge]

8. OMG!