Polish officials welcome Trump and Kim's denuclearisation agreement

Polish government officials on Tuesday welcomed the declaration on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, signed by the US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, earlier in the day in Singapore.

Earlier on Tuesday in Singapore, the two heads of state reached an agreement whereby North Korea "commits to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula." Both leaders also pledged to work towards lasting and stable peace on the peninsula and establish "new relations."

Commenting on this development in a TV interview, the Polish deputy defence minister said that the declaration represents "very important information" as nuclear weapons "in the hands of irresponsible people, may be dangerous for the whole world."

Skurkiewicz added he hopes the declaration will be "put into action."

Meanwhile, Jacek Sasin, who heads the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers, said in an interview for a web TV programme, that the declaration is welcome, but it has been signed with "a cruel dictator," similar to Hitler and Stalin, and so must be put into action to ensure North Korea renounces its nuclear aspirations and stops threatening with an attack.

If that is the result of the declaration, then "very good," the official emphasised.

This optimistic sentiment was echoed by officials working under President Andrzej Duda.

Top presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski told PAP the Trump-Kim agreement is "spectacular" and "a triumph for diplomacy" as the North Korean leader, who has nuclear weapons at his disposal, is now no longer isolated and outside any influence.

"On the contrary, he is now a partner for the US in diplomatic efforts," the aide said, "and this represents a great lesson in the strength of diplomacy itself."

Fellow presidential official Paweł Soloch, who runs the National Security Bureau (BBN), said the BBN "welcomed with hope" the Singapore agreement. At the same time, he added, patience and commitment from Pyeongchang will be necessary to effect a "credible denuclearisation," because North Korea regards "nuclear capacity as a guarantee of its survival."

Moreover, Soloch said, the key "global players," such as the US, China, Russia and the European Union, will have to work together in this matter, as well, although the present tensions between them make it not wholly certain if joint action "is possible."