In an interview on a path forward for North Korea,
former President Jimmy Carter recommended a “step-by-step process” for
negotiations that could eventually lead to a complete prohibition on nuclear
weapons in the country and a guarantee from the United States that it would not
attack North Korea as long as it remains at peace with its neighbors.
Carter said such an agreement would be “a good bargain for
the United States and North Korea – and the world.”
In June 1994, Carter became the first former U.S. president
to visit North Korea. He met with then-North Korean leader Kim Il Sung,
grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un, as part of an unofficial, four-day
visit. Reflecting on that trip, Carter noted that what North Korean leaders are
seeking from the United States – a binding peace agreement – hasn’t changed in
decades.
Although the risks remain high, Carter said he is pleased
that President Trump has engaged with Kim Jong Un and is talking about a
possible third meeting between the leaders.
The April 12, 2019 interview at the Carter Center in Atlanta
was conducted by Carter Center CEO Mary Ann Peters and produced for the Nuclear
Threat Initiative Board of Directors meeting on April 30-May 1, 2019.
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New YouGov polling commissioned by NTI and ReThink Media finds that nearly 80 percent of registered voters, across party lines, say it is in the interest of U.S. national security to work with China to mitigate catastrophic threats associated with nuclear risks, AI development, and bioterrorism.
“The data point to a historic lapse in nuclear security leadership in these countries at a moment when nuclear dangers are rising,” NTI President and CEO Christine E. Wormuth said.
The dialogue, which has met multiple times since 2018, is a rare opportunity for experts from both countries to share perspectives on emerging nuclear security risks.
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