North Korea must get rid of its nukes, United States President Donald Trump has said and expressed hope that the US would be able to deal in a very open and honourable fashion with the reclusive nation over the issue.
Trump's remarks came during a joint news conference with the French President Emanuel Macron at the White House.
Trump said his administration had made no concession to North Korea.
"A lot of concessions have already been made. We have made no concessions, despite some of the media saying that I've made concessions. I haven't even discussed a concession. Other than the fact that meeting is a great thing," Trump told reporters.
Trump said he believed in complete denuclearization.
"It means they get rid of their nukes. Very simple, they get rid of their nukes and nobody else would say it. It'd be very easy for me to make a simple deal and claim victory, I don't want to do that. I want them to get rid of their nukes," he said in response to a question.
Trump has agreed to meet the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The venue of the meeting has not been decided yet, but it would not be in the United States.
"I hope that we will be able to deal in a very open and honorable fashion with North Korea. I started a process, and when I did everybody thought I was doing it absolutely wrong," he said.
The United States, he said, put the strongest sanctions on a country that it ever has had. China supported the US effort, he said, as he praised Chinese President Xi Jinping. -- PTI