Former Vice President Dick Cheney said the Trump administration could benefit by studying Ronald Reagan’s handling of Cold War-era negotiations with the Soviet Union as it prepares for another round of talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
And he cautioned U.S. negotiators against “repeating past mistakes” in the talks with their North Korean counterparts.
Cheney’s comments came in a Friday speech in Seoul, South Korea and were reported by The Washington Times.
"(Reagan) could see the difference between a deal that won him praise and a deal that met his objective,” Cheney said.
He maintained the Soviet Union’s demise was aided by “a president who couldn’t be diverted from his objective and who always operated from a position of strength.”
“Similar determination is needed now in negotiations with a regime highly skilled at extracting concessions in exchange for nothing,” Cheney said. “They make agreements, they pocket the benefits of those agreements and then they continue on with their weapons program,” he said. “That’s how we got to where we are today and the last thing our side needs are more pre-emptive concessions.”
He said “we have to be open to the possibility” that Kim is serious about denuclearizing.
And Cheney urged Trump to be mindful of pursuing a deal “merely for the sake of having a deal and regardless of whether it actually serves the ultimate objective."
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