Summit cliffhanger

Trump-Kim summit: Fast-paced chronicle may yet have a happy ending

Should US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un indeed meet, realistically they can only set the foundation for further talks.

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This must be a classic from Hollywood. There stands the beau, tall and golden-haired, an Eastern sun glinting in his eyes. The object of his ardour is Asian, and stereotypically, is of smaller build.

This person, having made eyes at him over the past six months, receiving his emissaries and unexpectedly offering a direct meeting, seems to be having second thoughts on taking things further. Perhaps displaying withdrawal symptoms even about making that trip to Singapore.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 27, 2018, with the headline Trump-Kim summit: Fast-paced chronicle may yet have a happy ending. Subscribe