Singapore was chosen as the site for next month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because of its neutrality and security, the White House's principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah told journalists.
"Singapore has a relationship with both the United States and North Korea," Mr Shah told journalists on Thursday aboard Air Force One, which was taking Mr Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence to Indiana for a public rally.
"They can be ensured - to ensure both the President's security and Kim Jong Un's security, as well as provide neutrality," he said, referring to the North Korean leader.
"Singaporeans have been gracious up until now, and also in the past," he said. "In fact, on a historical note, the first meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan took place in Singapore some years back."
As of now, the summit would be a one-day affair, he said. "Right now, we are still planning out a lot more of the details. So, I don't want to get ahead of anything more specific."
When asked what the President meant when he said on Thursday that the summit could be scuttled, Mr Shah said: "Well, we have over a month, right? We have a month and several days. And there are a number of things - provocative actions, for example, from North Korea would not be received well."
"I don't want to offer hypotheticals. All I will say is that this meeting has been agreed to, but obviously it could be halted for any number of reasons."
When asked about expectations of the summit, he said: "Our policy is to ensure the complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. And that is what (the President) is going to be seeking."
"I am not going to get ahead of the negotiations, but that is our… stated goal. It has long been a US policy in this administration, and it will continue to be. And we will see what happens going forward between now and June 12."
Separately, Ms Victoria Coates, senior director for international negotiations at the National Security Council, told journalists that Singapore was convenient, and "it is a media hub for Asia".
On Thursday night, Mr Trump confirmed in a tweet that the summit with Mr Kim would take place in Singapore on June 12. "We will both try to make it a very special moment for world peace!" he had said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday that the historic meeting was a significant step on the path to peace. In a Twitter reply to Mr Trump, he added: "May it lead to a successful outcome."
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Thursday night: "We hope this meeting will advance prospects for peace in the Korean peninsula."
Analysts were sanguine about the choice of Singapore. Mr Ernie Bower, chief executive of consultancy BowerGroupAsia, said: "Singapore is the ideal spot for the Trump-Kim summit because it underlines Asean's centrality at the core of developing Indo-Pacific architecture to promote peace and security."
A Japanese newspaper yesterday raised the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping also travelling to Singapore on June 12.
The Mainichi Shimbun's Washington-based correspondent cited US diplomatic sources as saying there was a chance that Mr Xi may meet Mr Trump and Mr Kim in Singapore.
The Mainichi quoted a senior international negotiator with the National Security Council as telling reporters that "there is a possibility" the leader of a third country may take part.
