North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has said he is willing to discuss giving up nuclear weapons if his country’s safety could be guaranteed, calming World War 3 fears.
According to South Korea officials, Kim Jong-un would agree to temporarily stop nuclear tests if the US holds talks with the regime.
Donald Trump said there was “possible progress” but warned the talks, which were attended by Kim and his wife and sister, could be “false hope”.
Speaking to France 24, Mr Richardson warned about the talks but said the US had to try to negotiate with Kim Jong-un.
He said: “No they can’t be trusted but I believe you have to do the best you can.
“They have nuclear weapons they have missiles. They are threatening the international community, South Korea, Japan.
“But I think they have reached the point where they are ready to negotiate.
“I think Kim Jong-un is very unpredictable, very difficult to deal with but he has an end game. His end-game may be that he may be ready to make a deal.
“But you need to have a lot of enforcement, you have to have a lot of oversight, but it is going to be a very long negotiation. But, at the very least, tension is a lot less because of the potential of these talks.”
Mr Richardson added that “you never know what they are going to do” and warned that even if Kim Jong-un reduces nuclear weapons he will “want something in return” in the form of economic assistance and the end of sanctions and the end of the Korean war.
He said North Korea must to be watched “every step of the way” because they quickly “change their mind”.
Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday: “Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned.
“The world is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the US is ready to go hard in either direction!”
North and South Korea are expected to hold their first official summit in more than a decade next month at the border village of Panmunjom.
Seoul delegate Chung Eui-yong said of last night’s meeting: “North Korea made clear its willingness to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and the fact there is no reason for it to have a nuclear programme if military threats against the North are resolved and its regime is secure.
“The North also said it can have frank talks with the United States on denuclearisation and the normalisation of ties between North Korea and the United States.”