TOP NEWS U.S. and North Korea in ‘Detailed’ Talks on Trump-Kim Meeting, South Says New York Times Korea think tank at U.S. university to close after Seoul withdraws funding Washington Post Revealed: China’s Nuclear-Capable Air-Launched Ballistic Missile The Diplomat India, China hold disarmament dialogue including Delhi’s NSG membership Economic Times EAST ASIA ‘Air Force Un’: As North Korea’s leader steps onto international stage, a question over his ability to fly Washington Post4/10/18 As he prepares for a possible summit with Trump next month, it’s not clear that Kim possesses another piece of crucial hardware for the aspiring global negotiator — an airplane that could reliably fly him across the Pacific Ocean or to Europe without stopping. U.S. and North Korea in ‘Detailed’ Talks on Trump-Kim Meeting, South Says New York Times4/11/18 The United States and North Korea have been negotiating with “will and sincerity” over the details of the planned talks between President Trump and the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea said on Wednesday. Korea think tank at U.S. university to close after Seoul withdraws funding Washington Post4/11/18 The U.S.-Korea Institute at the renowned Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies — the only think tank in Washington devoted to Korean Peninsula issues — will close next month after a dispute over funding and academic independence with the government in Seoul. Russia’s foreign minister to visit North Korea Washington Post4/10/18 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he has accepted any invitation to visit North Korea. Readying for Trump, North Korea’s Kim engages in steroid diplomacy CNN4/10/18 From years of isolation to sudden and rapid all-out engagement, the North Korean leadership continues to travel the world. Revealed: China’s Nuclear-Capable Air-Launched Ballistic Missile The Diplomat4/10/18 China is developing a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile, likely based off the DF-21. MIDDLE EAST Saudi minister doubts that U.S. and Europe can agree on Iran deal Reuters4/10/18 Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday it was unclear whether talks between Europeans and the United States would be enough to fix the Iran nuclear deal’s shortcomings, and that Tehran’s “vision of darkness” had to be stopped. RUSSIA/FSU/EUROPE U.S. defenses 40 years behind Russia’s ‘Satan 2’ nuclear missile, weapon designer claims Newsweek4/10/18 The United States military is 40 years from being able to counter Russia’s RS-28 Sarmat nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the weapon’s chief designer has claimed. SOUTH ASIA India, China hold disarmament dialogue including Delhi’s NSG membership Economic Times4/10/2018 India and China on Tuesday held a key dialogue on non-proliferation and disarmament as Delhi is understood to have reiterated to the Chinese side its non-proliferation credentials ahead of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) plenary scheduled after few months. OPINION AND ANALYSIS A passive U.S. approach to the next India-Pakistan crisis? Arms Control WonkMichael Krepon 4/10/18 One common thread among the comings and goings of top national security advisers to President Trump is that none have much experience with South Asia, and none are well suited for the role of crisis manager. North Korea and Trump’s dangerous perception gap on denuclearization Japan Times4/11/18 Washington’s acknowledgment this week that Pyongyang is ready to discuss the “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” may sound like a step toward ridding North Korea of its hard-won nuclear weapons, but experts and observers say such a move is extremely unlikely in the near-term and highlights a potentially dangerous perception gap between the two countries. How Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un could go very wrong Salon4/10/18 President Trump has painted himself into a corner with the proposed Kim summit. Experts say it could go south, fast. Facing reality in the US-Saudi nuclear agreement: South Korea Bulletin of the Atomic ScientistsVictor Gilinsky and Henry Sokolski 4/10/18 The Trump administration is on the verge of signing a nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that is reportedly “flexible” on Saudi acquisition of centrifuge technology to enrich uranium—the technology that can provide material for nuclear weapons and that was the central concern in regard to Iran’s nuclear program. It’s time for Trump to pull out of the Iran deal ReutersMichael Makovsky 4/10/18 The Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), all but guaranteed a nuclear Iran no later than 2030, necessitating U.S. withdrawal at some point to prevent a critical threat to American national security interests. How Kim Jong Un could hide North Korea’s nukes from Trump Vice News4/11/18 If somehow a deal to “denuclearize” is reached — and that agreement includes a vow from North Korea to get rid of some nukes — the U.S. will then face the challenge of confirming that North Korea is holding up its end of the bargain.