The Latest: Envoy says ‘an awful long way to go’ in NK talks

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 25, 2018, during a hearing on diplomacy and national security. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 25, 2018, during a hearing on diplomacy and national security. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s testimony to Congress (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is dodging questions from lawmakers asking for specifics on how North Korea defines “complete denuclearization” but acknowledges a great deal of work lies ahead.

Pompeo told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that he “will concede there is an awful long way to go” following President Donald Trump’s historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

Pompeo cited ongoing talks between the U.S. and North Korea when asked for “verifiable evidence” that Pyongyang had begun to take steps to denuclearize.

A month and a half after the summit, the two sides appear to be at odds on what denuclearization means and how it might be verified.

After Pompeo’s most recent trip to North Korea, Kim accused the envoy of making “gangster-like” demands.

ADVERTISEMENT

___

3:50 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. is engaged with “patient diplomacy” with North Korea but won’t let negotiations “drag out to no end.”

Pompeo delivered testimony Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. He says the Trump administration’s goals on North Korea are unchanged and the “objective remains the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un.”

Pompeo made the comments as part of his opening remarks ahead of testimony expected to largely focus on details of President Donald Trump’s one-on-one meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week in Finland.

Pompeo has played a key role in recent talks between the U.S. and North Korea following Trump’s historic summit with Kim in Singapore last month.

___

3:30 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has personally told top Russian officials that there will be “severe consequences” for any interference in U.S. elections or the American democratic process.

Pompeo told skeptical members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that he had made the warning clear to Russia in multiple meetings and conversations.

Pompeo made the comment in response to pointed questions about details of President Donald Trump’s one-on-one meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week in Finland. Both Republican and Democratic members of the committee demanded details from Pompeo about the summit for which the White House has offered only vague outlines.

Republican committee chairman Bob Corker opened the hearing by saying Pompeo was appearing before senators who have “serious doubts” of Trump and his foreign policy.

ADVERTISEMENT

___

2 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the United States will never recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and will continue to insist that Ukraine’s territorial integrity be restored.

In a statement released Wednesday by the State Department, Pompeo said the U.S. will hold to its long-standing principle of refusing to recognize Kremlin claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force, in violation of international law. He called for Russia to respect principles and “end its occupation of Crimea.”

The statement was released shortly before Pompeo was to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he is expected to face tough questioning about President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Trump has previously suggested that U.S. opposition to Russia’s annexation of Crimea could be reconsidered.

___

1:05 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is taking a tough line on Russia and its actions in Ukraine as skeptical lawmakers are set to demand specifics from him on President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

According to a State Department transcript released of a Pompeo interview Tuesday with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Pompeo says Trump and Putin “didn’t find much place to agree” on Ukraine.

Pompeo says Trump made clear to Putin that the so-called Minsk Accords to settle the Ukraine conflict is the right path forward. He also reiterated U.S. support for an investigation that held Russia responsible for downing a Malaysian airliner over east Ukraine in 2014.

Pompeo said what the Russians did was “deeply immoral.”

Pompeo testifies to Congress later Wednesday.