U.S. President Donald Trump is paying tribute to former First Lady Barbara Bush.

The president made the remarks at the start of a news conference at his Mar-a-Largo estate in Florida with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The issue of upcoming talks with North Korea dominated early the comments made by Trump to reporters.

Trump is also pledging to help free Japanese citizens abducted and held captive by North Korea.

Trump said Wednesday during a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he's pushing to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries and remove barriers to U.S. exports.

In his remarks, Abe said there should be "no reward" given to North Korea just because the reclusive country is responding to dialogue over its development of nuclear weapons.

Abe said that "maximum pressure should be maintained."

Abe and Trump are wrapping up two days of meetings at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate.

POOL

Palm Beach, Florida - 18 April 2018

1. Side, US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe walk toward microphones

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I want to begin today by expressing my deep condolences to the entire Bush family on the passing of former first lady Barbara Bush, a wonderful, wonderful person. For decades Barbara was a titan in American life. Her presence and character were engraved into America's identity. Her strength and toughness really embodied the spirit of our country and her warmth and devotion earned the admiration of an entire nation and indeed the entire world. She was a tireless champion for literacy. She was a fierce advocate for the American family. And she was a woman of proud patriotism and profound faith. Our hearts are saddened by her passing but our spirits are lifted by the memories of her goodness and her grace. She was a good person. Melania and I send our prayers to Barbara's husband of seventy three years. I'll never beat that record, President George H.W. Bush. To the surviving children Jeb and Neil and Marvin Dorothee and former President George W. Bush and to their many wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren."

3. Cutaway news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"As you know I will be meeting with Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Hopefully that meeting will be a great success and we're looking forward to it. It would be a tremendous thing for North Korea and a tremendous thing for the world. So, we will be doing everything possible to make it a worldwide success, not just for the United States or South Korea or North Korea or Japan but for the entire world."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Shinzo you have worked very hard along with us and all of our people and we thank you very much. And we're with you and you are a lot closer than we are but we're working on this together. Thank you very much."

6. Mid, Trump and Abe shake hands

7. Wide, news conference

8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"A year or so has passed since then, (the first Abe-Trump meeting) the situation surrounding North Korea due to the decisive decision by President Trump on the first ever US-North Korea summit is at a historical turning point. The past mistakes should never be repeated. On this point, President Trump and I were in full agreement. On the occasion of the 1994 framework agreement or the 2005 6-party talks agreement, North Korea committed to abandon nuclear weapons development but those promises were broken. And the effort of the international community to engage in dialogue were all entirely exploited to buy time to develop nuclear weapons and missiles. "

9. Side, news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"Just because North Korea is responding to dialogue, there should be no reward. Maximum pressure should be maintained and actual implementation of concrete actions towards denuclearizations will be demanded."

11. Mid, news conference

12. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"We also agree to continue our effort towards the early resolution of the top priority matter of abduction. Just now, President Trump on this spot, here, has mentioned the return of abductees. Maximum effort will be made with a clear promise, just made here. We are deeply encouraged, Donald."

13. Cutaway reporters

U.S. President Donald Trump is paying tribute to former First Lady Barbara Bush.

The president made the remarks at the start of a news conference at his Mar-a-Largo estate in Florida with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The issue of upcoming talks with North Korea dominated early the comments made by Trump to reporters.

Trump is also pledging to help free Japanese citizens abducted and held captive by North Korea.

Trump said Wednesday during a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he's pushing to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries and remove barriers to U.S. exports.

In his remarks, Abe said there should be "no reward" given to North Korea just because the reclusive country is responding to dialogue over its development of nuclear weapons.

Abe said that "maximum pressure should be maintained."

Abe and Trump are wrapping up two days of meetings at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate.

POOL

Palm Beach, Florida - 18 April 2018

1. Side, US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe walk toward microphones

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I want to begin today by expressing my deep condolences to the entire Bush family on the passing of former first lady Barbara Bush, a wonderful, wonderful person. For decades Barbara was a titan in American life. Her presence and character were engraved into America's identity. Her strength and toughness really embodied the spirit of our country and her warmth and devotion earned the admiration of an entire nation and indeed the entire world. She was a tireless champion for literacy. She was a fierce advocate for the American family. And she was a woman of proud patriotism and profound faith. Our hearts are saddened by her passing but our spirits are lifted by the memories of her goodness and her grace. She was a good person. Melania and I send our prayers to Barbara's husband of seventy three years. I'll never beat that record, President George H.W. Bush. To the surviving children Jeb and Neil and Marvin Dorothee and former President George W. Bush and to their many wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren."

3. Cutaway news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"As you know I will be meeting with Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Hopefully that meeting will be a great success and we're looking forward to it. It would be a tremendous thing for North Korea and a tremendous thing for the world. So, we will be doing everything possible to make it a worldwide success, not just for the United States or South Korea or North Korea or Japan but for the entire world."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Shinzo you have worked very hard along with us and all of our people and we thank you very much. And we're with you and you are a lot closer than we are but we're working on this together. Thank you very much."

6. Mid, Trump and Abe shake hands

7. Wide, news conference

8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"A year or so has passed since then, (the first Abe-Trump meeting) the situation surrounding North Korea due to the decisive decision by President Trump on the first ever US-North Korea summit is at a historical turning point. The past mistakes should never be repeated. On this point, President Trump and I were in full agreement. On the occasion of the 1994 framework agreement or the 2005 6-party talks agreement, North Korea committed to abandon nuclear weapons development but those promises were broken. And the effort of the international community to engage in dialogue were all entirely exploited to buy time to develop nuclear weapons and missiles. "

9. Side, news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"Just because North Korea is responding to dialogue, there should be no reward. Maximum pressure should be maintained and actual implementation of concrete actions towards denuclearizations will be demanded."

11. Mid, news conference

12. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan:

"We also agree to continue our effort towards the early resolution of the top priority matter of abduction. Just now, President Trump on this spot, here, has mentioned the return of abductees. Maximum effort will be made with a clear promise, just made here. We are deeply encouraged, Donald."

13. Cutaway reporters