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'Progress' in N Korea-US talks 'Progress' in N Korea-US talks
(about 5 hours later)
North Korea says there has been progress in talks with the US over its nuclear weapons programme. North Korea and the US say they have had positive talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.
Agreements were reached between the two sides at a meeting in Berlin this week, a foreign ministry spokesman said. But the US denied reports from the North that an agreement was reached when chief negotiators for the two sides met in Berlin this week.
US envoy Christopher Hill has arrived in South Korea to prepare the ground for the next round of six-party talks.
He told reporters he hoped they would begin before the Lunar New Holiday, which starts in mid-February.
The talks ended inconclusively in December, having resumed after a break of more than a year.
Unusually positive
Mr Hill and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, ended three days of unprecedented talks on Thursday.
Talks in December made no real breakthrough
The Berlin meeting took place "in a positive and sincere atmosphere, and a certain agreement was reached there", a spokesman for the North was quoted as telling state news agency KCNA.
Mr Hill called the talks "very useful" but, when asked about North Korea's talk of an agreement, appeared puzzled, telling reporters: "I'm sorry, I'm not really sure what he's referring to."
The BBC correspondent in Seoul, Charles Scanlon, says the North's statement is unusually positive.The BBC correspondent in Seoul, Charles Scanlon, says the North's statement is unusually positive.
US negotiator Christopher Hill has just arrived in South Korea to prepare for a new round of six-party talks on the North's nuclear ambitions. He says the North is clearly encouraged by signs of growing flexibility in Washington's position, just four months after it tested its first nuclear device.
The talks resumed in December last year after a break of more than a year.
'Direct dialogue'
Mr Hill and his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye-gwan ended three days of unprecedented talks on Thursday.
The Berlin meeting took place "in a positive and sincere atmosphere, and a certain agreement was reached there," a spokesman for the North was quoted as telling state news agency KCNA.
N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely
Our correspondent says the North is clearly encouraged by signs of growing flexibility in Washington's position, just four months after it tested its first nuclear device.
For years the US rejected demands for direct bilateral talks, but this week Mr Hill was allowed by his government to sit down for discussions with Mr Kim.For years the US rejected demands for direct bilateral talks, but this week Mr Hill was allowed by his government to sit down for discussions with Mr Kim.
But while Pyongyang may see the talks as "direct dialogue held by the [North] and the US". Washington sees the situation rather differently. The US is also holding direct talks with the North on the financial sanctions it imposed in 2005, which it said at the time was a question of law enforcement and was non-negotiable.
"This is not an instance of bilateral negotiations," White House spokesman Tony Snow told Reuters news agency.
"What you had ...this week in Berlin were talks with Chris Hill and a North Korean representative as preparations for the six-party talks."
Sanctions
According to our correspondent, there are also hints that Washington might be easing its position on the financial sanctions it imposed in 2005.
These sanctions prompted the North to walk away from the negotiations for more than a year.These sanctions prompted the North to walk away from the negotiations for more than a year.
Talks in December made no real breakthrough Preparatory talks
The US is now holding direct talks with the North on the issue, when it previously said its drive to isolate the North's financial system was a question of law enforcement and was non-negotiable. But while Pyongyang may see the talks as "direct dialogue held by the [North] and the US", Washington views the situation rather differently.
Mr Hill is now back in East Asia to prepare the ground for another round of six-party talks, which bring together North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US, and are aimed at persuading Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear ambitions. "This is not an instance of bilateral negotiations," White House spokesman Tony Snow told Reuters news agency.
The US envoy has just arrived in Seoul, and will also travel to Beijing and Tokyo before the main meeting takes place. "What you had ...this week in Berlin were talks with Chris Hill and a North Korean representative as preparations for the six-party talks".
There will be relief in the region at signs of growing US willingness to address North Korea's concerns, our correspondent says. Mr Hill echoed that view, saying that while discussions between rounds of talks were useful, "the negotiations for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula take place at the six-party talks".
The last round of six-party talks in December ended inconclusively. From Seoul, Mr Hill will travel to Beijing and Tokyo to prepare the ground for the new round of talks, which bring together North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US, and are aimed at persuading Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear ambitions.