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Deal hopes as Korea talks go on Hopes for North Korea deal rise
(about 2 hours later)
Six-party talks in Beijing on North Korea's nuclear programme are being extended amid indications the delegates could be nearing an agreement. Delegates at the six-party North Korea talks have reached a tentative deal, the US nuclear negotiator has said.
The US negotiator said that a tentative deal had been struck, but it needed to be approved by each government. A "final text" outlining initial steps for disarming North Korea was now being referred to each government for approval, Christopher Hill said.
"We will have another meeting tomorrow and we will see if we can get it approved," Christopher Hill said. His comments followed late-night meetings on what was meant to be the last day of the talks in Beijing.
The talks had faltered over the amount of energy aid Pyongyang is demanding in exchange for disarming. If approved, a deal would be a significant step forward in a process stalled since September 2005.
Reports suggest North Korea is seeking deliveries of heavy fuel oil in return for shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor. The current round of talks - aimed at persuading Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programme - began on Thursday with a renewed sense of optimism from all sides.
But negotiations faltered over the amount of energy aid the North was demanding in exchange for disarming.
Reports suggest North Korea is seeking large-scale deliveries of heavy fuel oil in return for shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor.
'Final text''Final text'
The talks began on Thursday and were scheduled to end on Monday but discussions, described by a Chinese spokesman as "extraordinarily intense", went on late into the night. The late-night discussions were described by a Chinese spokesman as "extraordinarily intense".
"The Chinese side distributed a final text which will be referred to the capitals of the delegations," Mr Hill said when the meeting concluded. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6338941.stm">Food shortage is key class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4259176.stm">Text of September 2005 deal
"We feel it's an excellent draft; I don't think we're the problem," he said. Mr Hill did not give any details of the potential deal, but said delegates had made a lot of progress.
Delegates will reconvene on Tuesday for further discussions. "The Chinese side distributed a final text which will be referred to the capitals of the delegations," he told journalists.
"We will have another meeting tomorrow and we will see if we can get it approved."
Chinese and South Korean officials also indicated progress had been made and some key differences resolved at the meetings.
Negotiators from the six participating countries - North Korea, South Korea, Japan, the US, China and Russia - will reconvene on Tuesday morning (0230 GMT) for further discussions.
Earlier in the day, Mr Hill had urged North Korea to stop stalling and accept a deal.Earlier in the day, Mr Hill had urged North Korea to stop stalling and accept a deal.
"We have put everything on the table," he said. "They just need to make a decision.""We have put everything on the table," he said. "They just need to make a decision."
The stop-start six-nation negotiations - designed to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programme - have now been going on for more than three years, but little progress has been made. The stop-start six-nation negotiations have now been going on for more than three years, but little progress has been made.
The issue has become more pressing to the international community since the North conducted its first nuclear test in October. The most recent deal, in September 2005, rapidly fell apart over differences between North Korea and the US over implementation.
But the North Korean nuclear issue has become more pressing to the international community since Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear test in October.