The United States and North Korea have made progress but no breakthrough towards settling Pyongyang's long-delayed declaration of its nuclear activities, US envoy Christopher Hill said today.
Six-country talks aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions have been stalled pending a full accounting of North Korea's nuclear activities, including the plutonium that powered its first and only nuclear test blast in October 2006.
The declaration was due at the end of 2007 after negotiators settled on a deal earlier that year offering North Korea energy and economic aid in return for disarmament steps.
US Assistant Secretary of State Hill said talks in Beijing today, and in Singapore yesterday, had yielded progress but not yet a final deal on the declaration.
"We've definitely made some progress," Hill told reporters following talks with nuclear negotiators from China, South Korea and Japan.
North Korea and Russia also participate in the six-party talks that China hosts.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us. I don't want to suggest there's been any major breakthrough," Hill added.
"We haven't yet arranged for all the factors, or the elements, that have to be put together."