Date:10/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/10/stories/2007021004591500.htm

International - Globescan

"Cautious optimism"

Pallavi Aiyar

Beijing: A draft agreement circulated by China at the six-party talks here has met with "divergent opinions" according to chief U.S. envoy to the negotiations Christopher Hill. The one-page draft deals with an initial set of steps aimed at implementing the September 2005 agreement in which North Korea agreed to disarm in exchange for security guarantees and aid. "Opinions were expressed around the room, sometimes divergent opinions on the Chinese draft," Mr. Hill said. "There are some differences of views among the various delegations." He said he remained "cautiously optimistic" of concrete progress in this round.