BEIJING, Feb 8: North Korea is willing to take initial steps towards ending its nuclear arms programme, South Korean officials said after six-party talks opened on Thursday, hinting at rare progress in talks which have ended in stalemate for years.

The negotiations on closing Pyongyang’s weapons programme resumed with hopes raised for agreement on first steps after milestone talks between US and North Korean envoys in Berlin last month.

S. Korea’s envoy to the negotiations, Chun Yung-woo, told reporters that China may draw up and circulate a draft agreement as early as Thursday.—Reuters