Early signs of progress at North Korea nuclear talks

BEIJING, Feb 8 (Reuters) North Korea is willing to take initial steps towards ending its nuclear arms programme, South Korean officials said today after the opening of six-country talks in Beijing.

South Korea's envoy to the negotiations, Chun Yung-woo, told reporters that China may draw up and circulate a draft agreement as early as today.

He said the six -- the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China -- said there must be an agreement at these talks on the first steps towards implementing a 2005 joint statement.

That statement offered the North economic and security concessions in return for abandoning nuclear weapons capabilities.

Reuters SSC GC1752