Washington: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressedoptimism that progress can be made in the nuclear negotiations with North Koreathat resumed in Beijing yesterday (Feb 8, 2007). 

"We are cautiously optimistic that there may be somemovement forward," Rice said at a hearing of the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee.

The North Korean envoy at the six-nation talks, Kim KyeGwan, told reporters in Beijing that his countrywas willing to begin discussing the implementation of a September 2005agreement that calls on Pyongyangto abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

The negotiations were the second since North Koreafirst detonated an atomic bomb on Oct 9, an event that prompted internationalsanctions against the Stalinist state.

 North Korea in September 2005 agreed to give up its nuclearweapons programme in return for security guarantees from the US and economicaid.

The USenvoy, Christopher Hill, met with Kim in Berlinin January to try to find ways to move forward in the six-nation negotiationsthat also include China, Russia, Japanand South Korea.

Hill, prior to the negotiations in Beijing, told reporters that there was achance for progress, but cautioned that the implementation of the entireSeptember 2005 agreement this week was unlikely.