Beijing: The six-party talks are likely to end here soonwith all sides agreeing on a two-page joint statement on the initial steps todismantle North Korea's nuclear programme, Russian delegate, said AlexanderLosyukov here today (Feb 10,2007) on the third day of the negotiations.

The envoys of the six countries will continue to discuss a draft document onthe initial steps implementing a 2005 joint statement, he told reporters.

China,host of the six-party talks, is expected to work out a revised proposal basedon the draft after yesterday's consultations.

The revisions will cover the issues on how working groups operate, and how toprovide aid to North Korea,if consensus can be reached, Losyukov said.

"The DPRK is highly concerned about the wording of the jointstatement," he said, using the official name of the Stalinist nation,Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

All parties do not disagree on establishing working groups, he added.

The six-party talks involve North Korea,South Korea, the United States, China,Japan and Russia.

Envoys to the six-party talks yesterday examined a Chinese draft document thatcould see them take the first steps towards denuclearisation of North Korea,which conducted a nuclear test in October last year.

"The chief negotiators had a practical and in-depth exchange of views onthe first steps of implementing the joint statement," a statement ofChinese Foreign Ministry said at the end of yesterday's session, withoutreleasing more details.