A Russian envoy has said he is optimistic the nuclear standoff between Pyongyang and Washington could be resolved peacefully after six hours of talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov emerged from the talks at a heavily guarded residence on the northern outskirts of Pyongyang to describe them as successful, said Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.
"The meeting was very substantive. The atmosphere was very warm," Mr Losyukov said as he left to return to the Russian Embassy. "Moscow is optimistic that a solution to the crisis around North Korea can be found through peaceful means," he was quoted as saying.
Moscow was counting on further contacts to draw up details of a possible solution to the crisis, the news agency cited him as saying.
Mr Losyukov's remarks were one of several indications in recent days of a possible breakthrough in an impasse that began in October when Washington said the North admitted to a secret nuclear weapons program.
Pyongyang later ejected UN nuclear inspectors, removed the seals from a mothballed reactor and pulled out of a global treaty to help prevent the spread of nuclear arms.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that some "interesting elements" had emerged in the search for a diplomatic solution to end North Korea's nuclear programs, without elaborating on those developments.