N Korea says agreement reached in talks with US

The last session in Beijing in December - held after the North conducted its nuclear test in October - ended without any breakthrough.

North Korea said on Friday that it had reached an agreement with the US during direct talks with Washington's main nuclear envoy this week in Germany, but gave no further details.

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North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the talks between US envoy Christopher Hill and North Korea's main nuclear negotiator Kim Kye Gwan had been held "in a positive and sincere atmosphere and a certain agreement was reached there."

However, no further details were given on what agreement had been made.

Hill and Kim met for three days in Berlin, and were believed to be discussing when to convene the next session of international talks on the North's nuclear programs, among other issues.

The last session in Beijing in December - held after the North conducted its first-ever nuclear test in October - ended without any breakthroughs.

"We paid attention to the direct dialogue held by the (North) and the US in a bid to settle knotty problems in resolving the nuclear issue," the North's ministry said in a statement released by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.