Christopher Hill speaks with reporters in Beijing, 27 May 2008

U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill has held talks with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye Kwan, in China.

Hill said Tuesday's one-hour meeting in Beijing went very well. He said the talks would continue Wednesday, with a focus on reaching a timetable for Pyongyang to release a complete declaration of its nuclear activities.

The previously unannounced meetings come as hopes rise of a breakthrough in six-nation negotiations towards the denuclearization of North Korea.

Hill also met today with China's nuclear envoy, Wu Dawei. The U.S. envoy is scheduled to meet again with Wu and Japan's envoy, Akitaka Saiki after Wednesday's meeting with Kim Kye Kwan.

During his visit to Beijing, Hill will also meet with other Chinese officials, and then travel on to Russia later in the week.

Last week, before departing for China, Hill said he expects negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program to quicken in the coming weeks.

Earlier this month, North Korea handed over 18-thousand pages of records for its Yongbyon reactor and reprocessing plant. The United States continues to analyze the documents and says they appear to be accurate.

Last year, North Korea agreed to disable and dismantle its main nuclear complex under a deal reached with the United States, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea. In return, North Korea was promised diplomatic incentives and energy aid.