Christopher Hill, U.S. envoy to the six-party talks, speaks to reporters upon his arrival from South Korea, at Tokyo's Haneda internationl airport Feb. 5, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill said here on Monday that he sees potential for progress in the upcoming six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

    "We continue to have a reason to believe that the North Koreans will come to this round prepared to negotiate on the issues before, the issue being the implementation of the joint statement (issued in September 2005)," Kyodo News quoted Hill as telling reporters upon his arrival at Haneda Airport.

    He said "it is envisioned there'll be some economic assistance and energy assistance" for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea if it abandons its nuclear programs, "so we have to see what part of that statement gets implemented this week."

    The top U.S. nuclear negotiator is scheduled to hold talks with Kenichiro Sasae, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau on Wednesday. ¡¡