Six-way talks on N.Korea reach de facto deal: report

TOKYO (Reuters) - Six-party talks in Beijing on ending North Korea's nuclear arms program have reached a de facto deal, which will be announced at a full session of the negotiators later on Tuesday, Japan's Jiji news agency reported, quoting negotiation sources.

A diplomatic source in Beijing told Reuters that North Korea had not yet responded "formally" to the draft deal. Japan's Kyodo news agency said the North Korean delegation was likely to do so at the full session in the afternoon.

The talks in Beijing between the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China have focused on how to begin implementing a September 2005 agreement that promised North Korea aid and security assurances in return for nuclear disarmament.