Briefing reporters after the first working day, US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said the two sides had reached a "substantial understanding", although there was still "a long way to go".

"We had a fairly frank and in-depth discussion," Hill said, noting the talks spanned a range of topics including the terms under which Pyongyang will disable and account for its nuclear facilities, as promised under a "six-party" deal.

Meanwhile, DPRK negotiator Kim Kye-gwan told reporters that the first day of talks "went well," and had included discussions on removing DPRK from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The US said on August 31 that it was prepared to offer "a significant food aid package" to help DPRK cope in the wake of August floods that killed at least 600 people, left 170,000 homeless and wiped out land for grains and maize.

The two-day Geneva talks are part of an international talks process involving six nations: two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US.  Six-party negotiations have progressed slowly since September 2005, when Pyongyang had agreed in principle to abandon its nuclear program in return for economic and diplomatic benefits.
 
Pyongyang has already shut down its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon following the deal in February.