"We see that there is real agreement on most of the points of a joint statement that is to set out the common objectives and principles of the six-nation talks," Alexeyev was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

"This shows that the positions of the parties have never been as close since the start of the talks," he said.

The negotiations between China, the United States, the two Koreas, Russia and Japan are set to resume on September 13, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday in Beijing.

The talks were adjourned early August when Washington rejected Pyongyang's demand for its "unconditional right" to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The negotiations had been scheduled to resume in the last week of August but North Korea refused to return to the table, saying war games between South Korea and the United States created the wrong atmosphere.

Despite the agreement to meet again, few signs have emerged since the fourth round recessed after 13 days of fruitless talks that North Korea or the United States are willing to budge from their positions.

Pyongyang is insisting that the United States should allow it the right to use civilian nuclear energy in return for disbanding its atomic arms program, but the demand has been rejected by Washington.

The United States points to Pyongyang's failure to confine such a program to peaceful purposes in the past.