In Washington, US Secretary of State Colin Powell says the six-way talks in Beijing are promising.

It's the most upbeat comment from Washington on the negotiations underway in the Chinese capital.

Powell told the Senate Budget Committee that the results of the first two days of meetings are positive. He said there is a positive and promising attitude that is emerging from those meetings and that hopefully they can move in the right direction.

But Powell's positive assessment contrasted with North Korea's complaint that the United States is to blame for lack of progress in the talks.