A leading U.S. daily says that few hold out hope that working group nuclear talks set to open in Beijing Wednesday will produce any breakthroughs.

The Washington Post said that while some U.S. officials see the very fact of talking as productive, other officials are more skeptical, portraying the talks in Beijing as diplomatic showboating designed to give the illusion of progress

One administration official quoted in the report said the U.S. is prepared to talk about the first stage of what Washington calls "coordinated steps" which is a "freeze" of the North's nuclear program, and "corresponding measures."

The United States has defined "corresponding measures" as a multilateral security guarantee, and not economic and other compensation as demanded by Pyongyang.