Diplomatic sources in Beijing say that the United Nations has agreed in principle to put together a long-term international economic and energy aid package to North Korea.

According to the sources, the agreement was reached when U-N special envoy on North Korea, Maurice Strong, met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang last month.

The sources said Strong is planning to form an expert team that would study the proposed aid package to the poverty-stricken nation and organize an international aid conference in August at the earliest. Currently, Sweden is reportedly being considered as the most favorite venue for the conference.

After his visit to Pyongyang from May 18th to 22nd, Strong visited the other parties of the six-nation nuclear talks in an apparent effort to seek their cooperation for the envisaged U-N assistance program for the North.

According to the paper, at his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the U.N. envoy asked him to provide information on the North's economic needs to pave the way for international aid, and that Kim accepted the proposal, which the paper called "unprecedented."