US chief delegate Christopher Hill said Friday in Beijing that the first phase of the fifth round of six-party talks has "achieved benchmark" and technical meetings are to start afterwards.

Hill made the remarks after China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia wrapped up the first phase of the current round of talks.

When asked whether the first phase of the fifth-round of talks has achieved benchmark, Hill gave a positive answer, saying that the delegations of Japan, the ROK and Russia have all made "good approaches and positive suggestions".

"There will be technical meetings and discussions" in the near future, Hill told reporters, reiterating the US position to urge the DPRK to abandon its nuclear weapon and uranium enrichment programs at an early date.

The first phase of the fifth-round of six-party talks concluded here Friday with the adoption of a chairman's statement.

The parties agreed to hold the second-phase meeting "at the earliest possible date," the statement says.

Source: Xinhua