BEIJING (AP) - Nuclear negotiators are trying to agree on a set of rules to verify North Korea’s nuclear programs and once that is accomplished the U.S. will move quickly to take the regime off its list of state sponsors of terrorism, America’s top nuclear envoy said.

But the latest negotiations come on the back of reports that the North has repeatedly broken seals the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog placed in areas around its main nuclear facility in its efforts to reassemble.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Saturday that cobbling together an established protocol to verify the North’s programs would be the only way to break the deadlock that has stalled the disarmament process.

"We’re not looking to verify their declaration now. We’re looking to come up with rules on how we will verify it in the future," Hill told reporters after two days of meetings with representatives from South Korea, Japan, Russia and China. No talks were scheduled with North Korea.

"If we can get there, we can take them off the terrorism list," he said. "We’re prepared to move very quickly on that - really, instantaneously - provided we get what we need in terms of the verification."

The North conducted an underground nuclear test blast in October 2006. It later agreed to disable the Yongbyon plant - its main nuclear facility - in exchange for aid and diplomatic concessions. Work began in November last year.

The impasse stems from North Korea’s contention that the United States has not held up its end of their disarmament deal - a promise to remove the regime from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Washington says it will take the North off the list only after it complies fully with the disarmament requirements.