BEIJING – An American envoy said today negotiators were working to narrow a gap between how far North Korea is willing to go to close down its nuclear facilities and what America wants the reclusive communist country to do.

North Korea has agreed to declare its nuclear programs and disable them, but has not been able to agree with the five other countries involved in the talks on how to define those terms.

Assistant Secretary of State Hill told reporters before a third day of talks today in China’s capital that there was still a gap between America and North Korea on the definitions of declaration and dismantling. He said America wanted a dismantling process that meant a nuclear facility could not be made operational for at least 12 months.

“We have a common definition, which is the idea that if there were a return … to plutonium production that it should be made difficult by the process of disablement,” Mr. Hill said. “So what we are looking at are specific actions in terms of taking things apart, taking equipment apart and trying to measure the effect of that action by the number of months it would retard putting it back together.”

Under a February agreement, North Korea will be provided with 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil, or the monetary equivalent in other aid and assistance. In return, North Korea agreed to shut down its main nuclear reactor — which it did in July — and then declare and ultimately dismantle all its nuclear programs.

The talks — which also include host China, South Korea, Japan and Russia — have dragged on for four years, during which time North Korea successfully detonated a nuclear device.

China had been expected to circulate a draft statement Friday on what disarmament steps needed to be completed by the end of the year. Hill said that did not happen, but that North Korea gave a date for when it would give its declaration to the others.

It would happen “much before” the end of the year, he said, but added that he could not reveal the specific timing.

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the talks have been “good and useful” so far and that he hoped that participants would issue their statement within two to three days.

An issue during talks yesterday was North Korea’s goal of being removed from an American list of countries that sponsor terrorism, which would make it eligible for various benefits.

Mr. Hill said the topic came up during a bilateral discussion, but he did not elaborate. Various American officials and lawmakers have said it is much too early for that to happen.

Delegates from South Korea and Japan have given negative assessments on the progress of the talks, held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

Chun Yung-woo, the chief South Korean delegate, said there were still gaps over what North Korea was intending to do and what the other countries wanted.

“I don’t bring good news,” Mr. Chun told reporters. “At this stage, it’s not the time we can say the prospect for the results of the talks is optimistic or negative.”

Japanese envoy Kenichiro Sasae told reporters “the chances of reaching an agreement are quite slim.”

“On the whole, North Korea and the other parties, including the U.S., have big differences in their opinions and demands, so the situation is not looking very optimistic,” he said.

A sticking point has been Tokyo’s focus on the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the North.

North Korea said in 2002 it had abducted 13 Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s and allowed five to return home, saying the others were dead.

Many Japanese believe more victims remain in the Communist country, and the government has refused to contribute aid to North Korea under the February agreement.

The latest round of six-party discussions are scheduled to end tomorrow.