Washington, D.C. ? The U.S. envoy at North Korean nuclear talks said Thursday that negotiators have reached an understanding on how to move ahead with deadlocked six-nation disarmament efforts.

The envoy, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, told reporters that the next few weeks will be crucial to the success of nuclear talks that have bogged down over differences on whether the North has made a full accounting of its nuclear programs.

“We have a plan for moving ahead, and let’s see if we can get it done,” Hill said after a private meeting with members of Congress. “We’ve had a tough problem, and I think we’ve been able to figure out a way forward on it. I’ll know better as the days unfold.”

Hill said discussions with his North Korean counterpart in Singapore this week provided “an understanding” of how to put the elements of a nuclear deal together. But, he added, “a lot of things need to get done in the next few weeks.”