WASHINGTON - The United States has made enough headway in talks on ending North Korea's atomic programs to prepare for the possibility of rewarding Pyongyang with $25 million in fuel, according to a U.S. document obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

Under a multilateral agreement reached on Feb. 13, North Korea is to receive 950,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil (HFO) once it has disabled its nuclear facilities and provided a complete declaration of its nuclear programs.

In the document, the administration told Congress on Tuesday it had made enough progress on both issues to begin to lay the groundwork for the fuel shipments.

"Although these discussions remain ongoing, the administration deems the initial progress as sufficient justification to begin preparations for a first shipment by the United States," said the document.

"It is important to establish the flexibility for the United States to expedite HFO shipments as the DPRK achieves denuclearization milestones," it added, referring to the country by its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.