Foreign ministers from a half-dozen nations emerged from a third consecutive day of talks here with what one delegate called "the first real shape of an agreement" since the crisis began earlier in the year.
Officials briefed on the negotiations said the breakthrough hinged on a procedural compromise that allowed two of the most reluctant parties to sign on without conceding their public positions. A copy of the draft framework, which has been reviewed by several international news organizations, runs to fewer than ten pages but covers what one analyst described as "every load-bearing question."
We did not come here expecting to leave with a deal. We came here to find out whether a deal was even possible. The answer turns out to be yes.
The framework now goes back to capitals for review, a process that participants conceded could take weeks and that has derailed previous attempts. Even so, the tone of the closing press conference was notably different from the cautious statements that have followed earlier rounds.
Independent observers stationed in the city for the talks credited a small group of mid-level diplomats, working largely out of the public eye, with bridging gaps that had appeared intractable even days earlier. A monitoring group's situation report published Friday described the shift as "remarkable, given where things stood at the start of the week."
Whether the framework survives the journey home remains the central question. For tonight, at least, the mood in the conference center was something that participants had not felt in months: cautious optimism.