"I'm not looking for any substantive agreement that will change policy, " said Daniel Gros, director of the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, Belgium.

CNN: Economic rifts loom as G-20 leaders meet

Inc. and Softbank Corp. continue to be engaged in constructive negotiations, and we have made substantive and encouraging progress toward an agreement regarding Alipay.

FORBES: Yahoo, Alibaba, Softbank Still Talking On Status Of Alipay

On climate change, the heavy negotiations for the United Nations and the EU have now become somewhat more publicly vocal in their criticism of the administration in their interpretation it's not working hard enough to bring climate change legislation and an agreement to Copenhagen, to have something that's substantive that can be a part of the overall negotiations.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

But though Jeffords' decision changes the political landscape in Washington, existing bipartisan agreement on many technology policy issues means that there are likely to be few immediate, substantive shifts on questions such as an Internet sales tax, online privacy, intellectual property or telecommunications regulation.

CNN: Jeffords switch seen as no shock to tech policy

The agreement stops short of declaring a ceasefire, and was about trying to build trust ahead of more substantive talks, says the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Bangkok.

BBC: Burma government, Kachin rebels in deal to hold more talks