  We present an integral formula for the universal R-matrix of quantum affine
algebra with 'Drinfeld comultiplication'. We show that the properties of the
universal R-matrix follow from the factorization properties of the cycles in
proper configuration spaces. For general g we conjecture that such cycles exist
and unique. For $U_q(\hat{sl}_2)$ describe precisely the cycles and present a
new simple expression for the universal R-matrix as a result of calculation of
corresponding integrals.
