North Korea has agreed to take the first steps towards nuclear
disarmament, as part of a deal reached during six-nation talks
in Beijing.
Under the agreement, Pyongyang has promised to shut down its
main nuclear reactor in return for fuel aid.
The US and Japan have also pledged to begin talks with North
Korea on building closer ties.
The agreement was read out in front of delegates at the close
of the talks, by China's chief envoy Wu Dawei.
"The progress marks another firm and important step towards
the denuclearisation of the peninsula," Mr Wu said, in comments
carried live on television.
"It is favourable for the peace process in north-east Asia
and for the improvement of ties between relevant countries."
Delegates from the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia
had been meeting in Beijing since Thursday.
They worked late into Monday night to try and hammer out the
final details of the deal.
'One phase'
Under the agreement, Pyongyang has pledged to close its Yongbyon
reactor within 60 days, in return for 50,000 metric tons of fuel
aid or economic aid of equal value.
The closure of Yongbyon will be verified by international inspectors.
The North will eventually receive another one million tonnes of
fuel oil or an equivalent when it permanently disables its nuclear
operations.
The US has agreed to begin the process of removing North Korea
from its list of terror states and establish diplomatic relations.
Japan will also discuss normalising relations with the North.
Chief US negotiator, Christopher Hill, said the agreement reached
this week was "only one phase of denuclearisation. We're
not done."
One of the topics that looks set to be left for later discussion
is the fate of any nuclear weapons the North already possesses.
Signs of progress
Before the deal had even been signed, some officials in Washington
were voicing scepticism.
John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations, said North
Korea should not be rewarded with "massive shipments of heavy
fuel oil" for only partially dismantling its nuclear arsenal.
"It sends exactly the wrong signal to would-be proliferators
around the world," Mr Bolton told CNN.
And while Japan has approved the joint agreement, Foreign Minister
Taro Aso was quoted as saying that Tokyo would not provide aid
as there had been no progress on the issue of Japanese nationals
abducted by the North in the 1970s and 80s.
But despite the difficulties ahead, analysts say this deal is
an important sign of progress, after more than three years of
talks.
The previous deal, agreed in September 2005, rapidly fell apart
over differences between North Korea and the US over implementation.
The North Korean nuclear issue has become even more pressing
in recent months, after Pyongyang conducted its first atomic test
in October.
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