North Korea agrees to end its nuclear programme

BEIJING: North Korea will shut the Yongbyon reactor complex at the heart of its nuclear programme and allow international inspectors on to the site as part of an initial disarmament plan sealed in Beijing on Tuesday.

Under the agreement reached at six-party talks, North Korea must take the steps within 60 days, and in return it will receive 50,000 tonnes of fuel oil or economic aid of equal value.

The North will receive another 1 million tonnes of fuel oil or equivalent when it takes further steps to disable its nuclear capabilities, including providing a complete inventory of its plutonium - the fuel used in Pyongyang's first nuclear test blast in October.

The two Koreas, the United States, host China, Japan and Russia reached the agreement after gruelling talks that began on Thursday. The plan represents the first steps in implementing a joint statement signed by the countries in September 2005.