North Korea has promised to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for aid and security, in the first major breakthrough in more than two years of negotiations deadlock.
In an agreement revealed in a statement today, the United States said it would respect the North's sovereignty and not attack, a fear that Pyongyang repeatedly said was a main reason for insisting on developing an atomic bomb program.
The statement capped a week of tough negotiations in Beijing involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, which have held four rounds of talks since August 2003 aimed at persuading the North to disarm.
"This is the most important result since the six-party talks started more than two years ago," said chief Chinese envoy Wu Dawei as all six envoys rose and clapped.
According to the joint agreement, the North would renounce all nuclear weapons and programs, return to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty and allow UN weapons inspectors back into the country.
In return, the other nations agreed to "recognise" the North's demand for nuclear energy and said Pyongyang's request to have a light-water nuclear reactor for peaceful purposes would be revisited "at an appropriate time."
Agreement to move forward and meet again in November avoided the immediate possibility of Washington taking the issue to the UN Security Council to press for sanctions, a move opposed by China, the North's main backer.
North Korea has said such a step would be tantamount to war.
