Beijing: North Korea today agreed to dismantle itsweapons-oriented nuclear programme in return for energy aid as envoys to thesix-party talks clinched an elusive deal with a joint statement on the firststep toward a nuclear-free KoreanPeninsula.

Under the joint statement, North Korea will shut down and seal the Yongbyonnuclear facility within 60 days, including the reprocessing facility and inviteback IAEA personnel to conduct all necessary monitoring and verifications.

The parties agreed to the provision of emergency energy assistance to North Koreain the initial phase, and aid equivalent to 50,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oilwill also commence within 60 days, the statement said.

The North will eventually receive another 950,000 tonnes for irreversiblydisabling the reactor.

According to the document, negotiated for the past six days, all the partiesagreed on the establishment of five working groups on the denuclearisation ofthe Korean Peninsula, normalisation of North Korea-US relations, improvement inNorth Korea-Japan relations, economy and energy cooperation as well asNortheast Asia peace and security mechanism.

The working groups will discuss and formulate specific plans for theimplementation of the September 19, 2005 statement in their respective areas,it said.

The parties also agreed that all working groups will meet within next 30 days.