N. Korea pledges to dismantle nuclear programs for energy aid

BEIJING -- North Korea agreed Monday to dismantle nuclear weapons and its atomic facilities in exchange for energy aid, economic cooperation and security assurances, a breakthrough marking the first step toward disarmament after two years of six-nation talks.\nThe chief U.S. envoy praised the development as a "win-win situation" and "good agreement for all of us." But he promptly urged Pyongyang, which also agreed to international inspections, to make good on its promises by ending operations at its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon.\n"What is the purpose of operating it at this point?" Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said. "The time to turn it off would be about now."\nDespite the deal's potential to help significantly ease friction between the North Korea and the United States after years of false starts and setbacks, Hill remained cautious.\n"We have to see what comes in the days and weeks ahead," he said.\nPresident Bush called it a positive step, but he expressed some skepticism about whether North Korea will live up to its promises.\n"They have said -- in principle -- that they will abandon their weapons programs," Bush said. "And what we have said is, 'Great. That's a wonderful step forward.' But now we've got to verify whether that happens."\n"The question is, over time will all parties adhere to the agreement," Bush said.\nThe agreement clinched seven days of talks aimed at setting out general principles for the North's disarmament. Envoys agreed to return in early November to begin hashing out details of how that will be done.\nThen the hard work of ensuring compliance will begin, officials attending the talks said.\n"Agreeing to a common document does not mean that the solution to our problems has been found," said Japan's chief envoy, Kenichiro Sasae.\nThe head of the U.N. nuclear nonproliferation agency welcomed North Korea's decision to allow inspections, saying he hoped his experts could take the country at its word as soon as possible.\n"The earlier we go back, the better," said Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.\nHill and other envoys said the timetable for inspections had not yet been set, although they want compliance as soon as possible.\nAccording to a joint statement issued at the talks' conclusion, North Korea "committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning at an early date" to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.\n"The six parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the six-party talks is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," the statement said.\nResponding to Pyongyang's claims that it needs atomic weapons for defense, North Korea and the United States pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and right to peaceful coexistence, and also to take steps to normalize relations.\n"The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade (North Korea) with nuclear or conventional weapons," according to the statement, in assurances echoed by South Korea.\nThe talks, which began in August 2003, include China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two Koreas.\nThe negotiations had been deadlocked over North Korea's demand to keep the right to civilian nuclear programs after it disarms, and the statement acknowledges the North has made such an assertion but doesn't go beyond that.