WASHINGTO, Feb 13: US President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that an agreement requiring North Korea to dismantle its nuclear programme in exchange for energy assistance was the first step towards a nuclear weapons free Korean peninsula.

“In September 2005, our nations agreed on a joint statement that charted the way forward toward achieving a nuclear weapons free peninsula,” said Mr Bush in a written statement released by the White House. “Today's announcement represents the first step toward implementing that agreement.”

“These talks represent the best opportunity to use diplomacy to address North Korea's nuclear programmes,” Mr Bush said. “They reflect the common commitment of the participants to a Korean peninsula that is free of nuclear weapons.”

President Bush said other parties to the deal have agreed to cooperate in economic, humanitarian, and energy assistance to North Korea. “Such assistance will be provided as the North Korea carries out its commitments to disable its nuclear facilities.”

He said that North Korea has committed to take several specific action within the next 60 days.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said the current agreement is different because it involves North Korea's neighbours and includes “performance benchmarks” that make assistance contingent on verifiable adherence to the terms.

“This is no longer a two-party process” between the US and North Korea, Snow said at a White House briefing.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a separate briefing that the US expects North Korea to “seal the Yongbyon nuclear facility for the purpose of abandonment” and eventually to disclose its full programme and disable all related installations.

She also rejected criticism from John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, that the agreement “contradicts fundamental premises” of President Bush's approach to North Korea during the past six years.

She said the accord was consistent with Mr Bush's effort to build a multinational solution to improving security in North Asia.

Critics, however, insist that the deal reflects a major shift in Washington’s policy towards North Korea.

They say that Mr Bush previously argued that North Korea needed to shut down its nuclear programme before any negotiations.

But he has now signed an agreement without achieving that objective.