The six party talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear programme reached an agreement on Tuesday under which Pyongyang will receive huge amounts of energy aid in return for taking the first steps towards dismantling its nuclear facilities.

After a marathon 16-hour negotiation session that started on Monday, the six parties – China, Japan, Russia, the US and the two Koreas – agreed on the economic and energy assistance available to North Korea is if it took “initial actions” by specific deadlines.