North Korea became the first country to withdraw from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) yesterday, but the international community appeared no closer to agreeing a united response to the communist state's suspected nuclear weapons programme.

The withdrawal, which followed a 90-day notice period since Pyongyang announced its intention to quit in January, dealt a blow to the 187- nation arms-control pact and posed a challenge to US president George W. Bush's drive to stop "rogue" states acquiring weapons of mass destruction.