N Korea marks leader's birthday

Dances were performed in the centre of Pyongyang

North Korea is marking the 65th birthday of its leader Kim Jong-il, amid recent progress over plans for the country's nuclear disarmament.

Mr Kim's birthday is one of the main national holidays, with fireworks and concerts being held to mark the event.

According to South Korean media, the North is also providing extra food to its poverty-stricken citizens.

But as Mr Kim gets older, speculation is increasing over who will eventually succeed him.

He has not yet publicly named an heir, and three of his sons could be in the running.

If Mr Kim continues the tradition of passing power to the eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, in his mid 30s, would succeed.

But analysts did believe - and some still do - that Kim Jong-nam ruined his chances in 2001, when Japanese officials caught him trying to sneak into Japan using a false passport, an incident which caused severe diplomatic embarrassment to Pyongyang.

Analysts say it is important that Mr Kim names an heir soon.

"If he doesn't have a successor and he dies suddenly of a heart attack then the whole regime will go overnight," author and commentator Jasper Becker told the Associated Press.

Nuclear deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Communist Party have both sent messages to congratulate Mr Kim on his birthday, the North's state news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

In the run-up to the celebrations, local media also reported a festive mood in the country, with arts performances, exhibitions and concerts being held in the capital Pyongyang.

This year, there is more reason than most for optimism.

KIM'S FAMILY Kim has several children His eldest son disgraced himself in Japan But some believe he is back in favour. Others think a younger boy, Kim Jong-chul, is designated successor Secretive first family Nuclear deal fuels celebration

On Tuesday a deal was reached during six-nation talks in Beijing, in which Pyongyang agreed to freeze part of its nuclear weapons programme in return for badly needed fuel aid.

Under the agreement, Pyongyang pledged to close its Yongbyon reactor within 60 days, in return for 50,000 metric tons of fuel aid or economic aid of equal value.

The North will eventually receive another one million tonnes of fuel oil or an equivalent when it permanently disables its nuclear operations.

The US has also agreed to begin the process of removing North Korea from its list of terror states and establish diplomatic relations.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used the occasion of Mr Kim's birthday to urge him to stick to the Beijing agreement.

"In order to make it a good birthday, I hope North Korea will implement what the partners have decided at the six-party talks," Mr Abe said.