TONY BLAIR announced last night that "the world is a safer place" following an historic promise by Colonel Gaddafi to dismantle Libya's secret weapons of mass destruction programme.

In a surprise announcement of international importance made in Durham City just after 10pm, the Prime Minister said the move followed nine months of negotiations between British, US and Libyan officials.

The North-East was again thrust into the international spotlight as Mr Blair made his announcement across the world live from the region.

He said Col Gaddafi had confirmed he had been secretly seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction, including long range ballistic missiles, but had approached the UK in March following successful negotiations over the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am flight 103 to see how the issue could be resolved.

Mr Blair said after nine months of work involving the experts, "Libya has now declared its intention to dismantle these weapons of mass destruction completely and to limit the range of Libyan missiles to no greater than 300km".

He said Libya had confirmed it wanted the process of dismantling the weapons programme to be transparent and verifiable.

Mr Blair said he applauded Col Gaddafi's historic and courageous move which entitles Libya to "rejoin the international community".

In an announcement at the White House shortly afterwards, President George Bush said Col Gaddafi had agreed "immediately and unconditionally" that international weapons inspectors could enter Libya.

British sources said that the talks with Libya had led to "significant disclosures of nuclear, chemical, biological and missile activities".

The announcement came only two days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the Lockerbie bombing, on December 21.

Mr Blair said: "This courageous decision by Col Gaddafi is an historic one and a courageous one and I applaud it.

"It will make the region and the world more secure. It shows that problems of proliferation can, with goodwill, be tackled through discussion and engagement, to be followed up by the responsible international agencies."

He said that Col Gaddafi's decision had shown that it was possible to give up WMD voluntarily and peacefully. And he sent a clear message to other countries suspected of developing illicit weapons, such as North Korea and Iran, that they too could restore good relations with the rest of the world peacefully, as Libya appeared to be doing.

Mr Blair, in his statement, had made plain the contrast between Libya's voluntary relinquishment of WMD with Iraq's defiance, which led to military action and the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime.

And he promised states which decided to give up their WMD that they would find "ready partners" in the UK and US.

In an apparent reference to the war in Iraq, he said that recent events as well as political determination had made it possible for progress to be made on WMD which would have seemed impossible only years ago.

"September 11 showed the world this new form of terrorism knows no limits to the innocent lives it will take. WMD are the means by which it could destroy our world's security, and with it our way of life," said Mr Blair.

"Today's announcement shows that we can fight this menace through more than purely military means; that we can defeat it peacefully, if countries are prepared, in good faith, to work with the international community to dismantle such weapons.

"Those countries who pursue such a path will find ready partners in the US and in the UK, as Libya will see."

He added: "Libya's actions entitle it to rejoin the international community.

"I have spoken to Col Gaddafi to say that, as the process of dismantlement goes forward, I now look forward to developing a productive relationship with him and with Libya.

"Today's announcement is a further step in making the world a safer place."

Mr Bush said the development was the culmination of nine months of talks and was one of "great importance in our continuing effort to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction".