"We jointly advocate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and demand all parties continue respecting the September 19 joint statement last year on the aim of denuclearization," Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said after the summit.

"We call on the early resumption of the six-party talks."

At the six-nation talks in September last year, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for pledges of aid and security.

However North Korea pulled out of the talks -- which also involve hosts China, South Korea, the United States, Japan and Russia -- three months later because of US financial sanctions imposed against it.

North Korea then declared it had conducted its first test of an atomic bomb on October 9, drawing strong international condemnation even from close ally China.

The United Nations Security Council quickly passed a resolution condemning North Korea for the test, imposing sanctions against it and demanding it return to the six-party talks.

Philippine's President Gloria Arroyo, who co-chaired Monday's summit with Wen, told reporters the North Korean nuclear crisis had drawn the other Asian nations closer.

"In the light of recent events in North Korea, regional peace and security has never been more important... it helps tie the region together and strengthen solidarity in times of crisis," Arroyo told reporters.

She said the 10 ASEAN leaders and China had agreed on the way ahead to end the latest flare-up over North Korea.

"We were impressed by the unanimity of every leader on the issue of North Korea and their resolve to work together as a region to seek a diplomatic resolution through the resumption of the six-party talks," Arroyo said.

She also praised China on behalf of the 10 ASEAN states for its efforts to end the North Korean stand-off.

"We were... impressed by the concern that was expressed by China and the hands-on role it is playing to bring this issue to a positive conclusion," Arroyo said.

China is seen as key to curtailing North Korea's nuclear program as it is the isolated nation's strongest ally, its biggest provider of aid and largest trade partner.

China has said restarting the six-nation talks is essential to resolving the crisis, but Pyongyang insists it will not attend as long as the United States maintains the financial sanctions imposed against it last year.

In last year's six-party agreement, North Korea said it would renounce all nuclear weapons and programs, return to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and allow UN weapons inspectors back into the country.

In return other nations involved agreed to "respect" the North's demand for peaceful nuclear energy and said Pyongyang's request to have a light-water nuclear reactor for peaceful purposes would be revisited "at an appropriate time".

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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