Four-day talks on North Korea's nuclear programme appeared to be coming to a halt today.
It was reported that North Korean envoy Kim Kye-gwan, who has insisted on a transfer of frozen funds from a Macau bank before he will talk about disarmament, would likely leave Beijing today.
US envoy Christopher Hill
Another diplomatic source said part of the Russian delegation had already left town.
Washington said on Monday it had ended an investigation into the Macau bank, accused of harbouring North Korean earnings from international crime, which had prompted Macau authorities to take over the bank and freeze the accounts.
North Korea has largely avoided discussing a February deal to shut its main nuclear reactor by mid-April since the talks began on Monday, demanding that $25 million (€19 million) first be transferred to an account in Beijing.
US envoy Christopher Hill said the delay in the transfer from Macau's Banco Delta Asia needed to be overcome.
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, also expressed his frustration at the foot-dragging on the bank issue in which the funds are due to be transferred to a North Korean account with the Bank of China.
As part of the February disarmament deal, the United States agreed to resolve North Korea's complaints about the financial crackdown within 30 days.