Talks on releasing North Korea's funds that have held up international efforts to disarm Pyongyang have ended in China's capital with no resolution.

Talks on releasing Pyongyang's funds that have held up international efforts to disarm North Korea ended in Beijing Friday without resolution, a U.S. official said, but expressed confidence a fast-approaching deadline in the disarmament process would be met.

A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said Friday that a mid-April is deadline to begin North Korea's disarmament process can still be met. But nearly two weeks of talks to resolve a dispute over frozen Pyongyang funds failed.

The United States says it is sending a top Treasury Department official to China to help resolve a banking dispute that had stalled nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea.

The North Korea nuclear talks stalled this week, but the chief U.S. envoy says he and his counterparts may be back at the table soon. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from the Chinese capital.

North Korea strongly condemned upcoming joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, saying Thursday that they would harm progress at international talks aimed at the North's nuclear disarmament.

Six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear program came to an abrupt halt today. North Korea's nuclear envoy did not talk to reporters before his sudden departure from Beijing. A statement by host China said the six countries had agreed to meet again "at the earliest opportunity."

South Korean and U.S. negotiators at talks to end North Korea's nuclear programs are indicating rising frustration with delays. North Korea has refused to hold discussions until millions of dollars are transferred to its account in China from a Macau bank. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

Talks on North Korea's nuclear programs are at a standstill in Beijing, with North Korean negotiators refusing to attend a meeting of the heads of delegation. Diplomats say the North Koreans are demanding they first get back money that was frozen in a Macau bank. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Beijing.

The government of Macau says it will release $25 million of North Korean funds that had been frozen in a Macau bank. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Beijing that earlier U.S. officials announced they resolved their dispute with North Korea over the funds at the start of a new round of nuclear disarmament talks.

North Korea cast doubt Monday on Japan's qualifications to participate in six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, Tokyo's chief envoy said, ratcheting up recent tensions between the two sides.