Russian chief delegate Alexander Alekseev left Beijing over the weekend saying he had to attend to domestic affairs and would return when it was necessary.

"He's staying only two days, maybe three days. ... I don't know when the talks will be closed, probably Saturday," a Russian diplomat told AFP, refusing to elaborate.

The six-nation talks, which entered their 10th day Thursday, also involve the two Koreas, Japan, China and the United States.

The talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear drive have been stalled by the Stalinist state's indecision over whether to sign a preliminary draft agreement that maps out how it would eventually dismantle its atomic weapons.

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