By Chris Buckley

BEIJING, March 15 (Reuters) - Negotiators seeking to persuade North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons programme converged in Beijing on Thursday after Washington said it had ended a probe into Pyongyang's bank activities that had been blocking progress.

Chief U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill said talks were still needed on Banco Delta Asia, the Macau bank where the North's accounts are frozen, but he did not expect this would "pose a stumbling block" to continuation of talks with Pyongyang.

"I think we have fulfilled what we need to do," Hill told reporters. "Obviously we need some consultations."

He said that there were "continued concerns with the long-term management" of the bank. As for the disposal of the North Korean accounts, he said: "Ultimately this will be determined by the Macau monetary authorities."

"I think we can work through this," Hill added.

North Korea has demanded the release of its funds at the bank as a condition of continuing the six-party talks process aimed at ensuring it makes good on pledges made last month to shut its nuclear reactor in return for an infusion of energy aid and security assurances.

The February agreement was hammered out at negotiations in Beijing with China, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

The U.S. Treasury formally barred American banks from dealing with Banco Delta Asia as part of the move announced in Washington on Wednesday. Hill said that situation may change if the bank changes ownership.

The U.S. envoy said he and Japanese and South Korean diplomats would meet International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei in Beijing ahead of the next round of six-party talks, scheduled to open on Monday.

ElBaradei, who returned to Beijing from Pyongyang on Wednesday, is also likely to have talks with China's head of delegation, Wu Dawei.

ElBaradei said North Korea wanted U.S. financial restrictions against it resolved before it would shut its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and readmit inspectors as agreed in the Feb. 13 accord.

Pyongyang stunned the world last year with its first nuclear test, drawing widespread condemnation and U.N. sanctions.

ElBaradei's visit was the IAEA's first since December 2002 when North Korea expelled inspectors as an earlier disarmament deal fell apart. It withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty days later.

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