Nonetheless, President Jalal Talabani predicted the constitution would be submitted to the National Assembly on Sunday, one day before the deadline for parliamentary approval.

"The meetings are still going on and we have moved forward. There is a coming together in the points of view and we have made progress towards an understanding."

Talabani said the meetings are now concentrating on federalism in Shiite areas of central and southern Iraq, as well as the role of Islam in the state.

Meanwhile, in his weekly radio addresss, US President George Bush called the approval of the new constitution a critical step on the path to Iraqi self-reliance and highlighted what he views as political progress in Iraq.

"Despite the acts of violence by the enemies of freedom, Iraq's elected leaders are now finishing work on a democratic constitution. Iraqis are taking control of their country, building a free nation that can govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself."

Bush also said US forces are hunting down terrorists and training Iraqi security forces so they can defend the country without an American presence.

More that 1,800 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the beginning of the war.