The Iraqi opposition yesterday postponed for at least two weeks what was supposed to be the first meeting of dissidents on Iraqi territory in a decade after Bush administration officials said the United States could not guarantee security, according to Iraqi dissidents and administration officials.

In late 1996 the government announced elections would be held for 23 local authorities in Jaffna District, Kilinochchi District, Mannar District and Vavuniya District but following opposition from Tamil political parties postponed them.