The team drawing up Iraq's new constitution considered giving itself more time to write the document today, but still looked set to meet its mid-August deadline under intense US pressure.
The drafting of the constitution is a major plank in the US administration's plans for democracy in Iraq and is seen as perhaps the best chance for a political end to the insurgency.
Violence, however, continued unabated today, with a car bomb killing seven people at a police checkpoint near Baghdad.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, flanked by US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters it was essential that the US- backed timetable for writing the constitution was met and the document presented to parliament by the deadline of August 15.
Many of the 71 members on the drafting committee say they need more time, while others say the priority is meeting the deadline. The debate has come to a head because any extension must be requested by August 1.
The committee met all day today to consider whether it should ask for more time, but could not reach a decision. Members said they would meet again tomorrow.
At the same time, they said committee chairman Humam Hammoudi would meet Talabani and the speaker of parliament to discuss the issue. An application for an extension has to be made by Hammoudi to the speaker.
Just as there are deep divisions among committee members over what should be in the constitution, there are profound differences of opinion over whether there should be a delay.