Washington ? Helping an ally that’s in political trouble, the Bush administration announced Friday that it would hold off trying any British terrorism suspects before military commissions at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo, Cuba.

Two British nationals captured in Afghanistan and Pakistan — Feroz Abbasi, 23, and Moazzam Begg, 35 — are in the first group of six detainees declared eligible for military trials, which could begin in the next few months.

The White House, in a statement signed by press secretary Scott McClellan, said it wouldn’t launch any legal proceedings against the two, or the other seven British nationals at Guantanamo, until legal experts from both nations discussed “a range of options” next week.

The decision is a victory for Prime Minister Tony Blair, who faced growing opposition in Parliament to U.S. military trials. A Blair spokesman said last week that the government had “strong reservations” about whether military commissions, also called tribunals, would be fair.

The White House also said no legal action would be taken against Australian David Hicks, 27, the other identified detainee in the first group of six, until discussions occurred with that government. The other three detainees facing tribunals haven’t been identified.

Friday’s announcement postpones major decisions on how to employ the controversial system of justice designed for trying war crimes. It hasn’t been used since World War II, and the possible use of it now has generated opposition in several countries.

About 640 detainees from 42 nations are being held in legal limbo in Guantanamo — uncharged and without access to lawyers — some for as long as 19 months. Most were captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan, and U.S. officials describe them as fighters for the Taliban government or the al-Qaida terrorist network.

The Bush administration says the detainees are illegal combatants in the war on terrorism who lack the legal standing or rights of prisoners of war.

The Pentagon says military trials, held outside the United States, are the best way to bring terrorists to justice swiftly with maximum security while protecting their rights as defendants.