Somalia ? A national conference to help heal the wounds of 16 years of conflict in Somalia has again been postponed because some delegates will not arrive in time and the venue is not ready, a top official said Wednesday.

The decision to delay the conference until July 15 comes a day after elders of a main Somali clan, the Hawiye, said they would not send representatives because organizers have not responded to demands they have made. They also said they did not receive a formal invitation and do not know the agenda for the conference, which was to start today.

The conference has been postponed to let organizers ensure it is all-inclusive, said Ali Mahdi Mohamed, chairman of the committee organizing the talks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Mohamed declined to comment on the Hawiye elders’ demands, which they said should be met before the conference is held.

Mohamed said that other concerns the Hawiye elders raised Tuesday such as the conference’s agenda will be addressed when it takes place because the delegates themselves will determine it. More than 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.