Washington, D.C. ? A deal to allow delegates from Florida and Michigan to participate at the Democratic National Convention is unlikely before summer, party chief Howard Dean said Sunday.

Dean said that was partly because presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama want to focus on the coming round of contests. Next on the schedule are Pennsylvania on April 22 and Indiana and North Carolina on May 6. Voting ends June 3.

The Democratic National Committee stripped Florida and Michigan of their convention delegates – a total of 366 – for holding primaries too early in the process, violating party rules. Clinton and Obama agreed not to campaign in either state, and Obama joined other candidates in removing their names from Michigan’s ballot.

Clinton won both primaries, and she has been pressing for those results to be recognized. Obama objects.