NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Dubai could "possibly" be approved as International Cricket Council's new headquarters at a meeting here next month, Ehsan Mani, who heads cricket's governing body, said.

Mani and ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed are in final stages of talks with Dubai government. A decision would be known in "two or three weeks" - well before March 17-18 meeting of ICC Board of Directors, Mani said.

"The chief executive and I are in the process of actually going through that process now. In about two or three weeks a final decision should be made, whether we move there or not," said Mani, who is here to meet ICC sponsors.

ICC headquarters have been based at Lord's ground in London for about 95 years. Asked if final seal of approval on Dubai would be put during New Delhi meeting, he said: "Possibly, yes, possibly."

ICC Board last year decided 11-1 in favour of shifting to Dubai from London. Board of Directors comprises board chiefs of 10 Test-playing nations. "The (ICC) Board has decided in principle to move to Dubai. But that is obviously subject to an agreement with government of Dubai and their agencies," said Mani, a London-based Pakistani who took over as ICC president in 2003.

Before voting on issue of shifting of its headquarters, ICC had been in talks with British government on issues like tax exemptions - but Parliament did not accede to this.

He said talks with British sports ministry are now over. "Yes. We have obviously taken it to as far as we could. They understand our position very fully. I'm very grateful to ministry of sports in England for trying very hard to get us to stay there.

"Unfortunately, they could not persuade their colleagues in Treasury department to come up with some of the provisos that we were required to meet in terms of tax exemption. So, we moved on from there," he said.

ICC Board voted in favour of Dubai mainly because of its flexible tax laws. "At the moment, mandate we have received from the (ICC) Board is to first deal with Dubai, and hopefully if we come to an agreement, that would be end of matter," said Mani. "If it isn't, matter will go back to the Board, which will have to decide," he added. -Agencies