LONDON - SIR Paul McCartney says negotiations on a long-awaited deal to make the Beatles catalogue available on online music service iTunes have stalled.

The former Beatle says, 'The last word I got back was it's stalled at the whole moment, the whole process.

'I really hope it will happen because I think it should,' he says.

The band's holding company, Apple Corps, has so far declined to allow the Fab Four's music on any Internet music service, including iTunes.

The situation has been exacerbated by a long-running trademark dispute between Apple Corps and Apple Inc, which owns iTunes, which was resolved last year.

Sir Paul was speaking at the launch of his new album, Electric Arguments.

Apple Inc was not immediately available for comment. -- AP