1.   Election preparations and training monitors must begin far in advance of the voting.

2.   Several nations have pledged money for election preparations.

3.   Some Western officials and opposition politicians had been critical of the election preparations almost from the time the first international supervisors arrived in January.

4.   The European group has been obstructed in its election preparations at many turns by tough tactics from Berisha and stalling by opposition parties.

5.   Patten said the money will support the building of democratic institutions and election preparations.

6.   According to ITAR-Tass, some local authorities are going ahead with election preparations despite fears of possible repercussions by militants.

7.   Also Sunday in PRI election preparations, Jose Murat Casab registered as a candidate for governor of Oaxaca.

8.   Any legal challenge to the bill could tie up election preparations for months, commission officials say.

9.   Diplomats in Brazzaville said Lissouba had planned to ask parliament to extend his term by three months to allow more time for election preparations.

10.   Erakat said that Arafat on Thursday would nominate a nine-member election commission and a five-judge panel to oversee election preparations and resolve any disputes.