RAMALLAH, Dec. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The Palestinian National Authority(PNA) said Wednesday it is ready to confront any trouble when elections open in 26 West Bank towns and villages on Thursday.Minister of Local Government Jamal Shoubaki said supporters of some candidates in certain areas of the West Bank may resort to violence if they feel their candidates are not going to win."We are ready to confront any problem that may arise," he said,but adding "we may have to stop the elections in any area where trouble occurs."

    Shoubaki said the PNA intended to deploy more than 1,000 uniformed police in and around the polling stations to prevent any interference in the voting.

    It will be the first time in more than three years that uniformed Palestinian police are deployed in public in the West Bank.

    Israel has promised to keep its forces out of the areas where the elections will be held.

    The first round of voting is slated to kick off in 26 West Bank towns and villages at 7:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) Thursday,with the second stage getting underway in 10 Gaza localities onJan. 27.

    Shoubaki said the ballot boxes will be opened as soon as the voting closes at 7:00 p.m. (1700 GMT) and the counting will start immediately at the polling stations under the supervision of monitors and observers.

    The official results will be declared after all votes arecounted and the commission decides that the voting is legal.Further voting will be held next year in the remaining 600Palestinian councils until the elections are completed by September 2005. Enditem