Advisers to Mr. Davis are researching legal challenges to the way the signatures were gathered, hoping at least to delay certification of the petitions and to push back the date of the election.

If that reply does not satisfactorily explain the vacated decision, the Supremes rule that the state court misread the federal statute and reverse the decision to delay certification.

The disagreement, though minor, may further delay official certification of the withdrawal, which is required before United nations forces can be deployed in the region.

The Board of Elections is scheduled to certify the election results on Dec. 15, but could delay certification if the court challenge is still pending.

But these changes will not delay certification, he said, because "all of the little changes required for certification go to the top of the queue, pushing the in-flight video and the 132-channel DVD system to the back."

His camp sued to try to delay certification of the recall petitions.

"Well, as you know, the JAA is actually delaying certification over noise emissions, and-" "Let's just stay with this for a moment," Reardon said.

The department would require schools with default rates in excess of 30 percent, currently numbering more than 1,000 schools, to delay certification of loans to first-time borrowers.

It was badly damaged in a crash landing due to engine failure in 1992, however, delaying certification and production, with the second prototype not flying until 29 May 1996.

Boeing said the part would be stiffened to overcome the problem but that the additional work needed would delay certification for commercial flight.