Former Palestinian internal security minister Mohamed Dahlan said Sunday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is waiting for an international guarantee to hold presidential elections in January.

"We haven't yet get assurance from the international community to begin the campaign for holding presidential elections in the West Bank and Gaza," Dahlan told reporters.

Asked about US President George W. Bush's statement on the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state, Dahlan said "these statements are not considered as a great positive impact."

"The independent state slogan is old. What is new is what kind of a state we would have, what its size would be and what competences of the Palestinian people would have," said Dahlan.

Dahlan also dismissed reports that an internal power struggle would emerge after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death and chaos would prevail the Palestinian territories.

The Palestinians have announced on Sunday that the presidential elections would be held on Jan. 9 under the basic law.

The elections would choose a leader to formally succeed the late Arafat.

The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Speaker Rawhi Fattouh was named as the interim PNA President until the elections were held.