Mr. Giuliani, who has urged more City Hall control over board affairs, continued to remain publicly neutral on the candidates.

White House officials said yesterday that they were publicly neutral on the Republican primary race.

In the West, Mubarak's allies were publicly neutral but behind the scenes worked to diminish Hosni's support.

Speaker Sheldon Silver, the leader of the Assembly's Democratic majority, has remained publicly neutral on the issue.

Mr. Farrell, one of the highest-ranking black officials in the state, is publicly neutral in the race.

As India was a user of the canal, however, he remained publicly neutral other than warning that any use of force, or threats, could be "disastrous".

And many Democrats who have previously supported the industry's attempts to defeat more stringent regulation remain in the accountants' camp, or at least appear publicly neutral.

Tagliabue has remained publicly neutral on his successor.

The Clintons have made it clear that they will remain publicly neutral through the primary on Sept. 10.

Mr. Cooper is accused of violating regulations that require city employees to remain publicly neutral on political issues.