// create the ajax request object

	var request_o;
	
	var browser = navigator.appName;
	
	if(browser == "Microsoft Internet Explorer")
	{
		
		request_o = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
		
	}
	else
	{
		
		request_o = new XMLHttpRequest();
		
	}
	
	var request_p;
	
	var browser = navigator.appName;
	
	if(browser == "Microsoft Internet Explorer")
	{
		
		request_p = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
		
	}
	else
	{
		
		request_p = new XMLHttpRequest();
		
	}

	// get the towns
	val='';
	
	request_o.open('POST', 'get_countries.php');
	request_o.onreadystatechange = handleretrieveregions;
	request_o.send(val);
	
	function handleretrieveregions(){
		if (request_o.readyState==1 || request_o.readyState==2){
			
			obj = document.form_search;
			
			obj.tara.disabled=true;
		}
		
		if (request_o.readyState==4){
			
			var response = request_o.responseText;
			
			obj = document.form_search;
			
			obj.tara.length=0;
			
			tarax=new Array();
			
			eval(response);
			
			for (var i=0; i < tarax.length; i++) {
				
                    obj.tara.options[i] = new Option(tarax[i], tarax[i], 0, 0);
                    obj.tara.options[0].selected =  true;
            }
            obj.tara.disabled=false;
		}
	}