11.   National security chief Alexander Lebed was absent, although he is a member of the defence council.

12.   Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin on Friday chaired the first meeting of the Russian defence council, a high-level consultative body set up to supervise reform of the armed forces.

13.   Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin Friday chaired the first meeting of the Russian defence council, a high-level consultative body set up to supervise reform of the beleaguered armed forces.

14.   Rodionov said military cuts, including to the interior ministry troops, would be discussed by the defence council.

15.   The defence council will meet at least once every two weeks, he said.

16.   The defendants, the prosecutor and the defence council have all asked for a week to decide whether they will appeal the sentence.

17.   The first major engagement to be postponed will be the meeting of the defence council, which was to discuss the politically explosive subject of military reform on Wednesday.

18.   The latest unsuccessful ceasefire initiative came after a meeting of the national defence council, chaired by Saleh, the official northern agency SABA said.

19.   The new initiative came after a meeting of the national defence council, chaired by Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh.