11.   Labor says a parliament in Edinburgh will strengthen the union with England by safely defusing independence sentiment.

12.   Serbia, the dominant republic in Yugoslavia, is determined to quash rising independence sentiment in the southern province.

13.   Shen urged the U.S. government to speak with one voice and to stop selling weapons to Taiwan and encouraging independence sentiment on the island.

14.   The crackdown backfired, fueling independence sentiments.

15.   But China did not let up on the United States -- the nation it blames most for encouraging independence sentiments on the Nationalist island.

16.   While it possess an aggressive economic agenda, Australia wants to build a broader relationship using all its assets, including independence sentiment, diplomats say.