21.   Many leaders appealed to Musharraf and Vajpayee to take steps to defuse their conflict before it ignites an outright war.

22.   Many leaders appealed to Musharraf and Vajpayee to take steps to defuse their conflict before it ignites a full-fledged war.

23.   Rebel ranks appear to have swelled in a sign that there is at least the raw manpower to challenge the Serbs if the conflict is not defused.

24.   Soldiers in the NATO-led force increasingly have had to defuse conflicts between refugees seeking to return home and residents trying to stop them.

25.   The resignation defused a conflict that could have complicated upcoming parliamentary budget discussions.

26.   Trying to defuse the conflict, Jospin, a Socialist, said the penal code will be revised to deal more harshly with violence toward transport workers.

27.   Troops from both sides withdrew from Dushanbe on Sunday after Rakhmonov and the opposition agreed on steps to defuse the conflict.

28.   Trying to defuse the conflict, the Socialist prime minister said said the penal code will be revised to deal more harshly with violence toward transport workers.

29.   Greece said US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke was the main mover in overnight talks to defuse the conflict.

30.   Greece said US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke was the main mover in overnight talks to defused the conflict.