21.   Lockup provisions are common in initial public offerings, providing some assurance to buyers that the supply of shares will be restricted for some period.

22.   Officials said that China has provided written assurances that it will engage in no further nuclear cooperation with Iran, and will end two existing contracts.

23.   Or a company can negotiate a corporate integrity or compliance agreement to provide some assurance against future fraud and persuade prosecutors not to pursue criminal charges.

24.   One senior administration official said Cardoso had provided assurances that he would push through stronger patent legislation soon.

25.   Primakov provided the assurance in a meeting with representatives of the Anti-Defamation League.

26.   Sevan recommended the ban to Kofi Annan, the secretary-general, after Baghdad did not provide written assurances that U.N. employees would be protected.

27.   Steinbrenner sat with the fans in that section for five innings, trying to provide assurances that everything was fine.

28.   The committee declined to provide such assurances.

29.   THE ENDURING economic strength of the United States provides assurances of eventual victory in the struggle against terrorism.

30.   The federation provides signed assurances to the federal government that the agency will resettle the families, who are recognized as refugees.