21.   U.S.-Chinese talks aimed at shutting down the pirates collapsed last Saturday in Beijing, with both sides accusing the other of undermining the negotiations.

22.   While the current talks aim at strengthening existing technological alliances with GE and ABB, Chung said that neither company was interested in management control of Hanjung.

23.   With Taliban resolve in Kandahar appearing to wane, the talks aimed at charting a post-Taliban government in Afghanistan stalled Friday.

24.   Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat briefed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Thursday on London talks aimed at nudging forward Middle East peace negotiations.

25.   Powell said the United States was playing host to the two sides in security talks aimed at curbing the violence.

26.   President Chandrika Kumaratunga last week accused the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels of making new demands in peace talks aimed at ending the war.

27.   Peace talks aimed at bringing a durable peace to the Korean peninsula resumed Wednesday after a break of more than six months, with little sign of early progress.

28.   Peace talks aimed at ending the conflict entered their fourth round last week in the northern Tanzanian town of Arusha.

29.   Peace talks aimed at ending two decades of war in Afghanistan hinged Tuesday on whether the warring factions could agree on the definition of religious scholar.

30.   Previous talks aimed at ending the fighting which erupted in August ended in failure.