21.   Macedonia wants U.N. troop reductions suspended.

22.   Local leaders in Kosovo welcomed the troop reduction, suggesting that it indicated that the troubled province was making progress.

23.   Okinawans also had expected an announcement of U.S. base consolidations or troop reductions.

24.   One new element, however, is a list of benchmarks that will be used to measure progress and decide troop reductions.

25.   Okinawans, angered by crimes and crowding, have long called for troop reductions and any increase in U.S. weaponry would be controversial.

26.   Rodionov demonstrated his willingness to make changes earlier this month by dismissing six generals who opposed troop reductions, including the head of the airborne forces.

27.   Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov and his Chinese counterpart, Qian Qichen, announced in November they had achieved a breakthrough in negotiating troop reductions.

28.   The leaders, along with Russian President Boris Yeltsin, signed an agreement on troop reduction on their common borders.

29.   The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the troop reduction was being accomplished by not replacing soldiers who have completed their tours of duty in Bosnia.

30.   The plan focuses more heavily on public order and adds a list of benchmarks that will be used to measure progress and decide troop reductions.