31.   His comments came as a Palestinian negotiator confirmed that secret talks were still under way between the two sides despite the disagreements over the scope of the withdrawal.

32.   His comments came as Taliban gunmen in control of Charasyab pressed their advantage and fired rockets into the capital.

33.   His comments came as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke was leaving for Paris to meet with U.S. allies and Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic.

34.   His comments came before the other two attacks were publicly announced.

35.   Such comments came as hard-liners were going down to defeat across the country.

36.   The comments came as a special envoy from President Boris Yeltsin was headed to Baghdad in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

37.   The comments came as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin prepared to travel to Washington Friday for talks with President Clinton next week on the U.S.-brokered talks with Syria.

38.   The comments came as the Clinton administration intensified its campaign to persuade other nations to follow its lead.

39.   The comments came ahead of a three-day visit starting Tuesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati aimed at improving relations between the two countries.

40.   The comments came as former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin was meeting the Yugoslav president in Belgrade.