31.   No trade pact ever is.

32.   Now, that pact is about to be put to the test.

33.   Nonetheless, in the bitter atmosphere prevailing in Washington, the pact may be remarkable simply for the fact that the two agreed on anything.

34.   Once the pact is final, Clinton and his OECD counterparts must win legislative approval before the treaty can take effect.

35.   On the other hand, if you own a company like General Motors or Wal-Mart, then the trade pact was a sweet deal.

36.   One board member said the pacts were comparable to those reached last year with LIRR unions, which were widely viewed as a capitulation to the unions.

37.   Several members of Congress have warned that the pact is unlikely to be ratified without changes.

38.   Schmalensee and other MIT economists have repeatedly asserted that the Kyoto pact is an overly costly insurance policy.

39.   Sources familiar with the talks say a draft pact could be ready within two weeks.

40.   Such a pact is especially important at a time when the United States is fighting terrorism, he said.