31.   In Manila, Philippine Undersecretary Lauro Baja told The Associated Press that talks were progressing.

32.   Israeli and Syrian military experts are here for closed negotiations under U.S. supervision -- a sign that peace talks are progressing to serious issues.

33.   Littlepage declined to discuss details of the contract, but said talks are progressing well and there is no sense or urgency to get it done.

34.   Meanwhile, the State Department spokesman, James P. Rubin, held daily briefings, with guarded and limited accounts of how the talks were progressing.

35.   Neither side would comment Friday on how the talks are progressing.

36.   Neither side would say how the talks were progressing.

37.   Omrie Golley, spokesman for the Revolutionary United Front rebels, confirmed Wednesday that the talks were progressing well with no major hitches in sight.

38.   Other Israeli officials tried to soothe Palestinian anger, saying the talks were progressing according to plan.

39.   Talks had not progressed because Indonesia says it is willing to discuss human rights, economic development but not the final status of the territory.

40.   The government, which says it recently recaptured several areas lost to the rebels in April and May, rejected the truce, saying peace talks must first progress.