41.   British and Chinese officials also signed agreements Wednesday covering catering and aviation fuel supplies at the airport.

42.   Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev, who is in hiding, dismissed the agreement even though his top officials signed it, the Interfax news agency reported.

43.   Charles County, Md., school officials recently signed a contract giving the Coca-Cola Co. exclusive rights to sell its products in county schools.

44.   Chinese and Nigerian officials subsequently signed five trade and technical cooperation agreements.

45.   Chinese and Russian officials also signed agreements to set up a hot-line to encourage more consultation between top leaders.

46.   Chretien also appeared optimistic that the problem will be resolved, especially since Russian and Canadian officials signed an agreement Monday on mutual legal assistance.

47.   Chinese and Burmese officials signed a framework agreement for China to provide subsidized loans to Burma, as well as a pact for technical and economic cooperation.

48.   Chretien met with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and watched as officials signed a series of pacts at the Great Hall of the People, the government headquarters in Beijing.

49.   Company executives noted that union officials did sign a return to work agreement when they reached a tentative contract Sunday.

50.   Czech and Lebanese officials signed an agreement on investment promotion late Friday.