51.   The former communist leader has repeatedly said he would like the trial to proceed as quickly as possible.

52.   The suit was filed in September before Judge David Trager, who must decide if a trial can proceed on the merits.

53.   The trial proceeded after the judge rejected a constitutional challenge to the organized-crime law.

54.   Though the trial has proceeded without incident since hearings began last year, there are fears the verdict, expected Sunday, could result in protests.

55.   To that end, he has allowed trials to proceed of some Serbs accused of atrocities in neighboring Bosnia.

56.   U.S. District Judge David Sam threw out charges of bribery racketeering last July, making it clear no trial would proceed until after the February games.

57.   U.S. officials have been unable to find out from the Taliban how the trial will proceed after Saturday.

58.   He said he did not know how the trial would proceed when it resumes next month.

59.   However, legislation does allow for a trial to proceed here without UN backing but with foreign assistance or solely as a Cambodian affair.

60.   But a military appeals court threw out the suits and the trial proceeded.