61.   Commission officials would not comment on the merger Tuesday.

62.   Commission officials, however, wanted to be able to vet both the rival service provider and the deal to make sure it would foster competition.

63.   Commission finance officials said they have become increasingly aware of the need to counter the perception that the creation of a common EU currency is bad for jobs.

64.   Commission officials had no comment.

65.   Commission officials have said that they, too, will need additional resources to oversee the mammoth city break-up effort.

66.   Commission officials said it is unlikely that enough countries will vote in favor of the plan for it to be passed straight into law.

67.   Commission officials said the harassment lasted for four years and that there was one case of rape.

68.   Commission officials said they had not finished a comparable audit of spending by the Democratic Party at its national convention last year in Chicago.

69.   Commission officials said they would probably modify the proposed changes before sending the plan to the City Council, where it faces its biggest, and final, test.

70.   Commission officials say this will take several weeks.