71.   Pakistan was close to defaulting on its foreign debt repayments, but Washington eased sanctions, allowing it to obtain a bailout package from global donors.

72.   President Saddam Hussein said Monday that Iraq rejected a British proposal to ease U.N. sanctions.

73.   A Council resolution stipulates that sanctions be eased once those conditions have been met.

74.   A government delegation plans to hold talks on ways to ease the sanctions during the World Economic Forum in New York this week.

75.   A recurring theme during the hearing was the news reports last week about divisions in the administration over whether the sanctions should be eased.

76.   A report favorable to Baghdad could increase pressure by Russia, France and China to ease the sanctions.

77.   After initially rejecting Clinton administration policies to ease sanctions, Bush has softened his stance.

78.   Albright had said the United States was prepared to veto any resolution that would ease sanctions.

79.   Alarcon noted there have been increased attempts by Congress in recent years to ease the sanctions, albeit with limited success.

80.   Ali Mohammed, a manager at the al-Thahab currency exchange, said many Iraqis with spare cash are saving dinars, hoping that sanctions might be eased.