1.   The United States and Britain vigorously backed that stance.

2.   But Howard has persistently refused to consider the idea and he now says Freeh, the director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, backs that stance.

3.   Shops and businesses were closed to back the stance taken by Arafat.

4.   Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and Myanmar are certain to back that stance, too.

5.   Yugoslavia backed their stance Friday in a letter to the U.N. Security Council.

6.   His troops did not seem discouraged and one of his aides backed his stance with conviction.

7.   However, his hardline Defence Minister, Gojko Susak, who is close to the Bosnian Croats in Mostar, reportedly backed their stance.

8.   This stance has been backed by the South African National Editors Forum.