1.   No hope seems to remain of a breakthrough deal.

2.   In a breakthrough deal with U.S. negotiators, China has agreed to support a historic global ban on nuclear test explosions, Western diplomats said.

3.   Lebed signed a breakthrough peace deal with separatist fighters in breakaway Chechnya last month.

4.   Lebed, who signed a breakthrough peace deal with Chechen rebels last month, was expected to return to Chechnya on Tuesday.

5.   He has also issued a public backing for the Chechnya peace process, which was launched by Lebed in a breakthrough deal in August.

6.   Azerbaijani President Heidar Aliyev and his Georgian counterpart, Eduard Shevardnadze, signed a breakthrough oil pipeline deal in Tbilisi Friday.

7.   Azerbaijani President Gaidar Aliyev arrived in Georgia Friday, where he is expected to sign a breakthrough oil pipeline deal.