1.   He said the meeting would take place before a long-scheduled conference Friday of foreign ministry political directors representing the Group of Seven industrialized nations and Russia.

2.   Health ministry director Thomas Zeltner said the genetically modified soybeans posed no health risks.

3.   The North Korean delegation was composed of a foreign ministry director and three other officials.

4.   The United States, which supplies the engine for the Kfir, approved the sale during a recent visit by defense ministry director general David Ivri to Washington.

5.   France was represented at the talks among foreign ministry political directors by Alain Dejammet, Britain by Pauline Neville-Jones and Germany by Juergen Chrobog.

6.   Foreign ministry director general Uri Savir, head of the Israeli side, was not spotted.

7.   Israel established a bridgehead to the Gulf in April when Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin visited Oman and defence ministry director general David Ivry went to Qatar in May.

8.   A letter annnouncing the mass sackings was dispatched Tuesday to managing director Alhaji Muhammed King and other members of the board, information ministry director general Patrick Eta said.

9.   According to Finnish foreign ministry security policy director Ilkka Heiskanen, the issues to be discussed during the visit are NATO expansion and reform and European security.

10.   Agriculture ministry director Misha Regev said large flocks of sheep had been spotted being moved across the green line without authorisation.