1.   His first aim is to get the warring parties back to the negotiating table .

2.   Neither side is coming to the negotiating table with completely clean hands.

3.   Pitch your bid too high and you run the risk of driving your opponent away from the negotiating table.

4.   Unless the international commun ity succeeds in bringing the two countries to the negotiating table soon, the war itself could escalate.

5.   The speed with which the two sides came to the negotiating table shows that they are ready to talk.

6.   The latest delays added to continuing speculation that the MNR was intent on strengthening its own power base before coming to the negotiating table.

7.   The Palestinian delegation indicated that it would not return to the negotiating table until Israel reversed its decision on the deportations.

8.   At one stage, Iraq was seen by foreign observers as seeking to bring Iran to the negotiating table by force.

9.   Steps are now being taken to get both warring factions around the negotiating table.