1.   Aleksa Buha, the self-styled foreign minister of the Bosnian Serbs, said the hostages would be released if NATO and the United Nations formally renounced all military threats.

2.   In Taiwan, Premier Lien Chan stridently asked China to renounce its threat to use force to retake the island before sitting down for talks.

3.   A senior Chinese general, Xiong Guangkai, warned Tuesday of conflict if China renounces its threat of force against the island.

4.   If Turkey were to give up its bullying tactics, renounce its threats to use military force and observe the European norms and human rights.

5.   It wants Turkey to renounce the threat of violence to solve their differences and to take its case to the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

6.   Taiwan has been careful not to become too dependent on the market in China, which has never renounced threats to retake the island by force.

7.   HAMAS has also so far refused to renounce its threat of further attacks on Israelis, a key demand by Arafat for any reconciliation.

8.   Although it has not launched attacks for several weeks, HAMAS has not renounced its threat of more anti-Israeli bombings, a key demand by Arafat for any reconciliation.

9.   But so far HAMAS has said it would boycott the poll and has refused to renounce its threat to carry out anti-Israeli attacks, a key Arafat demand.