1.   They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.

2.   No date for substantive negotiations was fixed.

3.   An additional round of preliminary talks will take place Monday, then the talks will adjourn until September, when proponents of the process hope to begin substantive negotiations.

4.   As it talks of statehood, the Bush administration is demanding that Palestinians accept and put in place a cease-fire plan before embarking on substantive political negotiations.

5.   But in the long run, the departure of the ministers most adamantly opposed to sitting down with the Palestinians could free Sharon to embark on substantive negotiations.

6.   Even if the Israelis and Palestinians make it past the seven-day period, further hurdles remain before substantive negotiations would begin.

7.   Even if a formal truce is reestablished quickly, they said it could still take weeks before substantive negotiations on a settlement to the uprising might begin.

8.   Israel insists that Arafat crush all Palestinian militant groups and take other steps to prevent violence before any substantive negotiations resume.

9.   No substantive negotiations are taking place on Hainan Island, and contact between the Chinese and U.S. officials remains sporadic.