91.   But Potocki ruled out the possibility of the Freedom Union seeking a coalition with the former communists to form a government if talks with Solidarity fail.

92.   But poverty has not driven angry crowds into the streets as it did almost two years ago when a government of former communists collapsed.

93.   But President Aleksander Kwasniewski, a former communist, hailed the legislation as a giant stride for women.

94.   But the current president, prime minister, and parliament majority are former communists.

95.   But the panel was unlikely to include people from the Socialist Party of former communists or any other opposition group.

96.   But the victory of pro-western reformists, including Ciorbea, over former communists in November elections had raised hopes that Romania could make the cut for NATO.

97.   But the right-wing Fatherland and Freedom has opposed cooperation with the Social Democrats, whose leaders include former high-ranking communists.

98.   But Schroeder signaled Monday he prefers the three-way centrist coalition, citing polls showing most Social Democrats reject an alliance with the former communists.

99.   But three years of tough reform pursued by a pragmatic former communist now are paying off in solid economic data.

100.   Chancellor Helmut Kohl condemned the opposition Social Democrats on Tuesday for joining forces with former communists to stay in power in an eastern German state.