11.   The meeting came as ethnic Albanian officials in Kosovo rejected the new initiative by Serbian authorities for long-sought direct talks.

12.   The meeting came as ethnic Albanians were throwing cold water on hopes for imminent progress toward a political settlement for the restive, Albanian-majority province.

13.   The meeting came as the international community was heading for another test of wills with the defiant Bosnian Serbs, traditional allies of Russia.

14.   The meeting came as time appeared to be running out in Kinshasa.

15.   The meeting came as Bush strategists continued to try to nurture an image of the inevitability of a Bush presidency.

16.   The meeting came as ethnic Albanian officials in Kosovo rejected a new Serb initiative for long-sought direct talks.

17.   News of the meeting came as state television said prime minister-designate Nikolai Dobrev would not present to parliament the new Socialist cabinet he formed Monday.

18.   The Catholic meeting came as inter-Korean relations remained tense over the infiltration of Northern spies and commandos into the South in October.

19.   The meeting came as preparations were under way for a first meeting between US Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Primakov in early February.

20.   The meeting came just before Clinton made a final statement wrapping up the two-day Middle East peace summit in Washington.