21.   He was speaking at a traditional welcome ceremony for delegation heads attending a three-day meeting of the Pacific Islands Conference of leaders.

22.   In an interview Saturday with CNN television, Cuban delegation head Ricardo Alarcon said he was pessimistic about reaching an accord with the United States.

23.   A Canadian trade delegation gave Iraq an ambulance but UN officials prevented it from entering the country, delegation head Gabriel Khayatt said Sunday.

24.   A military UNITA rebel team pulled out of ceasefire talks with Angolan army chiefs in the Zambian capital Lusaka on Thursday, UNITA delegation head General Eugenio Manukavola announced.

25.   Akashi said he had spoken with Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and would hold talks later Sunday with Bosnian Vice President and delegation head Ejup Ganic.

26.   Bosnian delegation head Hasan Muratovic had Tuesday stressed the importance of reestablishing transport links between Sarajevo and the Adriatic coast, part of which Serb forces continue to block.

27.   But Israeli delegation head General Danny Rotschild warned he saw problems ahead for the Palestinians when it came to financing their new authority.

28.   Delegation heads would resume formal talks later.

29.   The possible cancellation indicated that diplomatic efforts by delegation head, Taku Yamazaki, to salvage the trip had failed.

30.   The statement followed two hours of talks between the North Korean delegation head Kang Sok-Ju and his US counterpart Robert Gallucci.