21.   DeCoster is scheduled to meet with OSHA officials next Thursday for a preliminary discussion of the findings.

22.   Delta has since had preliminary discussions with giant United Airlines about a marketing alliance that would strengthen its strategic position.

23.   Earth Lease and British Telecommunications confirmed on Sunday that preliminary discussions had been held, but they declined to comment further.

24.   Executives close to EchoStar said that it had also held preliminary discussions with other companies it does business with about offering cash.

25.   GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb have held preliminary discussions about the possibility of a merger, executives close to the talks said on Thursday.

26.   He said that he had preliminary discussions with the teachers and principals unions last year, but that negotiations over work-schedule changes had not yet begun.

27.   His mother, who I confess is far more comfortable with the subject than I am, has had some preliminary discussions with him.

28.   House Speaker Newt Gingrich and other GOP leaders have had preliminary discussions on the budget needed to conduct such an investigation.

29.   In its first meeting on Iraq since the American bombing campaign ended, the Security Council failed to begin even preliminary discussions on its long-term relationship with Iraq.

30.   In fact, PSINet and Winstar are now in preliminary discussions about working together, according to executives close to those talks.