21.   Clinton and Kuchma are also to sign a charter on US-Ukrainian relations during the summit meeting.

22.   Clinton and Kuchma signed a charter on partnership, friendship and cooperation that the administration said would allow for closer ties between the two countries.

23.   The six presidents signed a charter that effectively transforms the grouping into a fully-fledged international organisation with a permanent secretariat based in Beijing.

24.   The administration has been trying to persuade Russia to sign a charter with NATO that would iron out differences over the eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

25.   That does not mean the charter cannot be signed during a NATO-Russia summit, in order to give it maximum ceremonial power, the official said.

26.   The court would hold open hearings and its judgements would be binding on members states that had signed its charter.