31.   American officials were not sure how the day would play out as the diplomats met with members of the Foreign Relations Committee.

32.   American diplomats met Friday for a second time with the crew of a U.S. Navy spy plane held on a southern Chinese island, the U.S. ambassador said.

33.   American diplomats met with the crew of a stricken American spy plane Tuesday on an island in southern China where it made an emergency landing.

34.   An American diplomat met Friday with a detained Navy air crew, and U.S. officials said they were encouraged about talks aimed at winning their release.

35.   As peace talks approach, U.S. diplomats met secretly with Colombian guerrillas that the United States officially considers terrorists, U.S. and Colombian officials confirmed Sunday.

36.   Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke said in Geneva, where the diplomats were meeting, that he hoped to have a major announcement later in the day.

37.   China allowed American diplomats to meet the crew on Tuesday, but there was no sign when they would be released.

38.   Council diplomats were meeting privately to see if they could agree on a common position before putting the issue to a vote.

39.   Council diplomats met late Thursday trying to agree on language of the statement, which must be accepted unanimously.

40.   Council diplomats met Thursday to discuss the proposal.