31.   A joint Russian-Belarusian parliamentary assembly tentatively approved the draft union treaty last week.

32.   A U.N. conference Friday produced a draft treaty on a world criminal court that would grant the prosecutor sweeping authority, a measure vigorously opposed by the United States.

33.   Although negotiators have worked out a draft treaty, significant differences remain, in part because of different legal systems.

34.   ASH and other anti-smoking groups, like U.S.-based Infact, said that a draft treaty to be discussed at the weeklong meeting was milder than expected.

35.   Australia said Friday it will ask the United Nations General Assembly next month to endorse a draft treaty to ban nuclear testing.

36.   Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his government has asked for a special session of the U.N. General Assembly to endorse a draft treaty to ban nuclear testing.

37.   Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his government will take the draft treaty to New York for endorsement by the General Assembly.

38.   But two years of negotiations have resulted in a draft treaty that Britain, Denmark and some other countries regard as overly ambitious.

39.   Cook said Canada submitted a draft treaty to Britain on Monday.

40.   Deputy Energy Minister Valery Garipov said a draft treaty was almost ready to sign.