31.   The United Nations joined the appeals to the Afghan factions to work toward a compromise.

32.   U.S. diplomats have been trying over the past two months to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table to work out the terms of a comprehensive peace settlement.

33.   All attempts at a UN-brokered ceasefire have so far failed to bring the warring Afghan factions to the negotiating table.

34.   Earlier reports from Washington said the United States is pressing the ruling Afghan faction to work toward national reconciliation.

35.   Earlier reports from Washington said the United States was pressing the ruling Afghan faction to work toward national reconciliation.

36.   Throughout Karachi there were reports of abductions and shooting by rival factions to scare away voters.

37.   Turkey on Monday played down the objections of an Iraqi Kurd faction to a US-brokered peace plan for northern Iraq, ironed out in Ankara last week.

38.   Japan launched a peace-brokering intiative last month, inviting delegations from all the Afghan factions to Tokyo.

39.   London and Dublin are meanwhile thrashing out a basket of institutional proposals aimed at bringing the factions back to the table, proposals due to be presented in October.

40.   Pakistan sent a high-level delegation to Afghanistan Sunday as part of its current diplomatic drive to bring Afghan factions to the negotiating table, officials said.