31.   China on Saturday praised the latest defeat of an effort to gain membership for rival Taiwan in the United Nations.

32.   China has no timetable for joining the World Trade Organization after failing to meet its self-imposed deadline last year for gaining membership, a trade ministry official said Tuesday.

33.   Clinton recently signed into law legislation to support market-opening offers being made by China in its bid to gain membership in the World Trade Organization.

34.   Greece, which was not allowed in because of its high inflation and budget deficit, is hoping to gain membership next year.

35.   Greece, which was not allowed into the monetary union because of its high inflation and budget deficit, is expected to gain membership next year.

36.   He added that Switzerland would watch closely how the EU treats smaller candidate countries like Lithuania or Estonia in their efforts to gain EU membership.

37.   In a statement released at its headquarters in Strasbourg, France, the council said it would specify conditions that the Bosnian authorities must fulfill to gain membership.

38.   Kanis said Slovakia aims to gain NATO membership in the next four years.

39.   Meciar, speaking in an interview with private Radio Twist, said his government had done what it could to gain NATO membership.

40.   NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said Thursday that Romania improved its chances of gaining membership in the alliance by supporting the bombing campaign against neighboring Yugoslavia.