31.   While others shunned Libya and Yugoslavia, he improved his ties there.

32.   While Russia has long sought to improve its ties with Iran, the visit of Nateq-Noori took place at a particularly inauspicious moment.

33.   Ortega also indicated that Cuba had not yet responded fully to recent international efforts to improve ties with Cuba.

34.   President Algirdas suspended capital punishment in July as part of his efforts to improve ties with Western Europe.

35.   Park arrived in Tokyo on Thursday to say that Seoul is eager to improve ties.

36.   Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto welcomed the chance to improve ties.

37.   Peres visits Qatar to improve ties with Arab world.

38.   Petru Lucinschi also promised to improve ties with European countries and the Commonwealth of Independent States, but stressed that the country would not join any military alliance.

39.   Philippine President Fidel Ramos arrived in Britain on Sunday for a state visit aimed at improving business ties between the two nations.

40.   Pyongyang has been trying to improve ties with Washington while refusing to talk with Seoul, which it regards as a U.S. puppet.