31.   But Indian officials in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee attached conditions to any offer to sign the treaty.

32.   But Indian officials continued to praise the Taliban effusively Wednesday.

33.   But Indian officials have so far said little to justify that optimism.

34.   Childs told Indian officials that the rebels had treated the captives well and that they listened carefully to news broadcasts of the incident on the BBC.

35.   Conditions aboard the plane Wednesday were more comfortable than on Tuesday, when the electrical power broke down for hours, Indian officials said.

36.   Clinton consulted with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif early Wednesday and also spoke to Indian officials before announcing the U.S. sanctions.

37.   Conservationists and Indian tribal officials condemned the draft plan as too limp.

38.   Even Indian officials have wondered whether the operation was carried out by the government or rogue elements of the army.

39.   Even so, Indian officials were noncommittal about whether they would be willing to make a deal with the hijackers and free some of the jailed militants.

40.   Fifty-four Indian and Pakistani soldiers were killed in clashes along their disputed Kashmir border, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Indian officials.