41.   Shaath said that the Palestinians were adamant about sticking with the original American initiative and will refuse to discuss alternative ideas for territorial concessions.

42.   The American initiative to end more than four years of Balkan bloodshed is faltering because the offensive could force Serbia to send its soldiers to help their beleaguered brethren.

43.   The deaths in a highway accident Saturday stripped Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke of his most important aides and crippled the American diplomatic initiative in the former Yugoslavia.

44.   The Palestinians had previously rejected the idea because it altered the original American initiative and restricted the use of the land.

45.   The two sides have been haggling over the American initiative.

46.   There were fears that this could derail the American initiative, but initial reactions from some Bosnian Serb leaders were still positive.

47.   Three suicide bombings further derailed the process, but recent American initiatives succeeded in coxing the sides back to the table.

48.   Three suicide bombings since then derailed the process, but recent American initiatives succeeded in coaxing the sides back to the table.

49.   U.S. Vice President Al Gore met Arafat and Netanyahu over the weekend to discuss the American initiative before leaving Sunday morning for Cairo.

50.   U.S. officials have suggested Albright might go public with the American initiative as a way of increasing pressure on Israel.