41.   The ship was feared sunk off the mid-Atlantic Azores Islands, Portuguese officials said.

42.   The Portuguese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Alatas has made provocative statements before every previous U.N.-sponsored meeting.

43.   The Portuguese official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Palestinians whereabouts will not be publicized, nor will the media be granted access to him.

44.   The ship was feared sunk off the Azores Islands, Portuguese officials said.

45.   He added that union leaders had been told that Renault Chairman Louis Schweitzer is to visit Lisbon next week for talks with Portuguese officials.

46.   In the past, Portuguese officials have declined to comment directly on Hong Kong, preferring to keep their discussions with Beijing over Macau on a purely bilateral basis.

47.   A working lunch included US Defense Secretary William Cohen and other Portuguese officials.

48.   Alatas blamed Gama for the impasse, saying that Portuguese officials had repeatedly postponed or cancelled preparatory meetings.

49.   Dyrlund refused to comment on the East Timor issue, but Portuguese officials earlier indicated they would not be raising the matter in joint meetings between the two sides.

50.   Marker has so far held exploratory sessions with the parties involved, and has just concluded three days of talks in Lisbon with Portuguese officials.