41.   The public silence also may reflect that the White House has more important issues to handle.

42.   The White House and State Department maintained public silence on the bombardment, meant as retaliation for a spate of bombings.

43.   The White House and State Department maintained public silence on the retaliatory bombardment.

44.   Yeltsin himself has maintained a public silence on the plan, despite increasing domestic and international pressure to declare an end to the Chechen war.

45.   Yeltsin has maintained a public silence on the peace proposal despite increasing pressure to end the unpopular war.

46.   Arafat, maintaining a public silence, was also due to travel to Cairo later Thursday for talks with Mubarak.