51.   But in an effort to end the war and get the sanctions lifted, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has been backing peace efforts.

52.   But the small number of companies backing the effort was not yet enough, he said.

53.   Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham arrived in Jordan Wednesday on the first leg of a regional tour aimed at backing efforts to jump-start peace negotiations.

54.   Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen said last week Beijing would not support a U.S. military strike and instead backed Russian efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

55.   Chinese President Jiang Zemin joined him last June in backing the effort.

56.   Croatia backed ongoing efforts by the European Union Tuesday urging Montenegro and Serbia to work things out to ensure the survival of the Yugoslav federation.

57.   Despite the financial hit sustained by farmers who lose their flocks, the sheep industry backs the effort.

58.   Earlier, Putin told the Macedonian leader that Russia strongly backs international efforts to forge a lasting peace in the Balkan nation.

59.   Egypt is a member of the Organization of African Unity and has been backing cease-fire efforts in Congo.

60.   Expressing extreme displeasure, China accused the European Parliament on Thursday of openly backing efforts by the Dalai Lama to win independence for his Tibetan homeland.