51.   Lebanon has boycotted these talks because of the lack of progress on its negotiating track with Israel.

52.   Major made a nationally broadcast address Wednesday night following a day of protests by Ulster Unionist politicians who threatened to boycott peace talks and bring down his government.

53.   One of the two battling factions in the Solomon Islands boycotted cease-fire talks Sunday, foiling hopes for a quick resolution to the armed standoff.

54.   Some in the power industry have threatened to boycott the talks unless nuclear plant operators are given another five years to end reprocessing.

55.   Syria and Lebanon have been boycotting the talks from the beginning.

56.   Some union leaders accused the employers of stalling and threatened to boycott the talks.

57.   Taliban officials have said they would boycott the talks if new sanctions are imposed.

58.   The Bosnian government has threatened to boycott talks Friday in Geneva if NATO or the United Nations compromises with the Serbs.

59.   The Balkan peace process took a hit Saturday when rebel Serbs boycotted regional talks on a settlement for the last slice of Serb-held land in Croatia.

60.   The ethnic Albanians have boycotted direct talks with Milutinovic.