71.   A number of countries, including France and Japan, are holding off on a ratification vote until they are sure the US Congress has approved the accord.

72.   ABC union chief Heiguiberto Navarro said he will ask the membership to approve the accord so they can head back to work Monday.

73.   Djindjic said he expected the accord to be approved and a new constitution to be adopted before June.

74.   Deputy Predrag Bulatovic said he expected the accord to be approved later Thursday or Friday.

75.   Earlier the Israeli cabinet approved partial accords to extend Palestinian autonomy on the West Bank despite warnings of security risks.

76.   Even if the GATT accord is approved in the lower chamber, the going will be rougher in the Senate, experts said.

77.   The parliaments of the two republics have already approved the accord, endorsed also by the Yugoslav government.

78.   The Palestinian self-rule authority on Saturday approved an accord transferring civilian powers to Palestinians in the West Bank, due to be signed by both parties Monday.

79.   The Serb separatists approved the accord Wednesday, and the Croatian Serb parliament was meeting Thursday night to consider it, their news agency ISKRA said in Belgrade.

80.   The Washington-based executive board of the IMF could approve an accord, he said, echoing remarks made by Camdessus Tuesday.