71.   Chinese President Jiang Zemin pointedly avoided South Africa during a six-nation African tour last month aimed at countering a diplomatic offensive by Taiwan on the continent.

72.   The Palestinians have instead launched a diplomatic offensive.

73.   The statement aimed to counter a diplomatic offensive launched by Khartoum, particularly towards the Gulf states, in response to the rebel attacks in the east.

74.   The Sudanese official said his government would continue with its diplomatic offensive to defeat any resolution enforcing the air embargo.

75.   They said there were no guarantees that a diplomatic offensive would be successful.

76.   Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu is to end a diplomatic offensive to explain the operation to Western governments in France this weekend.

77.   Yemen launched a diplomatic offensive on Saturday to win international backing in the conflict, dispatching three envoys to Gulf Arab states with messages from President Ali Abdallah Saleh.

78.   Montevideo has been on a diplomatic offensive denying it struck a deal with the rebels.

79.   On Sunday, Vajpayee appeared to offer some breathing space to Pakistan, saying New Delhi would hold off military action pending the results of the diplomatic offensive.

80.   Pakistan meanwhile said it would rally other Islamic nations in a diplomatic offensive against India over the destruction of the Charar-i-Sharief shrine.