71.   He and his foreign ministry spokespersons refuse to discuss the allegations of atrocities, and even ban Mr. Bildt from Zagreb for raising the issue.

72.   His region of command included the Phnom Malai stronghold of Sok Pheap, who had served under him in the foreign ministry.

73.   In Belgrade Tuesday, a foreign ministry official said Yugoslavia is ready to discuss a deal to end the conflict.

74.   In Islamabad, Zamir Akram, a senior official in the foreign ministry, denied that any message had been sent at all.

75.   In such matters, ambassadors are normally called to the foreign ministry.

76.   In the opinion of Jan Lucas van Hoorn, legal counsel at the Dutch foreign ministry, Desiree was above all eager to settle the case.

77.   Instead, the center invited two Chinese foreign ministry officials, but the Chinese turned down the invitations.

78.   It said the foreign ministry was in contact with Britain on the matter.

79.   It calls for a step-by-step removal of the ban on British beef exports, Piero Fassino, under-secretary of the Italian foreign ministry said.

80.   Japanese foreign ministry officials, in turn, said Japan would promote the idea of government aid rather than tying up private money, a riskier prospect.