81.   On Friday, the ministers held a three-hour meeting open to the press and business leaders.

82.   Neither side has budged since the issue came to a head when NATO defense ministers held an informal meeting in Bergen in September.

83.   Officials said the British minister would hold talks with senior leaders, including the foreign and interior ministers, on bilateral and international issues.

84.   On Saturday the Iraqi minister held talks with Industry Minister Franck Borotra.

85.   Sheikh Hasina had faced pressure to distribute some ministries to new faces as some ministers hold as many as four portfolios.

86.   The announcement gave no details of the visit except to say the Iranian minister would hold a news conference on Thursday.

87.   The countries agreed to set up a bilateral forum to counter international terrorism and their defence ministers held closed-door talks on defence cooperation.

88.   The caretaker finance minister also holds the post of deputy governor at the central Bank of Thailand.

89.   The APEC ministers will then hold a press conference and the Vallarta Statement, if there is one, will be read to the public.

90.   The French spokesman denied Iraqi claims that the minister was holding talks with French officials.