1.   ----- Russia is seeking to mediate the crisis with the West.

2.   Still, Russia sought to mediate the crisis by sending letters to Hussein encouraging diplomacy.

3.   The Israeli Cabinet officials who approved the closing last month debated their next steps at a late-night meeting as American diplomats tried to mediate the crisis.

4.   Yeltsin repeated that point before meeting with Annan and later South African President Nelson Mandela, who hinted that he might help mediate the crisis.

5.   A refusal by Tariq Aziz was expected to lead Annan to tell the Security Council that U.N. efforts to mediate the crisis had failed.

6.   A special adviser to Queen Beatrix, appointed to mediate the crisis, informed her early Tuesday an agreement had been reached allowing the coalition to reform.

7.   According to Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Syria relayed a message Monday through Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, whose government has been trying to mediate the crisis.

8.   Annan had offered to help mediate the crisis but was rebuffed by Zeroual.

9.   Continued massacres have prompted expressions of concern from the international community, but Algeria has rejected offers to mediate the crisis.

10.   Clinton said he had directed Secretary of State Warren Christopher to travel to the Mideast to try to mediate the crisis.