1.   With the stability pact in place, the number of shock absorbers is diminishing.

2.   An agreement on the so-called stability pact has eluded EU leaders since the plan was broached by German Finance Minister Theo Waigel last year.

3.   And, Germany agreed to less stringent penalties in the stability pact than it originally proposed, so the euro could be weaker than the mark.

4.   Bank of Italy Governor Antonio Fazio said the strengthened stability pact is unlikely to affect the value of the lire.

5.   Catherine Colonna, a French government spokeswoman, said the stability pact was based on a design that suited France.

6.   Defending the orthodox view, German Finance Minister Theo Waigel said that nothing in the stability pact had been changed to meet French concerns.

7.   Economists, however, said Germany is not assured of getting its way on all aspects of the stability pact.

8.   European Union finance ministers will meet Thursday to work on a stability pact, and heads of state will gather this weekend in Dublin to discuss monetary union.

9.   European Union finance ministers will meet Thursday to work on a stability pact, and heads of state will gather this weekend to discuss monetary union.

10.   Excluding Yugoslavia from a stability pact endorsed by the Sarajevo summit could prove an obstacle to lasting peace in the region and would hurt innocent Serbs, Stepashin said.