1.   The State Department reported that substantive discussions had taken place with Beijing.

2.   And the substantive discussions on how to deal with thorny issues of restitution have all been held in private.

3.   Another lawyer for du Pont, Thomas Bergstrom, testified that he remained unable to have substantive discussions with his client.

4.   But aides to Fox said the informal appearances belied the substantive discussions that lasted through the whole meeting.

5.   But no substantive discussions have begun among the governor and the two men who control the New York Legislature.

6.   But on Wednesday, the first day of meetings among foreign ministers, the two men shook hands and exchanged brief pleasantries but had no substantive discussions.

7.   But the most substantive discussions on how the umpires could improve will take place in the off-season, Alderson said.

8.   But the visits have been infrequent since, and many Democrats have complained that they are excluded from substantive discussions with the president.

9.   But the two sides had not yet had a substantive discussion on these hard issues, the American official said.

10.   But there has been little substantive discussion between them, and critics of the drug laws had begun to fear that the issue was dead for the year.