111.  But the weather there is poor, further complicating the rescue efforts, Russian officials said.

112.  But while Russian officials defended their quiet diplomacy, Moscow seems to have no success in persuading India to curtail its nuclear program.

113.  But time after time, several Russian officials have brought up the idea of a collision with a Western sub.

114.  But US and Russian officials have rejected the idea.

115.  But when Robert Gallucci, the special U.S. envoy on the missile issue, met with Russian officials this week, a number of cases remained unresolved.

116.  By midafternoon, top Russian officials were issuing denials.

117.  Camdessus also discounted contradictory statements in recent weeks by Russian officials on planned trade restrictions.

118.  Camdessus stopped short of saying that the fund would release the next installments although Russian officials and others are optimistic.

119.  Chernomyrdin did not spell out what he would do, but other Russian officials have said that unless Chechens submitted, Russian troops would disarm them by force.

120.  Clinton has taken such a hard line against lifting sanctions against Baghdad that some Russian officials think Washington wants only to punish Iraq until President Saddam Hussein is gone.