11.  Arab nations have criticized Washington for soft peddling in face of the hardline stand in the peace process taken by new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

12.  But Mubarak will press Netanyahu to back down from his hardline stand and resume the stalled peace negotiations on the basis of trading land for peace.

13.  But the president confirmed Tuesday that the economic conference will be held on time despite differences with Israel over its hardline stand toward the peace process.

14.  China has taken a similar hardline stand on other UN missions to countries with links to Taiwan, notably delaying the authorization of a force for Haiti.

15.  The rightwing, nationalist leader swayed little from his hardline stand, refusing to back down from his refusal to trade occupied Arab land for peace.

16.  Venizelos added that Major had been driven into his hardline stand by internal British politics.

17.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview published Monday reaffirmed his hardline stand, after narrowly escaping corruption charges.

18.  Netanyahu appeared to confirm Palestinian fears in an interview published Monday in which he reaffirmed his hardline stand and insisted Palestinians scale back their hopes for self-determination.

19.  Mubarak has been warning that the conference could be a flop if Israel does not ease its hardline stand.

20.  Netanyahu has sparked Arab alarm with his hardline stand on the peace process and refusal to trade further Arab land for peace.