Over the next few weeks a flurry of diplomatic activity is expected to make progress towards settlement of

Over the next few weeks a flurry of diplomatic activity is expected to make progress towards settlement of outstanding issues.Mr Balladur has been invited to Washington to discussions with President Bill Clinton next Tuesday and Sir Leon Brittan, the community's external trade commissioner, is also to visit the US next week to talk with Mickey Kantor, the US special trade representative.Mr Balladur stressed that the Blair House agricultural accord between the US and EC remained unacceptable to France But he held back from demanding that it be renegotiated. The threat, made in a statement by the Defence Minister, Pavel Grachev, followed an announcement by Georgia's ruling State Council on Saturday that it was taking control of Russian military hardware on its soil. It knocked the centre out of operation for seven hours and left television broadcasters to use grease pencil maps of Florida and guesswork instead of satellite images.Insurance losses, page18(Photograph omitted). Can this really be called a recovery? More than a year after the recession reportedly ended, 15 months to be exact, the US economy remains sluggish.

Beyond their lips.It really can be difficult.'Jennifer Pinder, secretary of the BDA's London branch, agrees 'There is this image that dentists are sadistic. It's a warren of electric trolleys conveying stuff. The first thing I did every morning was go down to the stock room in the basement and read the paper Then I'd have to start dusting. In many cases the crimes could have been avoided, says the Foreign Ministry, if Japanese tourists remembered not to act as if they were at home in relatively crime-free Japan. He admits that it may be incurable but refuses to be cast as a tragic hero 'Don't glorify me just because I'm ill,' he says 'Write about me winning races if you want But remember I'm an extremely lucky man.

The trends are none the less apparent, and in 1993 we are seeing the disappearance of Academic specialities.Take landscape. More interested in making music and in cavorting with women than in manly toil, the hero challenges Punjabi conceptions of masculinity, a feature Verma emphasises by casting a slightly girlish Hong Kong actor in the role The heroine is similarly at odds with stereotypes. 'According to available data, the development of the first nuclear explosive device has been completed at the DPRK nuclear research centre in the town of Yongbyon.' The KGB said at the time it was 'taking additional measures to verify the reports.'The document contradicts the public position taken by senior Russian officials in recent days that North Korea has no bomb and would seem to coincide more with the views of the US Central Intelligence Agency.Andrei Kozyrev, Russia's Foreign Minister, said earlier this week: 'By all appearance, North Korea does not have a nuclear bomb at present.' Sharing the same view are officials in the Ministry of Atomic Energy.. Until recently, walkers have simply not been used to the alien presence of young mountain bikers with their helmets and fluorescent clothes. When they played the Millwall Lionesses at Highbury 10 days ago, one of the Millwall players wore an old pair of boots, so she could throw the polluted footwear away afterwards.Millwall had a 1-0 lead pegged back in the closing minutes; Arsenal then won a dubious penalty and in the aftermath, an Arsenal player allegedly butted a Millwall defender, who required stitches. 'It's like a girl's version of X Large, which is cool for hip-hop guys.'And why are the 'in crowd' here?'We're all best friends, helping each other, doing creative and positive things,' Donovan says 'We're kind of like Warhol's Factory.'Indeed, they are.

Sir: The news that our ambassador in Khartoum has been expelled, while being a disappointment to him, could be of great significance to the suffering people of southern Sudan. It's not unusual for parents to be 'dressing-roomed' (the equivalent of the red card).'Fouls are an integral part of water polo. But the '22' itself is no longer the only important organisation of Tory MPs.The left-right rivalries of the Thatcher years threw up a wide range of alternative groups, ranging from influential and ideological organisations, such as the right-wing 92 Group, to lesser dining-clubs. He has boosted morale by showing that we have our sights set beyond the legislative elections and on the 1995 presidential race. More than two million innocent people have been driven from their homes Borders have been changed by force. He won on a tough piste at Garmisch last week, and skated down what he regards as an even harder one at St Anton quicker than anyone else yesterday.(Photograph omitted). WE RESIDE in a trading nation, surrounded by cold salt water We are proud, but live in reduced circumstances.

There was complete agreement that a document so potentially damaging to the British and US governments had to be thoroughly examined.There were details which worried them: the classification, the tone, the 'sanitizing'. The baby could hear, and knew what she meant.Abridged from 'Across the Bridge', published on 23 June by Bloomsbury, pounds 9.95 hardback.Mavis Gallant was born in Montreal but has lived for many years in Paris. PATRICK RAFTER, one of the more exciting prospects in men's tennis, will arrive at Wimbledon this week armed with the first title of his fledgling career. He refused to sanction bombing of French communications for fear of French losses, until yet another resignation threat forced his hand.The arguments persisted.