In return, it received word through United Nations mediators that another of its missing soldiers in Lebanon was dead.

The participation of United Nations mediators, also a first, has helped raise expectations.

United Nations mediators attempted to bring together the various Somali faction leaders to restore peace to the country.

United Nations mediators are working to salvage the peace accords, but despite their efforts the new world order is looking much to Angolans like the old.

United Nations mediators are scrambling to avoid a confrontation, but as the deadline approached, they appeared to have made no substantial progress.

The United Nations mediator in the discussions, Alvaro de Soto, said that a final agreement is still possible before the year's end.

The peace talks have been arranged by the United Nations mediator in Rwanda and the commander of the 2,500-member peacekeeping force there.

He also served as a United Nations mediator in Egypt, the Congo, and Yemen.

Administration officials have begun trying to recruit other Latin American countries and United Nations mediators to bring pressure on both sides.

During the Afghan talks, the two sides never met directly and would only talk through a United Nations mediator.