President Clinton, after being lobbied by leading American aerospace executives who were also major campaign donors, made it easier for them to export satellites.

Now it could get another leg up on its competitors by extending the model even further using Honeywell's products, analysts and aerospace executives said yesterday.

It is not certain if the ministers will make a full commitment at the time to all the programs, space officials and aerospace executives said.

Allen Paulson, the aerospace executive who owns Geri, was seeking his second important victory of the day.

"They are walking a thin line," said one aerospace executive who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A formal agreement could be announced as early as next week, aerospace executives say.

An American aerospace executive stationed here agreed.

Later, he apparently passed information on aerospace executives and officials whom he met through his work.

As more than 100,000 aerospace executives converge in Paris for the opening on Thursday of their annual air show, the industry finds itself split.

Also included was a look at the covert donations to American political campaigns made during the 1996 election by a Chinese aerospace executive.