When he had first broached the subject of relocation to the council leaders during one of their first meetings, Hjatyn had expressed polite yet firm opposition to the idea.

Only a few people and a handful of peace and anti-nuclear groups have voiced firm opposition.

"We have lost the election, but I pledge that we shall be a very serious and firm opposition," Foreign Minister Mate Granic of the defeated governing party said today.

There have been no recent opinion polls, however, to indicate how firm the opposition might remain, and experts say they have no precedent to indicate what the turnout might be in a recall election.

The People's Republic of China expresses firm opposition to US restrictions on imports of textiles (from mainland China) and vows to take the dispute to the WTO.

Now, he says, his only dispute with the international officials is firm opposition to the dispatch of any foreign peacekeepers to Herat.

The agency's desire to work under a Star of David has met firm opposition from Arab countries in particular.

Meanwhile, his attacks on Antony, whom he called a "sheep", rallied the Senate in firm opposition to Antony.

Last year, for example, the civil rights bill and the extension of unemployment benefits both faced apparently firm Presidential opposition at first, and became law after both sides gave some ground.

But still, with the strong and firm opposition of both Russia and China and their allies, Kosovo has no current prospects of becoming a member of the United Nations.