Tonight, saying the Vatican's diplomatic recognition of Israel "set a seal on efforts to open an era of dialogue," the pope urged continued progress.

Soviet recognition, according to Middle East and Western diplomats here, gives the declared state acceptance from beyond the Arab world, and sets the stage for a renewed effort by Moscow to convene an international peace conference on the Mideast, a step opposed by Washington.

The mutual recognition between the P.L.O. and Israel has set the stage for a crucial debate among Palestinians over that agreement and related plans for their assumption of self-rule in the West Bank town of Jericho and in the Gaza Strip.

Most important is setting the record straight and enabling there to be a recognition of what happened.

Somalilanders therefore emphasize that the case of Somaliland is unique and the recognition of Somaliland will not set any precedent or infringe any AU/OAU rules.

This recognition as an academically prominent institution set the stage for merging with the Mellon Institute, a private applied research institute.

It takes ever greater errors to be made before recognition of the problem sets in.

It is disheartening to see Mr. Jagger now, in his continuing role of generational proxy, begging recognition from the Britney Spears set.

This recognition would give confidence to the Palestinians and could set in motion genuine reform of the institutions of the Palestinian Authority.

Kosovo's secession and its recognition as a state by other countries have set a dangerous precedent, which has been followed, just a few months later, by Russia's unilateral recognition of the independence of the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.