1.   Diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis have failed.

2.   With an uneasy peace prevailing along the border the international community launched a series of missions to defuse the crisis.

3.   Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.

4.   There were also obvious international reasons to try to defuse crises before they developed.

5.   Paul Marland is still hoping to defuse the crisis.

6.   American commanders will then have to devise tactics to protect themselves while defusing the crisis.

7.   Angry Fatah leaders held demonstrations and strikes in several West Bank towns, prompting Arafat to move swiftly to defuse the crisis.

8.   Arafat, the Palestinian leader, cut short a visit to the United Arab Emirates, returned to Gaza Tuesday night and began meetings aimed at defusing the crisis.

9.   As Israeli tanks rumbled to the outskirts of Nablus, Israeli and Palestinian officers met to defuse the crisis.

10.   But his efforts to defuse the crisis in Zimbabwe have failed.