"If Washington's aim is to support the opposition movement, the wisest course is to continue reaching out to the Iranian people and keep diplomatic doors open," the Los Angeles Times said in an editorial.

These military moves are opening diplomatic doors.

He succeeded in turning the Tibetans' struggle for more freedom into a global cause célèbre, but as China's economic muscle has grown diplomatic doors have shut in his face more frequently.

Mr. Dinkins could not mention the meeting in advance, had to keep it off his public schedule and had to enter and leave by the "diplomatic" door - the one with no press present.

But Iran's agreement to send a high-level official, after weeks of uncertainty about its plans, offers at least reassurance that some diplomatic doors remain open, despite high tensions between the United States and Iran.

That means they will keep diplomatic doors open, continue humanitarian aid and not ask for broad economic sanctions - if political rivals are not bloodied and democratic legitimacy restored.

All diplomatic doors are slammed on their face as far as international recognition is concerned.

A spokesman for Bono, whose real name is Paul Hewson, said he was flattered by the honor, which recognizes his services to the music industry and his humanitarian efforts, and hoped it would help him open diplomatic doors in his campaign for more Western aid to Africa.