In recent months, military hard-liners and their civilian allies have picked up some support from so-called army reformers, who believe the high command is corrupt and inefficient.

Several senior Administration officials speculated that the arrest of the two Americans was itself evidence of the mounting power of Chinese military hard-liners.

Among the other co-signers were three of the military and industrial hard-liners who emerged as principals in the coup.

In August 1991, there was an attempted coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev by ex-communist military hard-liners.

Here again the interests of the military and other hard-liners will collide with legislators who favor more democracy and are concerned about winning membership in the European Union.

Rampaging military hard-liners have torpedoed a promising Haitian political compromise mediated by the Organization of American States.

The significance of Mr. Choe's references to military hard-liners, which echo similar comments made by other officials, is unclear.

"The country is actually run by military hard-liners," she said.

This means that settler leaders and military hard-liners, including those in the government, may take this waiting period to grab all they can and establish "facts on the ground."

With the balance of power shifting in favor of the military hard-liners, the hard-fought U.S. victories in Start are in jeopardy.