Mr. Major, who last saw the Queen a week ago, was first told about the planned announcement on Tuesday evening, a spokesman said.

He said that the version of events that had Mr. Davis upset about the planned announcement was inaccurate.

The planned announcement to the Wall Street group is the beginning of its effort to find industry partners.

'If it will make you feel any better, sir, we will have the danger removed before the planned announcement tomorrow.'

I.B.M. is taking a page from biology with a planned announcement today that it is creating an "autonomic computing" unit.

However, the planned announcement of the campaign did not occur, by early 2004.

As word leaked out late last week of Microsoft's planned announcement today, shares of America Online Inc. plunged more than 10 percent.

But Mr. Cuomo's advisers characterized his planned announcement as a significant step intended to build momentum behind the concept.

When Mr. Meese learned of the planned announcement, he canceled it.

The planned announcement would come as part of a package that would include at least two other executive orders, the government officials said.