That represented a marked turnabout from last September, when the public, 61 percent to 30 percent, approved of his stewardship of foreign affairs.

Many prisoners would rather be there, but the public would not approve, he jokes.

The Egyptian public would not approve, he said, adding that he had little faith such a gesture would have any effect on the quest for peace.

The special stamp of his foreign policy has been the frequent use of covert violence precisely because the public would not approve an open policy of that kind.

"We made each change with the intention of winning that approval," he said, adding that he hoped the public would also approve.

Authorities have cited the relatively small scale of protests as proof that the Azerbaijani public supports the government and does not approve of the opposition parties.

Poland's Communist Government appeared ready today to announce that the public had approved a program of severe economic belt-tightening, after the nation's first referendum in more than 40 years.

The plan was written in secrecy, as the public would never approve of a banking reform bill written by bankers; much less of a plan for a central bank.

Polls showed that the American public by a wide margin approved this drastic information control.

The public must approve all changes to the state's Constitution.