He added that he had not been notified in advance of the American decision.

He wanted to give them a chance to air their views first, the officials said, and thereby help give shape to the final American decision.

"I have no doubt the American decision is a grave and mistaken decision," he said.

Not every American and British decision comes off as heroic.

But there was plainly another element in the American decision to stay out.

He said the council often learned about American decisions through the news media.

He termed the American decision to open talks "a sad day."

Soviet officials said today that they welcomed the American decision.

He said an American decision to cap the deficit would force others to recognize the need for immediate action.

In any case, diplomats said, an American decision to apply sanctions was "still some way off."