Teutracker,

I say this with respect, why do you continue to propose management to tread gently? Your assumptions are that this is a negotiating tactic by CVG/VZ to get us in a weaker negotiating stance. In Negotiations one party has more leverage than the other. In this situation the appearance is that VZ has all the leverage and we have none. I have spoken to Fung and his last response was that the situation was fluid and that dealing with VZ or politicians in general was not the same as negotiating with another business. Well all I see is VZ doing all the negotiating and KRY just sitting back saying we'll get ours just you wait. At some point and I think this is that point you need to take the gloves off. If there is no intention of letting us mine then why the hell should we let VZ get any more time?

A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

KMR