NO TALKS SET ON PROPOSED JAPAN TELECOM MERGER
  No formal talks have been scheduled yet
  among companies involved in a controversial proposal to merge
  two groups seeking to enter Japan's international
  telecommunications sector, an official from one group said.
      "Nothing has been firmed up yet," said an official at
  &lt;International Digital Communications Planning Inc> (IDC), one
  of the groups set up last year to study competing against
  &lt;Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd>, which monopolises the sector.
      Britain's Cable and Wireless Plc &lt;CAWL.L>, which holds a 20
  pct share in IDC, has opposed plans to merge with rival group,
  &lt;International Telecom Japan Inc>.
      Under the plan, backed by the Post and Telecommunications
  Ministry, Cable and Wireless and U.S.-based &lt;Pacific Telesis
  International Inc> would become core companies in the merged
  firm, with shares equal to those of the six major Japanese core
  companies and seats on the board of directors.
      Britain, angry over what it feels are moves to restrict
  Cable and Wireless' role in the sector, views the issue as a
  test case. The IDC official declined to specify what was
  holding up the talks.
      A spokesman for C. Itoh and Co Ltd &lt;CITT.T>, which holds 20
  pct of IDC, said a meeting may be held later this week.
  

