H:Then we follow the four-stage stagegy.

B:What's that?

W:The standard Foregign Office response in a time of crisis.

In stage one we say nothing is going to happen.

H:Stage two,we say something may be about to happen,but we should do nothing about it.

W:In stage three,we say that maybe we should do something about it.but there's nothing we can do.

H:In stage four,we say maybe there was somthing we could have done,but it's too late now.