The phrase "despite discussions that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something happened or is true despite the fact that there were discussions about it. For example: Despite discussions that the project should be delayed, the team decided to move forward as scheduled.
But the State Department spokesman, Richard A. Boucher, said that despite continuing "intense discussions" that began at 10 a.m.
But it's his fiction on which his claim truly rests, despite its being marginalised in discussions that tend to celebrate "serious" work for adults over innovative and influential books for children.
Despite discussions indicating that reported alcohol use exceeds recommended guidelines for both amount and frequency of consumption, there was no acknowledgement that personal alcohol use - almost invariably considered by participants to be moderate - can incur any harmful health or social consequences.
Despite some discussion that the 2000 was not the best vintage for this wine, it's a steal at $24, expensive perhaps compared with the others in the tasting, but not for a serious 11-year-old bottle.
Despite of a public discussion that seems to indicate the opposite, cost of manufacturing in the biopharmaceutical industry is unrelated to price of the drug produced, that is, to cost of treatment for the patients.
Nevertheless, despite those data, a still ongoing discussion that HMPV infections are generally milder survives obstinately.
Despite the film's blase approach to Perkins's sexuality, it is a discussion that D'Arcy is reluctant to extend.
Despite discussions and assurances from Pond that he would work to address the problem, Eitel had no success.
Participants in that study, despite discussions about 'donations', persisted in referring to 'my blood' or 'my child's blood' just as IRB members in this study repeatedly emphasized "my specimen", "my samples", or commented "if I donate a sample for research as a participant, that sample is mine".
Such drinking was interpreted as essentially harm free, despite discussions identifying consumption often greater than that currently recommended for responsible alcohol use.
