"exploratory discussions" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to conversations that are intended to probe a particular topic, but without any expectation of reaching a definite conclusion or agreement. For example, "The two sides held exploratory discussions to see if a compromise could be reached."
Exploratory discussions between in-house newspaper lawyers have tended to highlight more problems than solutions.
Fortunately, the U.S. company opened exploratory discussions with the third firm in parallel with the second.
The ECB confirmed that it had "held exploratory discussions to relocate the tournament to England and Wales".
"After extensive exploratory discussions, the problem was almost as much about size as about calendar," Ms. Daykin said.
Following several years of exploratory discussions, it took a similar formal declaration of intent in 1991 to launch the Human Genome Project.
About four years ago, the laboratory held exploratory discussions with Consolidated Edison and Brooklyn Union Gas, now a part of KeySpan Energy, about what technological innovations they needed.
Contact us to arrange an exploratory discussion to see how your favorite stem cell system can be adapted to high-throughput discovery mode.
Collectively, the four contributions represent an exploratory discussion of different theoretical perspectives, in order to inform and stimulate other researchers and practitioners working in the field.
An executive with knowledge of Mr. Fourtou's meeting with the NBC executive described the session as nothing more than an exploratory discussion, saying that it came at Vivendi's invitation.
The Knicks' continuing dialogue with the Washington Wizards concerning trade options has gone beyond point guard Rod Strickland and now includes an exploratory discussion concerning the possibility of an exchange of Juwan Howard for Patrick Ewing, two Eastern Conference officials said yesterday.
Daphne Koller, the Stanford computer science professor who is a founder of Coursera, said she thought the C.I.C. paper represented an exploratory discussion driven by anxieties about how online education would change higher education.
