27th February 2003, 1:44 PM
From what I read, they didn't say there's no connection at all, just that this is not part of the Xenogears chapters, and in fact a new chapter in a new series. I don't think they claimed it's not part of the same universe though.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)