AFTER AN EXTENDED APCH AND GAR THE FLC INTENDING TO CONVEY THEIR FUEL STATUS TOLD THE TRACON THEY WOULD HAVE TO PROCEED TO THEIR ALTERNATE IF DELAYED MORE THAN 12 MINS. THE FLC RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING. THE CTLR'S SUPVR UNDERSTOOD THE FLC ONLY HAD 12 MINS OF FUEL LEFT.

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FLT FROM MEM TO EWR. UPON ARR AT EWR; WAS PROPERLY SEQUENCED INTO BUSY ARRS. PATTERN WAS ABOUT 25 NM DOWNWIND TO 35 NM FINAL. FLEW DIRECTED SPDS (180 KTS ON FINAL); THEN WAVED OFF WHEN CTLR REALIZED THAT WE WERE A B727 FOLLOWING A B757. INTERVAL WAS TOO CLOSE FOR THEM AND WE WERE IMC. DOWNWIND I DIRECTED MY FO TO DECLARE 'MINIMUM FUEL' AND INFORM THEM THAT WE COULD STAY 12 MINS; THEN WE NEEDED TO PROCEED TO OUR ALTERNATE. I BELIEVED THE FO SAID THAT; BUT BY THE SOUND OF THE NEXT CTLR'S VOICE; I THOUGHT PERHAPS ATC HAD MISUNDERSTOOD. I DIRECTED MY FO TO VERIFY 12 MINS PRIOR TO DIVERT. I WAS ASKED TO CALL ATC ON THE GND (PHONE) AND I DID. THE SUPVR WAS TOLD WE ONLY HAD 12 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING. IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE DIRECTED (OR DONE MYSELF) THE FO TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAD 1 HR 15 MINS FUEL ON BOARD; BUT WOULD DIVERT IN 12 MINS; THEN ASK WHAT THE PLAN FOR US WAS. THE CTLR COULD HAVE QUERIED WHY ONLY MINIMUM FUEL OF ONLY 12 MINS REMAINED. I KNOW THEY ARE VERY SENSITIVE AFTER THE DC8 MISHAP; BUT I DID NOT WANT TO GET PAINTED INTO A CORNER EITHER. IN ANY CASE; THEY ARE EXTREMELY BUSY THAT TIME OF DAY AND DO A REMARKABLE JOB. I AM SORRY THAT THEY MISUNDERSTOOD MY DIRECTIONS.