vips

LETTER N° 19

From 06 to 12 May

6
French Polynesia

French Polynesia : President Gaston Flosse's People's Front-Rally for the Republic wins parliamentary elections with 28 seats against 13 for the People's Servant and 7 for the New Land. Flosse is to be reelected as president on May 17.

Gaston Flosse was born on June 24, 1931 on the island of Rikitea in the Gambier Islands. His father was from Lorraine, France, and his mother, Claire Mamatui, was Tahitian. Entered politics in April 1958. He joined the party of Rudy Bambridge, founder of the UTD-UNR, the local branch of the French Gaullist party. He held his first political position on May 5, 1963 as the President of the City Council of Pirae. Appointed Government advisor of French Polynesia in charge of Agriculture, on January 5, 1965. He kept this portfolio until 1967. In September 10, 1967, was elected councilor in the French Polynesia Territorial Assembly for the first time. He was regularly re-elected since then - in 1972 under the banner of "Union tahitienne Tetahoera'a Maohi Ut-UDR"; then in 1977, 1982, 1986, 1991 and 1996 with the "Tahoera'a Huiraatira" political party. Elected deputy to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on June 17, 1984. elected Senator in the French Senate on September 27, 1998.

6
Zambia

President Names New Cabinet.

SEE NEW GOVERNMENT

7
Congo, Repubic of the

An opposition party leader, Martin Mberi, who was also construction minister in President Denis Sassou Nguesso's government has tendered his resignation in Brazzaville.

7/8
Berlin

European Socialists hold Congress.

The Congress of the Party of European Socialists look at the ways and means of admitting up to 11 new members of the European Union sooner rather than later. The task requires contentious reforms to EU legislation and possibly a Constitution for Europe, an idea backed by Berlin and Paris. The former Communist countries predominate on the Socialists' list of eligibles. More conservative EU members want modest enlargement and a modest pace. In other business, the delegates are building on earlier debate about ways and means of modernizing social protection in Europe without abandoning Socialist ideals.

9
Cyprus

Former president (1974) Nikos Sampson dies.

On July 15, 1974, following a large-scale national police assault on EOKA, the Makarios government was overthrown by the national guard. Nikos Sampson, a Greek Cypriot newspaper publisher, acceded to the presidency and Makarios fled the country. Both Greece and Turkey mobilized their armed forces. Citing its obligation to protect the Turkish Cypriot community, Turkey invaded (July 20) N Cyprus, occupied over 30% of the island, and displaced about 200,000 Greek Cypriots. The invasion precipitated the fall of the military regime in Athens and also resulted in the resignation of Sampson. He was replaced by Glafkos Clerides, the conservative Greek Cypriot president of the house of representatives.

10
India

The elections in five states saw a turnout of 65 percent from 132 million voters who were eligible to choose from among over 5,000 candidates for 823 in all in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Assam : Asom Gana Parishad-BJP against Congress.

West Bengal : Left Front against Congress-Trinamool

Tamil Nadu : DMK-BJP against AIADMK alliance (includes Congress)

Kerala : Left Democratic Front against Congress-led UDF

Pondicherry : Congress against two opposition alliances.

The ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is not really a major player in the five states.

This week :

VIPS-GOV.

Czech Republic

Republic of Cameroon

VIPS-FEDS.

SWITZERLAND - SEE

VALAIS - Wilhelm Schnyder - new - President of the State Council

Marie-Therese Schwery - new - President of the Great Council

ZÜRICH - Markus Notter - new - President of the Government

THIS WEEK'S STORY

May 09, 1769

Pascal Paoli

Following the Monte-Novo battle Corsica was handed to France

Theoretically, Corsica was a subject province of Genoa and during the 18th century it was in constant rebellion against Genoa. Owing to its position in the Mediterranean it happened to be a strategic place where any great naval force could threaten the French coasts. Thus, from 1737 on, Fleury who suspected England 's will to settle in Corsica, had signed a convention with the Genoveses allowing the landing of French troops under the allegation of help to subdue the island. At the beginning of the Seven -Year War, another convention granted France the right to settle its garrisons into places along the coast and then, on May 15,1768, Minister Choiseul purchased from the Republic of Genoa the rights over Corsica. The take over was hard and they had to fight against the national Corsican party which had the support of England and was led by Pascal Paoli. Following a strong military campaign led by lieutenant-general Chauvelin then by the Earl of Vaux, a French expeditionary corps beat the rebels in Monte-Novo, on May 9, 1769. Paoli fled to England.The French had just conquered Corsica when Napoléon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio on August 15,1769. The Constituent Assembly called Paoli back and appointed him as lieutenant-general of Corsica still, during the Convention period he raised against France again and set the island under Britain's sovereignty. The English made a military occupation of the island until 1796 when the French garrisons definetely settled down.

Olivier Ferrière - http://oferriere.free.fr/Jours/jours.htm

ALSO SEE

Chiefs of State and Heads of Government Foreign Affairs World Parliaments Federated States and Provinces World Governments International Organizations

6 French Polynesia		French Polynesia : President Gaston Flosse's People's Front-Rally for the Republic wins parliamentary elections with 28 seats against 13 for the People's Servant and 7 for the New Land. Flosse is to be reelected as president on May 17. Gaston Flosse was born on June 24, 1931 on the island of Rikitea in the Gambier Islands. His father was from Lorraine, France, and his mother, Claire Mamatui, was Tahitian. Entered politics in April 1958. He joined the party of Rudy Bambridge, founder of the UTD-UNR, the local branch of the French Gaullist party. He held his first political position on May 5, 1963 as the President of the City Council of Pirae. Appointed Government advisor of French Polynesia in charge of Agriculture, on January 5, 1965. He kept this portfolio until 1967. In September 10, 1967, was elected councilor in the French Polynesia Territorial Assembly for the first time. He was regularly re-elected since then - in 1972 under the banner of "Union tahitienne Tetahoera'a Maohi Ut-UDR"; then in 1977, 1982, 1986, 1991 and 1996 with the "Tahoera'a Huiraatira" political party. Elected deputy to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on June 17, 1984. elected Senator in the French Senate on September 27, 1998.
6 Zambia		President Names New Cabinet. SEE NEW GOVERNMENT
7 Congo, Repubic of the		An opposition party leader, Martin Mberi, who was also construction minister in President Denis Sassou Nguesso's government has tendered his resignation in Brazzaville.
7/8 Berlin		European Socialists hold Congress. The Congress of the Party of European Socialists look at the ways and means of admitting up to 11 new members of the European Union sooner rather than later. The task requires contentious reforms to EU legislation and possibly a Constitution for Europe, an idea backed by Berlin and Paris. The former Communist countries predominate on the Socialists' list of eligibles. More conservative EU members want modest enlargement and a modest pace. In other business, the delegates are building on earlier debate about ways and means of modernizing social protection in Europe without abandoning Socialist ideals.
9 Cyprus		Former president (1974) Nikos Sampson dies. On July 15, 1974, following a large-scale national police assault on EOKA, the Makarios government was overthrown by the national guard. Nikos Sampson, a Greek Cypriot newspaper publisher, acceded to the presidency and Makarios fled the country. Both Greece and Turkey mobilized their armed forces. Citing its obligation to protect the Turkish Cypriot community, Turkey invaded (July 20) N Cyprus, occupied over 30% of the island, and displaced about 200,000 Greek Cypriots. The invasion precipitated the fall of the military regime in Athens and also resulted in the resignation of Sampson. He was replaced by Glafkos Clerides, the conservative Greek Cypriot president of the house of representatives.
10 India		The elections in five states saw a turnout of 65 percent from 132 million voters who were eligible to choose from among over 5,000 candidates for 823 in all in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Assam : Asom Gana Parishad-BJP against Congress. West Bengal : Left Front against Congress-Trinamool Tamil Nadu : DMK-BJP against AIADMK alliance (includes Congress) Kerala : Left Democratic Front against Congress-led UDF Pondicherry : Congress against two opposition alliances. The ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is not really a major player in the five states.