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LETTER N° 49

From 02 to 08 December

02
South Ossetia

(Georgia)

Presidential election runoff. Results :

Eduard Kokoev, 37, a businessman with Russian and South Ossetian citizenship, was running against Stanislav Kochiev, 46, leader of the Communist Party and speaker of the region's parliament. Both are considered more radical than current incumbent Lyudvig Chibirov who won just 20 percent of the vote in the first round on November 18 and plans to step down. Before the first round, Georgia's parliament said the election was illegal and might bring ''undesirable consequences.'' South Ossetia is home to an ancient Caucasian ethnic group which speaks a language close to Farsi. It declared independence as the Soviet Union disintegrated and the southern republic of Georgia was gripped by wave of nationalism which minority groups feared. A 1991-92 war erupted when Georgia sent in troops to crush the independence drive. But Ossetian volunteers drove out the Georgian army and the region has since been outside Tbilisi's control. It is not recognised by any state. Presidential front-runner Kokoev has called for an apology from Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, who came to power after the Ossetian war, for starting the conflict. Kokoev has not ruled out South Ossetia joining Russia's neighbouring region of North Ossetia.

03
St. Lucia

General election. Results :

Prime Minister Kenny Anthony's Saint Lucia Labour Party wins 14 of the 17 seats and the United Workers Party 3.

Profile : Born : in St. Lucia on 8 January 1951.Education : University of the West Indies, and the University of Birmingham in England. His impressive list of academic achievements include a first class honours B.Sc. in Government and History from the University of the West Indies, a first class honours LL.B. from the UWI, a masters degree in law from the UWI, and a doctorate in law from the University of Birmingham. Party : SLP (Saint Lucia Labour Party)

03
Philippines

Parouk Hussin is declared as new governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and assumes office immediately.

Profile : Having been in the Muslim struggle since the 1970s, Dr. Hussin has intimate knowledge of the affairs of the Muslims, their aspirations and their needs. He was a practicing doctor then when the war erupted between the MNLF and government forces. He left his medical practice and joined the core leaders of the MNLF after realizing the government then had no real concern for the welfare of the Muslims. Hussein, a member of the former rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which signed a peace agreement with Manila in 1996. Hussein, a former rural doctor representing the administration's Lakas party, as the winner of last week's polls in the southern Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

03
Switzerland

Micheline Calmy-Rey becomes president of the Council of State of Genève.

Profile : Née à Chermignon en Valais, Micheline Calmy-Rey fait ses études à Genève et obtient une licence de l'Institut universitaire de Hautes études internationales. Mariée et mère de deux enfants, Micheline Calmy-Rey est administratrice d'une PME pendant plus de 20 ans. Entrée au parti socialiste fin 1979, elle en deviendra la Présidente de 1986 à 1990 et de 1993 à 1997. Députée remarquée, efficace et pugnace, elle intervient dans de nombreux domaines. Les finances, la fiscalité et l'égalité des droits sont notamment au cœur de ses préoccupations parlementaires. Vice Présidente du Conseil d'État du 6 décembre 2000 au 3 décembre 2001.

03-04
OSCE

Romania hosts OSCE Ministerial Assembly - Bucharest

The ministers of the 55 participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are expected to adopt an action plan for the fight against terrorism. The Organization changed the focus of the December conference following the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in September. Most of the strife in the Balkans and former Soviet states of Central Asia sets Muslims against Christians, so the main challenge for the OSCE is devising an action plan against terrorism that does not stimulate Muslim extremism, especially in Chechnya and Central Asian states. The plan is likely to call for stronger legislation, including provisions for a European-wide mandate for the detention and extradition of suspects, cutting off financial sources for terrorists, standardizing counter-terrorism legislation and counter-terrorist training.

Previously, the main issues on the conference agenda were regional stability, the return of refugees and displaced people, organized crime and disparities of wealth within and between member countries. These topics remain critical, as retaliation against terror supspects and host countries by the United States is likely to exacerbate regional instability and create a humanitarian crisis as more people flee fighting in their home countries.

The conference is the final one of Romania's presidency, which can count organizing elections in Albania and Kosovo among its successes. The one-year presidency passes to Portugal on Jan 1.

04
Isle of Man

Richard Corkill is elected as new chief minister with 21 votes against 10 for Edgar Quine.

Corkill profile : Born in 1951, Douglas. Murrays Road and Ballasalla Primary, Ballakermeen, Ramsey Grammar School, University of Bradford. married in 1978 with Julie Brooks, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society GB, MR PharmS, career in England, Proprietor of "Elm Tree Pharmacy", Onchan from 1981-93. Elected Onchan District Commissioners 1988-91. Member Department of Highways, Ports and Properties 1991-1993 (special responsibility for road safety), drainage (IRIS project), Department of Local Government and the Environment 1993-95, Vice-Chairman Planning Committee 1993-95, Board of Consumer Affairs 1991-95; Minister for Home Affairs 1995-96, for the Treasury 1996-date. Past Member Medicines Commission, Medical and Dental Services Committee, Prescribing Committee. Committees of Tynwald : Petition for Redress of Grievance of Jean Noreen Thompson, Functions and Procedure for Election of the Legislative Council ; Petition for Redress of Grievance of A D Radcliffe 2000-date.

05
Sri Lanka

General election. Results :

The opposition United National Party in Sri Lanka is set to return to power after seven yeas in opposition, following a strong performance in the country's parliamentary elections. The UNP has swept many districts in the south, winning 49% of the votes (109 of 225 seats) , compared to 38% for the governing People's Alliance of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

05
Solomon Islands

General election. Results :

The former prime minister of the Solomon Islands, ousted in an armed coup last year, won a seat in Parliament in one of the first results declared in the troubled state's general election. Bartholomew Ulufa'alu was returned in his seat on the island of Malaita, along with his former Development Minister Fred Fono, as counting continued for the 50 parliamentary seats across this Pacific islands nation northwest of Australia.

05
Afghanistan

A provisional list of the 30-member interim Afghan administration approved by four Afghan delegations meeting near Bonn, Germany.

A new transitional government, to take office on December 22.

SEE GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION

05
Norfolk Island

Geoffrey Robert Gardner is elected chief minister.

06-07
NATO

NATO foreign ministers meet - Brussels

The ministers have two big tasks: to assess the Alliance's progress on the goals set at the April 1999 NATO summit and use the assessment to prepare the agenda for the 2002 NATO summit. Enlargement, the role of the Alliance in the 21st Century and a new NATO headquarters were among the goals the leaders agreed to in 1999. New agenda items include the political fallout from the United States war in Afghanistan, and a potential court challenge from Yugoslavia. Relatives of the people who died when NATO bombed the Yugoslavia state television station in 1999 plan to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

THIS WEEK'S STORY

December 4, 1976

Benjamin Britten dead

Britten was born, by happy coincidence, on St. Cecilia's Day, at the family home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. His father was a dentist. He was the youngest of four children, with a brother, Robert (1907), and two sisters, Barbara (1902) and Beth (1909). He was educated locally, and studied, first, piano, and then, later, viola, from private teachers. He began to compose as early as 1919, and after about 1922, composed steadily until his death. During the early 40s, Britten produced a number of works, outstanding among them the Hymn to St. Cecilia, A Ceremony of Carols, Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Serenade (for tenor, horn, and strings), Rejoice in the Lamb, and the Festival Te Deum. Peter Grimes, with a libretto by Montagu Slater, was complete in 1945 and had its premiere on June 7 of that year by the Sadler's Wells Opera Company. (Slightly over a year later, the work had its American premiere at the Boston Symphony's summer home at Tanglewood, under the baton of Leonard Bernstein.) Other operas appeared regularly in the ensuing years: The Rape of Lucretia (1946), Albert Herring (1947), The Little Sweep (1949), Billy Budd (1951) Gloriana (1953), The Turn of the Screw (1954), Noye's Fludde ((1957), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960) Curlew River (1964), The Burning Fiery Furnace (1966), The Prodigal Son (1968) Owen Wingrave (1970) [for television], and finally Death in Venice (1973).

ALSO SEE

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

02 South Ossetia (Georgia)		Presidential election runoff. Results : Eduard Kokoev, 37, a businessman with Russian and South Ossetian citizenship, was running against Stanislav Kochiev, 46, leader of the Communist Party and speaker of the region's parliament. Both are considered more radical than current incumbent Lyudvig Chibirov who won just 20 percent of the vote in the first round on November 18 and plans to step down. Before the first round, Georgia's parliament said the election was illegal and might bring ''undesirable consequences.'' South Ossetia is home to an ancient Caucasian ethnic group which speaks a language close to Farsi. It declared independence as the Soviet Union disintegrated and the southern republic of Georgia was gripped by wave of nationalism which minority groups feared. A 1991-92 war erupted when Georgia sent in troops to crush the independence drive. But Ossetian volunteers drove out the Georgian army and the region has since been outside Tbilisi's control. It is not recognised by any state. Presidential front-runner Kokoev has called for an apology from Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, who came to power after the Ossetian war, for starting the conflict. Kokoev has not ruled out South Ossetia joining Russia's neighbouring region of North Ossetia.
03 St. Lucia		General election. Results : Prime Minister Kenny Anthony's Saint Lucia Labour Party wins 14 of the 17 seats and the United Workers Party 3. Profile : Born : in St. Lucia on 8 January 1951.Education : University of the West Indies, and the University of Birmingham in England. His impressive list of academic achievements include a first class honours B.Sc. in Government and History from the University of the West Indies, a first class honours LL.B. from the UWI, a masters degree in law from the UWI, and a doctorate in law from the University of Birmingham. Party : SLP (Saint Lucia Labour Party)
03 Philippines		Parouk Hussin is declared as new governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and assumes office immediately. Profile : Having been in the Muslim struggle since the 1970s, Dr. Hussin has intimate knowledge of the affairs of the Muslims, their aspirations and their needs. He was a practicing doctor then when the war erupted between the MNLF and government forces. He left his medical practice and joined the core leaders of the MNLF after realizing the government then had no real concern for the welfare of the Muslims. Hussein, a member of the former rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which signed a peace agreement with Manila in 1996. Hussein, a former rural doctor representing the administration's Lakas party, as the winner of last week's polls in the southern Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
03 Switzerland		Micheline Calmy-Rey becomes president of the Council of State of Genève. Profile : Née à Chermignon en Valais, Micheline Calmy-Rey fait ses études à Genève et obtient une licence de l'Institut universitaire de Hautes études internationales. Mariée et mère de deux enfants, Micheline Calmy-Rey est administratrice d'une PME pendant plus de 20 ans. Entrée au parti socialiste fin 1979, elle en deviendra la Présidente de 1986 à 1990 et de 1993 à 1997. Députée remarquée, efficace et pugnace, elle intervient dans de nombreux domaines. Les finances, la fiscalité et l'égalité des droits sont notamment au cœur de ses préoccupations parlementaires. Vice Présidente du Conseil d'État du 6 décembre 2000 au 3 décembre 2001.
03-04 OSCE		Romania hosts OSCE Ministerial Assembly - Bucharest The ministers of the 55 participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are expected to adopt an action plan for the fight against terrorism. The Organization changed the focus of the December conference following the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in September. Most of the strife in the Balkans and former Soviet states of Central Asia sets Muslims against Christians, so the main challenge for the OSCE is devising an action plan against terrorism that does not stimulate Muslim extremism, especially in Chechnya and Central Asian states. The plan is likely to call for stronger legislation, including provisions for a European-wide mandate for the detention and extradition of suspects, cutting off financial sources for terrorists, standardizing counter-terrorism legislation and counter-terrorist training. Previously, the main issues on the conference agenda were regional stability, the return of refugees and displaced people, organized crime and disparities of wealth within and between member countries. These topics remain critical, as retaliation against terror supspects and host countries by the United States is likely to exacerbate regional instability and create a humanitarian crisis as more people flee fighting in their home countries. The conference is the final one of Romania's presidency, which can count organizing elections in Albania and Kosovo among its successes. The one-year presidency passes to Portugal on Jan 1.
04 Isle of Man		Richard Corkill is elected as new chief minister with 21 votes against 10 for Edgar Quine. Corkill profile : Born in 1951, Douglas. Murrays Road and Ballasalla Primary, Ballakermeen, Ramsey Grammar School, University of Bradford. married in 1978 with Julie Brooks, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society GB, MR PharmS, career in England, Proprietor of "Elm Tree Pharmacy", Onchan from 1981-93. Elected Onchan District Commissioners 1988-91. Member Department of Highways, Ports and Properties 1991-1993 (special responsibility for road safety), drainage (IRIS project), Department of Local Government and the Environment 1993-95, Vice-Chairman Planning Committee 1993-95, Board of Consumer Affairs 1991-95; Minister for Home Affairs 1995-96, for the Treasury 1996-date. Past Member Medicines Commission, Medical and Dental Services Committee, Prescribing Committee. Committees of Tynwald : Petition for Redress of Grievance of Jean Noreen Thompson, Functions and Procedure for Election of the Legislative Council ; Petition for Redress of Grievance of A D Radcliffe 2000-date.
05 Sri Lanka		General election. Results : The opposition United National Party in Sri Lanka is set to return to power after seven yeas in opposition, following a strong performance in the country's parliamentary elections. The UNP has swept many districts in the south, winning 49% of the votes (109 of 225 seats) , compared to 38% for the governing People's Alliance of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
05 Solomon Islands		General election. Results : The former prime minister of the Solomon Islands, ousted in an armed coup last year, won a seat in Parliament in one of the first results declared in the troubled state's general election. Bartholomew Ulufa'alu was returned in his seat on the island of Malaita, along with his former Development Minister Fred Fono, as counting continued for the 50 parliamentary seats across this Pacific islands nation northwest of Australia.
05 Afghanistan		A provisional list of the 30-member interim Afghan administration approved by four Afghan delegations meeting near Bonn, Germany. A new transitional government, to take office on December 22. SEE GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION
05 Norfolk Island		Geoffrey Robert Gardner is elected chief minister.
06-07 NATO		NATO foreign ministers meet - Brussels The ministers have two big tasks: to assess the Alliance's progress on the goals set at the April 1999 NATO summit and use the assessment to prepare the agenda for the 2002 NATO summit. Enlargement, the role of the Alliance in the 21st Century and a new NATO headquarters were among the goals the leaders agreed to in 1999. New agenda items include the political fallout from the United States war in Afghanistan, and a potential court challenge from Yugoslavia. Relatives of the people who died when NATO bombed the Yugoslavia state television station in 1999 plan to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.