vips

2002

LETTER N° 03

From 12 to 19 January

13
Kabardino-Balkariya

(Russia)

In presidential elections in Kabardino-Balkariya, incumbent Valery Kokov is reelected with some 87% of the vote, while Lieut.Gen. Mukhamed Batyrov wins 8.4%. Turnout is 85.9%.

13
Adygeya

(Russia)

In Adygeya, Khazrat Sovmen is elected as new president with some 68% of the vote, followed by incumbent Aslan Dzharimov who wins only 10%.

13
Sakha

(Russia)

In the runoff in Sakha, Vyacheslav Shtyrov is elected president with 59.2% of the votes against 34.6% for Fedot Tumusov.

14
Jordan

Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb's government resigns. He forms a new cabinet. A statement released by the Jordanian royal court said that King Abdullah II received members of the resigned government and expressed his thanks to the resigned ministers for their performance during the period when they were in power.

Abu al-Ragheb made a reshuffle on his government which was the third on 19th October 2001. He formed the government in Jordan for the first time on June 19, 2000.

SEE NEW GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION

14
Northern Mariana Islands

(US)

Juan N. Babauta takes office as governor.

15
Canada

Bill Graham is named as new foreign minister, replacing John Manley, who becomes deputy prime minister.

Graham profile : Mr. Graham was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and re-elected in 1997 and 2000. He has served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade since 1995. He has also been Vice-President of the Parliamentary Association of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas. He also has worked with PD Burma, an organization of legislators around the world concerned about democracy in Burma, and is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Council Against Anti-semitism. As a lawyer, Mr. Graham has been a partner in the firm of Fasken and Calvin (Toronto). He has also been Director of the Centre of International Studies at the University of Toronto, and has taught in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, the University of Montreal and McGill University. A former President of the Alliance française in Toronto, Mr. Graham was appointed Knight of France''s Legion of Honour. Mr. Graham studied at Upper Canada College, Trinity College, the University of Toronto (B.A. Hon. and LL.B.), and the University of Paris (Doctorate in Sciences juridiques). He and his wife Catherine have two children: Katherine Helen and Patrick William.

15
E.U.

Pat Cox of Ireland is elected president of the European Parliament.

Profile : Born on 28 November 1952. Educated in Limerick by the Christian Brothers at St. Munchins CBS and Ard Scoil Ris. Also at Trinity College Dublin - B.A. (MOD), Economics, MA (TCD). Married, 6 children. Political and professional activities - Lecturer at the Institute of Public Administration, Dublin 1974-76. Lecturer at the University of Limerick, 1976-1982. Television current affairs Broadcaster, RTE Dublin, 1982-86. 1994-1999 : Member of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee 1994-1999, Substitute Member for the Legal Affairs Committee 1994-1999 and Member of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly with Hungary 1994-1999. Member of Dail Eireann, constituency of Cork South Central 1992-94. Member of the European Parliament to date. First Vice-President of the ELDR (European Liberal Democrats) 1994-1998. President of the ELDR 1998. Unanimously re-elected to the Presidency of the ELDR June 1999.

17
Peru

President Alejandro Toledo dismissed founder members ministers of Perú Posible from his cabinet in order to appoint three independent professionals and thus strengthen the government bench with the return to Congress of Luis Solari de la Fuente, David Waisman Rjavinsthi and Doris Sánchez Pinedo, respectively former Health Minister, Defence Secretary and responsible for the Promudeh.

Aurelio Loret de Mola is the new Defence Secretary, Fernando Carbone is appointed Health Minister and Cecilia Blondet is in charge of Promudeh. The three ministers were sworn in at the palacio del Gobierno.

17
Gambia

National Assembly election. Results :

Gambia's ruling party has won the first seat declared in results from elections for the country's parliament. The ruling party is already assured of victory due to the opposition party boycotting the poll. Witnesses say the turnout was generally low. Reports say 33 ruling party deputies were returned unopposed because of the boycott. Officials say the turnout appeared much lower than that for last October's presidential election which was comfortably won by President Yahya Jammeh, who first took power in Gambia in a 1994 coup.

17
Comoros

Comoran President Azaly Assoumani has resigned as part of moves to end a secessionist crisis. This makes way for a transitional government that will prepare general elections in April this year when Assoumani will seek a return to power. In a referendum in December last year, Comorans voted in favour of reuniting the three islands that make up the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros to end a secessionist crisis that has plagued the archipelago for years. A new government of national unity, which is to be put in place next week, will oversee the transition to general elections scheduled for April.

17
Haiti

Prime Minister Jean-Marie Chérestal offers his resignation.

Profile : Cherestal was a finance minister and planning minister in Aristide's earlier administration in the 1990s, and is a member of Aristide's Lavalas Family Party. He was a trade official during the administration of Aristide's predecessor, former President Rene Preval. Born in Aristide's hometown of Port-Salut, in 1947, Cherestal has been an Aristide adviser for many years, and has managed the transition between the Preval and Aristide administrations.

13 Kabardino-Balkariya (Russia)		In presidential elections in Kabardino-Balkariya, incumbent Valery Kokov is reelected with some 87% of the vote, while Lieut.Gen. Mukhamed Batyrov wins 8.4%. Turnout is 85.9%.
13 Adygeya (Russia)		In Adygeya, Khazrat Sovmen is elected as new president with some 68% of the vote, followed by incumbent Aslan Dzharimov who wins only 10%.
13 Sakha (Russia)		In the runoff in Sakha, Vyacheslav Shtyrov is elected president with 59.2% of the votes against 34.6% for Fedot Tumusov.
14 Jordan		Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb's government resigns. He forms a new cabinet. A statement released by the Jordanian royal court said that King Abdullah II received members of the resigned government and expressed his thanks to the resigned ministers for their performance during the period when they were in power. Abu al-Ragheb made a reshuffle on his government which was the third on 19th October 2001. He formed the government in Jordan for the first time on June 19, 2000. SEE NEW GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION
14 Northern Mariana Islands (US)		Juan N. Babauta takes office as governor.
15 Canada		Bill Graham is named as new foreign minister, replacing John Manley, who becomes deputy prime minister. Graham profile : Mr. Graham was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and re-elected in 1997 and 2000. He has served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade since 1995. He has also been Vice-President of the Parliamentary Association of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas. He also has worked with PD Burma, an organization of legislators around the world concerned about democracy in Burma, and is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Council Against Anti-semitism. As a lawyer, Mr. Graham has been a partner in the firm of Fasken and Calvin (Toronto). He has also been Director of the Centre of International Studies at the University of Toronto, and has taught in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, the University of Montreal and McGill University. A former President of the Alliance française in Toronto, Mr. Graham was appointed Knight of France''s Legion of Honour. Mr. Graham studied at Upper Canada College, Trinity College, the University of Toronto (B.A. Hon. and LL.B.), and the University of Paris (Doctorate in Sciences juridiques). He and his wife Catherine have two children: Katherine Helen and Patrick William.
15 E.U.		Pat Cox of Ireland is elected president of the European Parliament. Profile : Born on 28 November 1952. Educated in Limerick by the Christian Brothers at St. Munchins CBS and Ard Scoil Ris. Also at Trinity College Dublin - B.A. (MOD), Economics, MA (TCD). Married, 6 children. Political and professional activities - Lecturer at the Institute of Public Administration, Dublin 1974-76. Lecturer at the University of Limerick, 1976-1982. Television current affairs Broadcaster, RTE Dublin, 1982-86. 1994-1999 : Member of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee 1994-1999, Substitute Member for the Legal Affairs Committee 1994-1999 and Member of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly with Hungary 1994-1999. Member of Dail Eireann, constituency of Cork South Central 1992-94. Member of the European Parliament to date. First Vice-President of the ELDR (European Liberal Democrats) 1994-1998. President of the ELDR 1998. Unanimously re-elected to the Presidency of the ELDR June 1999.
17 Peru		President Alejandro Toledo dismissed founder members ministers of Perú Posible from his cabinet in order to appoint three independent professionals and thus strengthen the government bench with the return to Congress of Luis Solari de la Fuente, David Waisman Rjavinsthi and Doris Sánchez Pinedo, respectively former Health Minister, Defence Secretary and responsible for the Promudeh. Aurelio Loret de Mola is the new Defence Secretary, Fernando Carbone is appointed Health Minister and Cecilia Blondet is in charge of Promudeh. The three ministers were sworn in at the palacio del Gobierno.
17 Gambia		National Assembly election. Results : Gambia's ruling party has won the first seat declared in results from elections for the country's parliament. The ruling party is already assured of victory due to the opposition party boycotting the poll. Witnesses say the turnout was generally low. Reports say 33 ruling party deputies were returned unopposed because of the boycott. Officials say the turnout appeared much lower than that for last October's presidential election which was comfortably won by President Yahya Jammeh, who first took power in Gambia in a 1994 coup.
17 Comoros		Comoran President Azaly Assoumani has resigned as part of moves to end a secessionist crisis. This makes way for a transitional government that will prepare general elections in April this year when Assoumani will seek a return to power. In a referendum in December last year, Comorans voted in favour of reuniting the three islands that make up the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros to end a secessionist crisis that has plagued the archipelago for years. A new government of national unity, which is to be put in place next week, will oversee the transition to general elections scheduled for April.
17 Haiti		Prime Minister Jean-Marie Chérestal offers his resignation. Profile : Cherestal was a finance minister and planning minister in Aristide's earlier administration in the 1990s, and is a member of Aristide's Lavalas Family Party. He was a trade official during the administration of Aristide's predecessor, former President Rene Preval. Born in Aristide's hometown of Port-Salut, in 1947, Cherestal has been an Aristide adviser for many years, and has managed the transition between the Preval and Aristide administrations.