vips

2002

LETTER N° 04

From 20 to 26 January

20
Republic of Congo

Constitutional referendum. Result :

Voters in Congo-Brazzaville have approved of a new constitution that grants the President greater executive powers. Officials say 84 per cent of votes cast in referendum supported the new constitution. Seventy-eight percent of the 1.6 million registered voters cast their ballots. At least ten opposition parties boycotted the referendum, saying the constitution gives President Denis Sassou Nguesso too much power.

21
Taiwan

Yu Shyi-kun is named premier in a cabinet reshuffle.

Profile : 1948 Born in Ilan County, Taiwan. 1967 Entered industrial and commercial professional school. 1975 Graduated from Chi-li Commercial School. 1975 Assisted in campaign for parliamentary candidate Kuo Yu-hsin. 1977 Chief campaign assistant to Provincial Assembly candidate Lin I-hsiung. 1978 Organizer for the Ilan Office of the Melidao magazine. 1978 Campaign assistant for parliamentary candidate Huang Huang-hsiung. 1980 Entered Chung-hsin University's School of Public Administration. Dismissed from the University for campaigning for Huang Huang-hsiung. 1981 Elected to the Seventh Taiwan Provincial Assembly. 1983 Secretary-general of the Tang-wai Election Support Organization. Chief campaign assistant for parliamentary candidate Fang Su-ming. 1985 Resigned from the Provincial Assembly in protest of illegal budget appropriations by the Assembly. Graduated from Tung-hai University's Department of Political Science. Elected to the Eighth Taiwan Provincial Assembly. 1986 Secretly founded, with ten other members, a political party. Officially founded the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Elected to the DPP's First Central Standing Committee. 1987 Proposed plan to allow KMT veterans to return to China to visit their relatives. The government announced its approval of the plan. Elected to the DPP's Second Central Standing Committee. 1988 Elected to the DPP's Third Central Standing Committee. 1989 Elected to the DPP's Fourth Central Standing Committee. Elected to first term as Ilan County Governor. 1990 Founded the Lan-yang Cultural and Educational Foundation. 1991 Established an Environmental Protection Agreement Contract with businesses defining parameters of responsibility for emissions and pollution. 1993 Elected to second term as Ilan County Governor. 1997 Ranked first in Yuan-jien magazine's county governments' public approval. Completed second term as Ilan County Governor. 1998 Chairman, Taipei Rapid Mass Transit System. 1999 Secretary General, DPP HQ Executive Campaign Manager and Spokesperson for DPP Candidate Chen Shui-bian's Presidential Campaign. 03/2000 Vice Premier 10/2000 Secretary General, Office of the President

SEE NEW GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION

21
United States

Former Colorado governor (1963-73) John A. Love dies.

Profile : Born on a farm near Gibson City, Ill., Love moved to Colorado Springs with his family when he was 3. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Denver in 1938 and his law degree from the same school three years later. He was a lawyer for the Colorado Public Utilities Commission before entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program at the start of World War II. The day he was awarded his pilot's wings, he and the former Ann Daniels of Colorado Springs were married. Love served in the Pacific, flying in the Black Cat Squadron, so named because its planes were black Catalinas assigned to night missions. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Returning to practice law in Colorado Springs, he was drawn to politics. He was president of the El Paso County Young Republicans, the county executive committee and the state central committee.

22
Bulgaria

Georgi Purvanov takes office as president.

Profile : Born on June 28, 1957 in the village of Kovachevtsi, Sofia district. Married, has two children. Graduated in History from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". Ph.D. in History. Senior research associate 2nd rank. Member of the Board of Directors of "Duma Press" since Jan. 1996. Member of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. In June 1990, MP candidate of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. Member of BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party ). Director of the Center for Historical and Political Studies in the Supreme Council of BSP. Chief of the National Minority Problem and Ethnic Relations Committee in the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chief of the pre-election headquarters of Ivan Marazov - candidate for Bulgarian president from the "Together for Bulgaria" coalition in the Oct. 1996 presidential elections. Member of the Executive Bureau of the Supreme Council of BSP since 1991. Deputy chair of the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chair of the Supreme Council of BSP since Dec. 1996. MP (elected in Kardjali) in the 37th National Assembly (Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left). Chairman of PG of the Democratic Left since January 1997.

26
Spain

Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was re-elected to a fifth term as president of the ruling Popular Party (PP) at a party congress. The Popular Party, which holds 183 of the 350 seats in the lower house of parliament, was re-elected in March 2000 with 44.6 percent of the vote, followed by the Spanish Workers' Socialist Party (PSOE) with 34.1 percent.

Aznar profile : Born in Madrid on 25th February 1953. Graduated in Law from the Complutense University in Madrid. State Inspector of Finance. Political experience : General Secretary of Alianza Popular in Logroño (1979). General Secretary of Alianza Popular (1982-1987). Member of parliament for the constituency of Ávila from 1982-1987. Regional President of Alianza Popular for Castile and León. National Vice-President of the Partido Popular (IXth National Congress, January 1989). President of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León for Alianza Popular (June 1987/September 1989). Elected candidate for the Presidency of the Government for the Partido Popular (4th September 1989). National President of the Partido Popular, elected at the Xth National Congress and ratified at the XIth National Congress. National Member of Parliament for Madrid in the IVth, Vth and VIth Legislatures. President of the Grupo Parlamentario Popular in Parliament. Vice President of the Partido Popular Europeo (PPE). Vice President of the Unión Democrática Internacional (IDU). Vice President of the Unión Democrática Europea (EDU). Invested as President of the Government on 4th May 1996, he was sworn in before H.M. the King on 5th May 1996.

ALSO SEE

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

20 Republic of Congo		Constitutional referendum. Result : Voters in Congo-Brazzaville have approved of a new constitution that grants the President greater executive powers. Officials say 84 per cent of votes cast in referendum supported the new constitution. Seventy-eight percent of the 1.6 million registered voters cast their ballots. At least ten opposition parties boycotted the referendum, saying the constitution gives President Denis Sassou Nguesso too much power.
21 Taiwan		Yu Shyi-kun is named premier in a cabinet reshuffle. Profile : 1948 Born in Ilan County, Taiwan. 1967 Entered industrial and commercial professional school. 1975 Graduated from Chi-li Commercial School. 1975 Assisted in campaign for parliamentary candidate Kuo Yu-hsin. 1977 Chief campaign assistant to Provincial Assembly candidate Lin I-hsiung. 1978 Organizer for the Ilan Office of the Melidao magazine. 1978 Campaign assistant for parliamentary candidate Huang Huang-hsiung. 1980 Entered Chung-hsin University's School of Public Administration. Dismissed from the University for campaigning for Huang Huang-hsiung. 1981 Elected to the Seventh Taiwan Provincial Assembly. 1983 Secretary-general of the Tang-wai Election Support Organization. Chief campaign assistant for parliamentary candidate Fang Su-ming. 1985 Resigned from the Provincial Assembly in protest of illegal budget appropriations by the Assembly. Graduated from Tung-hai University's Department of Political Science. Elected to the Eighth Taiwan Provincial Assembly. 1986 Secretly founded, with ten other members, a political party. Officially founded the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Elected to the DPP's First Central Standing Committee. 1987 Proposed plan to allow KMT veterans to return to China to visit their relatives. The government announced its approval of the plan. Elected to the DPP's Second Central Standing Committee. 1988 Elected to the DPP's Third Central Standing Committee. 1989 Elected to the DPP's Fourth Central Standing Committee. Elected to first term as Ilan County Governor. 1990 Founded the Lan-yang Cultural and Educational Foundation. 1991 Established an Environmental Protection Agreement Contract with businesses defining parameters of responsibility for emissions and pollution. 1993 Elected to second term as Ilan County Governor. 1997 Ranked first in Yuan-jien magazine's county governments' public approval. Completed second term as Ilan County Governor. 1998 Chairman, Taipei Rapid Mass Transit System. 1999 Secretary General, DPP HQ Executive Campaign Manager and Spokesperson for DPP Candidate Chen Shui-bian's Presidential Campaign. 03/2000 Vice Premier 10/2000 Secretary General, Office of the President SEE NEW GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION
21 United States		Former Colorado governor (1963-73) John A. Love dies. Profile : Born on a farm near Gibson City, Ill., Love moved to Colorado Springs with his family when he was 3. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Denver in 1938 and his law degree from the same school three years later. He was a lawyer for the Colorado Public Utilities Commission before entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program at the start of World War II. The day he was awarded his pilot's wings, he and the former Ann Daniels of Colorado Springs were married. Love served in the Pacific, flying in the Black Cat Squadron, so named because its planes were black Catalinas assigned to night missions. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Returning to practice law in Colorado Springs, he was drawn to politics. He was president of the El Paso County Young Republicans, the county executive committee and the state central committee.
22 Bulgaria		Georgi Purvanov takes office as president. Profile : Born on June 28, 1957 in the village of Kovachevtsi, Sofia district. Married, has two children. Graduated in History from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". Ph.D. in History. Senior research associate 2nd rank. Member of the Board of Directors of "Duma Press" since Jan. 1996. Member of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. In June 1990, MP candidate of the All-people Committee for Protection of National Interests. Member of BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party ). Director of the Center for Historical and Political Studies in the Supreme Council of BSP. Chief of the National Minority Problem and Ethnic Relations Committee in the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chief of the pre-election headquarters of Ivan Marazov - candidate for Bulgarian president from the "Together for Bulgaria" coalition in the Oct. 1996 presidential elections. Member of the Executive Bureau of the Supreme Council of BSP since 1991. Deputy chair of the Supreme Council of BSP 1994-96. Chair of the Supreme Council of BSP since Dec. 1996. MP (elected in Kardjali) in the 37th National Assembly (Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left). Chairman of PG of the Democratic Left since January 1997.
26 Spain		Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was re-elected to a fifth term as president of the ruling Popular Party (PP) at a party congress. The Popular Party, which holds 183 of the 350 seats in the lower house of parliament, was re-elected in March 2000 with 44.6 percent of the vote, followed by the Spanish Workers' Socialist Party (PSOE) with 34.1 percent. Aznar profile : Born in Madrid on 25th February 1953. Graduated in Law from the Complutense University in Madrid. State Inspector of Finance. Political experience : General Secretary of Alianza Popular in Logroño (1979). General Secretary of Alianza Popular (1982-1987). Member of parliament for the constituency of Ávila from 1982-1987. Regional President of Alianza Popular for Castile and León. National Vice-President of the Partido Popular (IXth National Congress, January 1989). President of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León for Alianza Popular (June 1987/September 1989). Elected candidate for the Presidency of the Government for the Partido Popular (4th September 1989). National President of the Partido Popular, elected at the Xth National Congress and ratified at the XIth National Congress. National Member of Parliament for Madrid in the IVth, Vth and VIth Legislatures. President of the Grupo Parlamentario Popular in Parliament. Vice President of the Partido Popular Europeo (PPE). Vice President of the Unión Democrática Internacional (IDU). Vice President of the Unión Democrática Europea (EDU). Invested as President of the Government on 4th May 1996, he was sworn in before H.M. the King on 5th May 1996.