LETTER N° 35

From 27 August to 2 of September

27 Moldova		National holiday : Independence Day (27 August 1991 from Soviet Union) In Aug., 1991, Moldova, which is the Romanian name of the region, was declared an independent republic; Mircea Snegur was elected president, and it reluctantly joined the Russian-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
27 Lebanon		Parliamentary elections - first stage.Overwhelming victory of the Joumblatt-Hariri opposition bloc in Baabda-Aley and in the Chouf. Overwhelming victory of N. Lahoud and P. Gemayel in the Metn. In Northern Lebanon, O. Karamé and N. Moawad standing in good position
27 Somalia		Abdiqasim Salad Hassan president elected takes office.
29 Slovakia		National holiday : Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising (29 August 1944) A Slovak underground movement gained strength, however, and powerfully aided the Soviet troops who drove the Germans out of Slovakia late in 1944.
29 France	Chevènement Vaillant	Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement resigns.         Daniel Vaillant is named to replace him. Mr. Vaillant was born on July 19, 1949 in Lormes (Nièvre) and has a Certificate of Superior Technician in biological analysis ; Certificate of serology.
29 France		Mr. Jean - Jacques Querane former Secretary of State to the Home Minister entrusted with affairs from Overseas has been appointed Minister for Relationship with Parliament. This charge had been formerly assumed by Mr. Vaillant himself. Mr. Querane was born on November 2, 1945 in Lyon . He graduated with a B.A degree (letters) ; he also graduated in superior studies of Political Sciences and obtained a doctorate in Law.
29 Togo		President Gnassingbe Eyadema has appointed Agbeyome Messan Kodjo as new Prime Minister replacing Eugène Koffi Adoboli, who resigned following a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 27. Before his current appointment, Agbeyome Kodjo (46) had served as minister of youth and sports as well as minister of the interior.
30 Turks and Caicos Islands		National holiday : Constitution Day (30 August 1976) In 1976 a new constitution took effect, and elections were held establishing a ministerial type of government. Some efforts toward independence were made in the early 1980s, but these ceased in 1985-86 when scandals forced the governor to dissolve the executive council and assume administrative control. In 1988 elections were held to restore representative rule.
30/01 IPU U. N.		Conference of Presiding officiers of National Parliaments in the U. N. Headquarters, New York, Organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in cooperation with the United Nations. The IPU is convening a Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Conference is to be held in conjunction with the Millennium Assembly and will take place in the United Nations General Assembly Hall from 30 August to 1 September 2000. At its 53rd and 54th sessions, the United Nations General Assembly welcomed the initiative of the IPU to hold the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments.
31 Kyrgyzstan		National holiday : Independence Day (31 August 1991 from Soviet Union) In 1990, Askar Akayev, president of the republic's Academy of Sciences and a non-Communist, was elected president by the legislature. After fighting off an attempted coup in 1991, the government declared Kyrgyzstan independent of the Soviet Union. Kyrgyzstan subsequently became a member of the Russian-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States, and a new consitutution was approved.
31 Malaysia		National holiday : National Day (Independence : 31 August 1957 from UK) The Communist insurrection had the positive effect of spurring the movement for Malayan independence, and in 1957 the federation became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations and was admitted to the United Nations. The first prime minister was Tunku (Prince) Abdul Rahman, the leader of the Alliance Party, a loose coalition of Malay, Chinese, and Indian parties. The constitution guaranteed special privileges for Malays.
31 Trinidad and Tobago		National holiday : Independence Day ( 31 August 1962 from UK) Before becoming an independent nation in 1962, the islands were part of the short-lived West Indies Federation (1958&endash;62). In 1976 Trinidad and Tobago became a republic.
31 Bostwana		Slight changes in Bostwanian cabinet. President Festus Mogae has appointed Tebelelo Seretse as commerce and industry Minister raising the representation of women in government to 3.Seretse, a lawyer, was an assistant minister for presidential affairs and public administration. The others are Margaret Nasha (local government) and Joy Phumaphi (health).
31/01 Brazil		Summit of the 12 Presidents of South America. After a four hours' meeting in the Palace of Foreign Affairs, the presidents of South America set the basis for a greater integration between the countries of this continent and scheduled for 2002 the establishment of a free trade area between members of the Andine Community of Nations ("Comunidade Andina de Naciónes") and those who join the Mercosul. If it works the new economical space will comprise a population of 340 million inhabitants and a US$ 1,3 billion production. The official conclusion of the meeting was summarized in a document called "Comunicado de Brasília" gathering 62 points of agreement.
01 Libya		National holiday : Revolution Day (1 September1969) In Sept., 1969, a group of army officers led by 27-year-old Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi ousted King Idris in a coup. The 1951 constitution was abrogated, and government was placed in the hands of a 12-member Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) headed by Qaddafi, who became prime minister. In mid-1972, Qaddafi turned the post of prime minister over to Abdul Salam Jallud, but he remained the RCC's president, the country's most important political and military office.
01 Uzbekistan		National holiday : Independence Day (Independence : 31 August 1991 from Soviet Union) In June, 1990, the Uzbek parliament passed a resolution declaring the republic's sovereignty. Islam Karimov, who had been named Uzbekistan's Communist party chief in 1989 and given the new title of president earlier in 1990, initially did not oppose the abortive coup of Aug., 1991, in Moscow, but he denounced it when it failed. On Aug. 31, Uzbekistan was declared independent, and it joined the Commonwealth of Independent States in December.
01 Slovakia		National holiday : Slovak Constitution Day (1 September1992) In 1992, as free-market reforms brought on economic problems and widespread dissatisfaction, nationalists led by Slovak premier Vladimír Meciar came to power. A constitution for an independent Slovakia was approved and on Jan. 1, 1993, the country became independent.
02 Vietnam		National holiday : Independence Day (2 September 1945 from France) The Japanese allowed the French Vichy administration to continue as a figurehead power until Mar., 1945, when they ousted it and established the autonomous state of Vietnam (comprising Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China) under the rule of Bao Dai, the emperor of Annam. The Bao Dai government quickly collapsed, and at the end of World War II, the Viet Minh party (the League for the Independence of Vietnam, a coalition of nationalist and Communist groups), headed by Ho Chi Minh, established a republic with its capital at Hanoi.