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LETTER N° 7

From 13 to 19 February

13

Zambia

Parliamentary by elections in Mbalala and Mfuwe.

14

Bosnia and Hercegovina

Alija Izetbegovic assumes the rotating chair of the presidency.

14

Paraguay

Foreign Minister José Félix Fernández Estigarribia resigns. He is replaced by Juan Esteban Aguirre Martínez.

14

Uzbekistan

President Islam Karimov names Lieut. Gen. Yury Agzamov as defense minister.

15

Mali

Mande Sidibe is named prime minister.

16

Gibraltar

David Durie is appointed as governor, to take office in April.

17

India

State Assembly elections in Bihar and Orissa.

17

Guinea-Bissau

Kumba Ialá is sworn in as president. On February 19 Caetano N'Tchama takes office as prime minister. His cabinet list published on February 20 includes Yaya Diallo as foreign minister, Lieut. Col. Verissimo Seabra as defense minister, Purna Bia as finance minister, and Antonio Astur Sanhá as minister of internal administration.

18

Iran

Parliamentary elections. Voters here went to the polls in parliamentary elections ; and,IranMania on February 27 reported the following results : Reformists (2nd of Khordad) - 148 seats ; Conservatives - 35 seats ; Independents - 37 seats ; Religious Minorities - 5 seats. President Mohammad Khatami's allies win 170 seats in the 290-seat parliament. Hard-liners and conservatives win 45 and independents 10 ; the remaining 65 seats will be decided in runoffs in April.

18

Bielarus

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka drops Prime Minister Syarhei Linh and names Minsk mayor Uladzimir Yarmoshyn as acting prime minister.