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Chiefs of State and Heads of Government
Foreign Affairs
International Organizations

LETTER N° 8

From 20 to 26 February

20

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, Parliamentary elections. results six of the 11 Kyrgyz political parties and blocs contesting the 20 February parliamentary elections surmounted the 5 percent barrier to win representation in the new legislature. They were the Communist Party (27 percent support), the pro-government Union of Democratic Forces (17 percent), the Women's Democratic Party (13 percent), the Party of War Veterans (9 percent), the pro-presidential "My Country" (5.7 percent), and the moderate opposition Ata-Meken (5.6 percent). Those parties will share the 15 seats (of a total of 60 in the lower house of parliament) to be allocated under the proportional system. The Agrarian party, the Agrarian-Labor Party, Asaba, the Erkin Kyrgyzstan party, and the Manas bloc each polled less than 5 percent.

20

Russia

Death of Anatoliy Sobchak, mayor of San Petersburg (1991-1996).

21

Canada

Lynda M. Haverstock is sworn in as lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan.

22

India

In state elections in Orissa (held February 17 and 22) and Haryana (February 22), Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's alliance defeats the main opposition Congress Party, though his Bharatiya Janata Party comes in second to its regional partners : the Biju Janata Dal in Orissa and the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana. In Bihar elections (held February 12, 17, and 22), the alliance fails to oust the Rashtriya Janata Dal. In Manipur (February 12 and 22), results are split and a regional group leads the race in the 60-seat legislature.

24

Canada

Ujjal Dosanjh is sworn in as premier of British Columbia.