Israel

Fifty-nine people, mostly Palestinians, were killed in the Palestinian uprising during the month (Reuters). While regrettable, the deaths were considerably fewer than in November.

1 DECEMBER 2000

Mexico, Politics

Vincente Fox was sworn in as President (Reuters).

4 DECEMBER 2000

Ivory Coast

About 20,000 supporters of Alassane Quattara violently protested in Abidjan against Quattara's exclusion from the 10 December parliamentary elections (Reuters).

5 DECEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to renew the "oil-for-food" program for Iraq for another six months. The measure allows Iraq, for the first time, to spend revenues on local goods for civilian needs, and to spend up to 600 million euros (US$528 million) on maintenance and repairs for the country's oil industry (Reuters).

7-10 DECEMBER 2000

Europe, Diplomatic Affairs

The EU held a summit in Nice, France. Members agreed to reform certain political and administrative features of the organization to facilitate future expansion of membership (Reuters).

7 DECEMBER 2000

Djibouti

Police reportedly surrounded the presidency and occupied the state broadcasting station. They were dispersed by army troops. It is not clear if the police intended to sieze power (Reuters).

Ghana, Politics

Parliamentary and first-round presidential elections were held. The two main parties in the elections were the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by Vice President John Atta Mills and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by John Kufor. The NDC won 92 of the 200 parliamentary seats, losing its previous majority. The NPP won 99 seats. In the presidential voting, Kofor won 48.4%. Five other presidential hopefuls were eliminated. A runoff between Mills and Kofor was scheduled for 28 December (Reuters).

9 DECEMBER 2000

Pakistan, Politics

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was exiled to Saudi Arabia (Reuters).

10 DECEMBER 2000

Romania, Politics

The Presidential runoff election was held. Ion Iliescu defeated Corneliu Tudor 66.9% to 33.1%. Isiescu has said he will pursue EU membership for Romania (Reuters)(see 26 November).

Israel, Politics

Prime Minister Barak resigned. He said he sought a renewed mandate to conduct negotiations with the Palestinians. Barak will remain as caretaker Prime Minister until new elections are held (Reuters).

Morocco, Civil Affairs

Hundreds of members of the outlawed al-Adl Wal Ihsane (Justice and Charity) Islamic group staged peaceful protests in Rabat and other cities to protest the state of human and civil rights in the country. Many were arrested for ignoring the Interior Ministry's weekend ban on protests or for disturbing public order (Reuters).

11-12 DECEMBER 2000

Iraq

Iraqi troops reportedly made a brief incursion into the Kurdish-controlled enclave in the North on the 11th. The next day they withdrew (Reuters).

12 DECEMBER 2000

Sub-Saharan Africa, Diplomatic Affairs

Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace agreement in Algiers, Algeria. The agreement calls for, among other things, a five-member commission based in Geneva to demarcate the common border based on colonial treaties, and a buffer zone manned by 4,200 UN troops (Reuters).

Diplomatic Affairs

US President Clinton began a visit to Ireland and Britain to support the Good Friday accord (Reuters).

13-14 DECEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

Russia freed Edmond Pope, an American businessman who had been convicted of spying. Russian President Putin mentioned relations with the US among factors considered in granting the pardon. Pope left Russia the next day (Reuters).

13-17 DECEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

Russian President Putin visited Cuba (Reuters).

17 DECEMBER 2000

Algeria

Six gunmen, probably from the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) rebel group, murdered 15 teenagers and a teacher at the Lycee Technique of Medea, 55 miles south of Algiers (Reuters). The GIA has increased its military activity considerably during Ramadan. The group tends to be indiscriminate in the targeting of its attacks, but the Medea attack was more terrorist in nature than most.

Diplomatic Affairs

Russian President Putin visited Canada (Reuters).

19 DECEMBER 2000

Diplomatic Affairs

The UN Security Council voted in favor of a resolution initiated by the US and Russia that calls for toughening existing economic sanctions against Afghanistan's Taliban regime. Among other things, the resolution calls for an end to arms sales to the Taliban. It does not call for a similar end to such sales to the country's Northern Alliance rebels (Reuters).

20 DECEMBER 2000

India

The government decided to continue to forgo initiating combat operations against Kashmir guerrillas for another month (Reuters).

23 DECEMBER 2000

Yugoslavia, Politics

Serbia held parliamentary elections. The Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) won 64.1% of the vote and 176 of the 250 seats in parliament. The Socialists won 13.8% and 37 seats; the Radical Party won 8.5% and 23 seats; the Party of Serbian Unity won 5.3% and 4 seats (Reuters).

26 DECEMBER 2000

South Korea

Police dispersed thousands of bank workers protesting in Seoul against a prospective bank merger (Reuters).

28 DECEMBER 2000

Ghana, Politics

The presidential runoff for the 7 December elections was held. John Kufor defeated Vice President John Atta Mills 56.7% to 43.3%. Both candidates advocated free-market economic policies, but Kufor promised to do more to assist the private sector (Reuters).

Military Affairs

China and Cuba signed an agreement on military cooperation; the Cuban media gave no details (Reuters).

29 DECEMBER 2000

Colombia

Liberal Party congressman Diego Turbay was killed near Florencia by unknown attackers. The police blamed FARC for the attack (Reuters).

30 DECEMBER 2000

Philippines

Five bomb explosions in Manila killed 22 people. On 4 January the police said the attacks were related to the Muslim rebellion on Mindanao (Reuters).

Yugoslavia, High Command

President Vojislav Kostunica retired 13 top military officers including General Dragoljub Ojdanic, a former army chief-of-staff indicted by a UN war crimes tribunal in 1999. General Nebojsa Pavkovic, current army chief-of-staff and long-time ally of former President Slobodan Milosevic, was not among those purged (Reuters).