1 AUGUST 2002

United States, Politics

The Senate passed a trade promotion authority bill, 64-34. Days before, the House of Representatives passed the measure 215-212. The bill restores the President's authority to negotiate trade agreements with other countries that Congress can approve or reject but not ammend. The authority lapsed in 1994, and attempts to revive it failed in 1997 and 1998 amid concerns about the impact of trade agreements on workers and the environment. Advocates of trade promotion authority said that the lack of such authority meant that other countries would not negotiate seriously with the US (Reuters).

Uruguay

There was some looting during protests against government economic policies (Reuters).

2 AUGUST 2002

Israel, West Bank and Gaza Strip

The Israelis began implementing a policy, controversial internationally, of demolishing homes of families of Palestinian militants and deporting relatives who are found to have been accomplices to attacks against Israelis (Reuters).

3-7 AUGUST 2002

Asia & The Pacific, Diplomatic Affairs

On the 3rd, Taiwan's president Chen Shui-bian said that holding a referendum on independence from China was a "basic human right" and in reality there was "one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait." China in the past has threatened to attack if Taiwan declares independence, and Chen's comments prompted China to say he was leading the island to disaster. On the 6th, Chen sought to soften his "one country on each side" comments, saying a more appropriate way to sum up his position was "equal sovereignty". On the 7th, US National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack said, "Our policy with respect to China and Taiwan and differences between the two is long-standing, well known and unchanged. The US has a one-China policy and we do not support Taiwan independence" (Reuters).

4 AUGUST 2002

Bolivia, Politics

Congress elected Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada the next President, choosing him over Evo Morales, the runner up in the 30 June election (Reuters).

Israel

Hamas claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing of a bus in the north that killed nine Israelis (Reuters).

Spain

A car bombing by the ETA in Alicante killed two people (Reuters).

5 AUGUST 2002

Pakistan

Unidentified gunmen attacked a school for children of foreign missionaries near Muree. Six Pakistani staff were killed. The attackers apparently encountered some resistance from the school's Pakistani guards (Reuters).

6 AUGUST 2002

Middle East & North Africa, Diplomatic Affairs

Turkish Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel met Jordanian Prime Minister Abu al-Ragheb in Amman. Ragheb was quoted as telling Gurel that a US-led attack on Iraq would "have disastrous economic and human consequences on Iraq and regional stability." Gurel said after his talks with Ragheb, "We certainly agree with the Jordanian position and share the same concerns." He also said, "We will not be supporting any action unless it is legitimized and unless it requires international consensus" (Reuters).

7 AUGUST 2002

Colombia

Alvaro Uribe was sworn in as President. A surprise FARC mortar attack on the presidential palace and vicinity coincided with the inauguration (Reuters).

8-9 AUGUST 2002

South Korea, Politics

On the 8th, by-elections were held for 13 seats in the 273-seat National Assembly. The Grand National Party (GNP) won 11 seats, giving it 139 seats and a majority. The ruling Millenium Democratic Party (MDP) won the other two.

The next day, President Kim Dae-jung named newspaper executive Chang Dae-whan prime minister (Reuters).

9 AUGUST 2002

Pakistan

Unidentified attackers killed three people at a missionary hospital in Taxila (Reuters).

10 AUGUST 2002

Turkey, Politics

Economy Minister Kemal Dervis resigned. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit replaced him with Masum Turker (Reuters).

12 AUGUST 2002

Colombia

President Alvaro Uribe declared a "state of domestic commotion", which empowers the government to pass laws by decree and restrict civil rights. The state of emergency is valid for 90 days but can be extended. Using its provisions, the government intends to raise $780 million by making individuals and companies pay a 1.2% tax on assets over $60,000. The money will be used for additional military, police and judiciary funding (Reuters).

14 AUGUST 2002

Venezuela, Civil Affairs

The Supreme Court dismissed a case against four military officers accused by the government of rebellion for their part in the April coup against President Hugo Chavez. The Court ruled the crime of rebellion did not apply to the actions of the officers. Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said, "We're calling for calm and we must respect the decision whether we like it or not. We must respect the rules of democracy." Popular reaction to the ruling showed how politically polarized Venezuela has become. Hundreds of Chavez supporters violently protested in parts of central Caracas, while in the capital's wealthier eastern section, residents set off firecrackers to celebrate the ruling (Reuters).

19 AUGUST 2002

Iraq

Palestinian sources said that Abu Nidal (Sabri-al-Bana), head of the Fatah-Revolutionary Council terrorist group, was found dead in his Baghdad apartment a few days earlier. Iraq claimed he committed suicide when Iraqi security men went to detain him on charges of illegally entering the country. The Iraqis did not give a date of his death. The Fatah-Revolutionary Council said that Abu Nidal was assassinated by "an intelligence apparatus" (Reuters).

20 AUGUST 2002

Israel, West Bank

Israeli forces withdrew from Bethlehem, turning over security to Palestinian police (Reuters).

Germany

Five Iraqis belonging to the 'Democratic Iraqi Opposition of Germany' entered the Iraqi embassy in Berlin and took four hostages. Six hours later, German police stormed the embassy and captured the Iraqis (Reuters).

25 AUGUST 2002

Iraq

According to a US Central Command statement, "coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons today [the 25th] to strike two air defense radar systems near Al Basrah..." (Reuters)

26 AUGUST 2002

Spain, Civil Affairs

Parliament approved a government proposal to petition the Supreme Court to ban Basque nationalist party Batasuna by a vote of 295-10 with 29 abstentions. "When ETA kills and Batasuna applauds, you can't just talk about principles. You have to stand side-by-side with the persecuted and the victims," said Luis de Grandes, parliamentary spokesman for the ruling Popular Party, during the debate. The same day, High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon banned Batasuna for three years for funding the ETA terrorist group. That night, police shut down Batasuna's headquarters in Pamplona. Some Basques warned that the banning of Batasuna would radicalize more young people. "This is a measure which will make the resolution of the conflict, the achievement of peace, more difficult," said Begona Lasagabaster, spokeswoman for the Basque nationalist party Eusko Alkartasuna. "This is going to raise tension, sow confrontations and social division" (Reuters).

Israel, West Bank

Israeli forces entered Jenin's refugee camp and arrested Abdel Salam Abu el-Heijah, leader of Hamas in the Jenin region, and other suspected militants. El-Heijah tops Israel's most-wanted list in the northern West Bank (Reuters).

27 AUGUST 2002

Israel

The government rejected a PA request to convene the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in Ramallah the following month. The Israelis apparently thought PA president Yasser Arafat might use the occasion to confirm the cabinet he appointed in June, and wished to prevent him from doing so and thus bolster his authority. A statement from Prime Minister Sharon's office said, "No Palestinian cabinet headed or directed by Arafat will be recognized or accepted by the state of Israel...Israel will not recognize any new Palestinian cabinet founded without thorough and real requisite reform in all areas of the Palestinian regime, especially in security and the war on terror, funding and the fight against corruption" (Reuters).

Iraq

US aircraft struck a radar site in the north and an air defense command facility in the south (Reuters).