Stories for February 19th 2003

Wednesday, February 19th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

Kofi Annan appeals to G 24.

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General has called on the administering Powers of listed colonies and the UN Committee of 24 to work together in the search for “innovative and practical ways to reinvigorate the decolonisation process and enable us to close this unfinished chapter in history.”

Wednesday, February 19th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

Tough FTAA negotiation round.

United States multilateral and bilateral approach to tariff reductions and its insistence in protecting US farm subsidies in the framework of the current Free Trade Association of the Americas talks in Panama have stalled agriculture negotiations.

Wednesday, February 19th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

Preparing for elections in Paraguay.

Ten presidential hopefuls registered for the coming general elections in Paraguay that will be held next April 27. Nine of them are described by the Paraguayan press as conservative or populist and just one belonging to the left.

Wednesday, February 19th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

“Marco Polo” in Antarctic emergency.

The luxurious “Marco Polo” with 538 passengers and a crew of 320 had to return urgently to Ushuaia after experiencing three cracks in the hull while sailing in the South Shetland Islands.

Wednesday, February 19th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

Non-aggression pact in Venezuela.

Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez administration and the opposition signed a non aggression pact aimed at defusing tensions, according to the Organisation of American States, OAS, that has been mediating in the increasingly violent and acrimonious conflict.