Liechtenstein and Cyprus will probably join in
2009; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist
states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments
and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading
from use; see centrally planned economies

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC): established - 6 February
1947; effective 29 July 1948

aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop
technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research
support; to build planning and management capability

members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,
French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard
regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative
security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic,
scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan

observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan

guests - (6) Afghanistan, ASEAN, CIS, EurAsEC, Turkmenistan, UN

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government
owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the
term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries
generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of
the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South American Community of Nations (CSN): established - 9 December
2004

aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral
organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate
the merger of CAN and Mercosur

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established
- 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooper