s

members - (78) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay,
Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zimbabwe

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Population Commission

established - 3 October 1946

aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with population
matters of importance to the UN

members - (27) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

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Rio Group (RG)

note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986

established - NA 1988

aim - a consultation mechanism on regional Latin American issues

members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Mexico, Paraguay, Peru (suspended), Uruguay, Venezuela; note-Panama was
expelled in 1988; Peru was suspended after April 1992 coup

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Second World

another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states with
authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model;
the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

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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

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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)

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South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka

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South Pacific Commission (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947

effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands,