Cable briefs

Press, 10 October 1984, Page 10

Cable briefs

Cabinet quits

The Bolivian Cabinet announced its resignation yesterday to enable the President, Dr Hernan Siles Zuazo, under pressure from the powerful Labour movement and dissent within the governing coalition, to appoint a new Cabinet. The Interior Minister, Mr Federico Alvarez Plata, said that the Cabinet had sent its resignation to Dr Siles Zuazo after a meeting at the Foreign Ministry. The resignations pave the way for Dr Siles Zuazo’s fourth reshuffle since he took power on October 10,1982. — La Paz. Andropov post Igor Andropov, son of the late Soviet President, Yuri Andropov, has arrived in Greece as Soviet Ambassador. Western diplomats have said that they believe his appointment is a sign of growing Soviet interest in Greece, which has disagreed with fellow NATO. members on several important issues. The pro-Soviet Greek Communist Party, influential and well-organised, commands about 11 per cent of the popular vote. — Athens. U.N.E.S.C.O. report Britain has endorsed a compromise report on how to reform U.N.E.5.C.0., but said that it was only the start of a longer-term process. The report recommends changes in the way the United Nations Educational, Scienti-

fic, and Cultural Organisation is run but falls short of original Western demands for sweeping reforms. The United States, which supplies a quarter of U.N.ES.CO.’s budget, says the organisation is mismanaged and excessively politicised. It has threatened to pull out by the end of the year if reforms are not undertaken. — Paris. Popular pungency Indonesia’s pungent “kretek” cigarettes, which are laced with chopped cloves and crackle when they burn, are catching on in the United States, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia. Official figures show that exports almost doubled last year to SUS 7 million ($l4 million) and are 18 times as high as in 1977, largely because of increased demand in those three countries. — Jakarta. Aust, concern The Australian Government has expressed its concern at France’s apparent intention to continue its nuclear testing at Mururoa Atoll for at least 15 years. The Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Bill Hayden, said, “Such a forecast by a nuclear weapons’ State would be inimical to the cause of global arms control and disarmament.” The Australian Government and the countries of the South Pacific wanted an immediate end to the testing. — Canberra.