Brussels, September 10, 1998 (ICFTU OnLine): The following is a selection of next week's events. This selection has been prepared for the information of subscribers to the ICFTU's OnLine service, and does not necessarily reflect the position of the ICFTU.

Monday September 14: The social dimension of cooperation between the European Union and Latin America will be the focus of a trade union conference on globalisation and regional integration. The conference is being organised in Lisbon by the Spanish (the UGT and the Workers Commissions) and Portuguese (UGTP) trade unions together with the ICFTU and its regional organisation for the Americas (ORIT).

Monday September 14: The 130th congress of the British Trades Unions Congress (TUC) opens in Blackpool.

Monday September 14: The United Nations Security Council is due to reach agreement on a list of judges for the International War Crimes Tribunal on Rwanda.

Tuesday September 15: The ICFTU and its African Regional Organisation (AFRO) are organising a conference on social protection in Africa in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). The impact of structural adjustment plans on social welfare will be high on the agenda.

Tuesday September 15: The 53^rd session of the United Nations General Assembly opens in New York and continues until December 1998.

Tuesday September 15: Russia is to report to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on its progress in balancing the pensions fund budget. The Russian government promised to reduce the 16 billion rouble deficit to 5 billion by the end of the year, in exchange for a further installment of 11 billion dollars of the loan granted by the Bretton Woods institution. The financial crisis has cast doubt over Russia’s ability to honour its commitment.

Tuesday September 15: Czech President Vaclav Havel is to begin a four-day visit to the United States during which his is to have meetings, amongst others, with US President Bill Clinton. Vaclav Havel’s role in the democratisation of Eastern Europe and the Czech Republic’s potential membership of NATO will be on the agenda.

Wednesday September 16: The Women’s Committee of the ICFTU’s regional organisation for Asia and the Pacific (APRO) meets in Tokyo.

Wednesday September 16: The United Nations Environment Programme is organising an international day for the protection of the ozone layer. Following the Kyoto conference on climate change, some countries have promised to reduce emissions of gases harmful to the ozone layer, but the United States and Europe have not yet reached agreement on the severity of these measures.

Thursday September 17: Former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, now the Prime Minister’s adviser on foreign affairs, is due to go to Russia where he will meet President Yeltsin. They will discuss the peace treaty scheduled for conclusion by 2000. Relations between Boris Yeltsin and Ryutaro Hashimoto have always been very cordial and were strengthened by two summits while Hashimoto was Prime Minister. Hashimoto resigned following his party’s defeat in elections to the upper chamber last July.