members - (29) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary,
Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (78) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon,
Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK,
US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - NA 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
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
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