News stories by IPS Correspondents, page 45

BRUSSELS, Dic 15 (IPS) - The European Union (EU) and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Thursday began talks in Brussels aimed at securing their entry into the Union.

KINGSTON, Dic 15 (IPS) - Officials here say Jamaica is losing the battle against its competitors in the Caribbean Basin for market share in the apparel industry to the United States.

BUENOS AIRES, Dic 15 (IPS) - "Transforming the agreements into reality" in the next six months is the challenge facing the four Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) members, according to Argentine Economic Minister Domingo Cavallo.

QUITO, Dic 15 (IPS) - A gradual liberalisation of trade between Ecuador and Chile will begin on Jan. 1, culminating in a full free trade zone in 1998, Ecuadorian Industrial and Trade Mnister Jose Vicente Maldonado reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON, Dic 15 (IPS) - The administration of U.S. President Bill Clinton said Thursday it was skeptical about any mediation effort by former President Jimmy Carter to gain a peace agreement in war-torn Bosnia.

UNITED NATIONS, Dic 15 (IPS) - Rwanda's powerful vice president and defence minister Thursday tried to rouse the U.N. Security Council to act to protect the aid sent to Rwandan refugees.

UNITED NATIONS, Dic 15 (IPS) - The United Nations is turning its oldest commission into a watchdog body to guard agreements made at a global conference on population and development last September.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dic 15 (IPS) - Free trade in the Southern Cone Common Market will exclude sugar and the automotive sector, as well as several products on lists presented by the four member nations, an Argentine official said Thursday.

UNITED NATIONS, Dic 15 (IPS) - U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali Thursday asked that U.N. peacekeepers remain in Cyprus despite the near-collapse of that nation's already sluggish peace process.

OURO PRETO, BRAZIL, Dic 15 (IPS) - Ninety-eight percent of the Mercosur (Southern Cone Common Market) race has been run, but the last stretch is the hardest, Brazilian Finance Minister Ciro Gomes said on Thursday.