News stories by IPS Correspondents, page 82

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (IPS) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced here Wednesday that it has approved a credit for about 21 million dollars to support the Ethiopian government's ongoing economic reform programme.

By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY, Nov 10 (IPS) - When Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad boycotted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Seattle last year, Australian premier Paul Keating's scathing remarks about his no-show badly hurt ties between Kuala Lumpur and Canberra.

DUBLIN, Nov 10 (IPS) - The Irish government cancelled plans Wednesday for the early release of nine Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners following after a man was shot dead in Northern Ireland.

MOSCOW, Nov 10 (IPS) - Russia Thursday scored a major diplomatic victory when Iraqi lawmakers in Baghdad voted to recognise Kuwaiti sovereignty in a deal which could ultimately lead to the lifting of the United Nations oil embargo on Iraq.

CARACAS, Nov 10 (IPS) - Venezuela's automotive exports reached 500 million dollars this year, an achievement that will partially compensate a sharp drop in the South American nation's internal market, according to industry officials.

LA PAZ, Nov 10 (IPS) - A massive operation to control the illegal traffick of precursorschemicals used in cocaine productionin Bolivia began Monday with the participation of seven South American nations and the United States.

CARACAS, Nov 10 (IPS) - Thirty percent of the shares in the Provincial bank of Venezuela are to be put up for sale shortly by the Credit Lyonnais bank of France and the Venezuelan state Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF), according to local financial media.

CARACAS, Nov 10 (IPS) - The summit of 34 heads of American nations to be held December in Miamiin the U.S. state of Floridashould be seen as a process rather than an end, according to the coordinator of the unprecedented meeting, Luis Lauredo.

SANTIAGO, Nov 10 (IPS) - Chilean President Eduardo Frei set out Thursday on a tour of Australia, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, the highlight of which will be Chile's official joining of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) accord.

LIMA, Nov 10 (IPS) - Peru's trade with the members of the Latin American Integration Association (Aladi) was 25.3 percent higher between January and June of this year than during the same period of 1993, according to the national Customs Supervision.