mber 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the
US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia
and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Baltic Assembly (BA): established - 12 May 1990

aim - to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic
states

members - (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January
1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international
financial settlements

members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, European Central Bank, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey,
UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their
links with BIS are currently under review

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC): established - June 1997

aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation among members

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Thailand

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium,
Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus
the US

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC): established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece,
Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is
in the process of joining

observers - (17) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Commission of
the EC, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy