Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho,
established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the
Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, 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

Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard
regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative
security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic,
scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan

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

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries
generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of
the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established
- 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca): established - NA 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New
Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South A