federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms
of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in
Dutch, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by
the Belgian monarch

Political parties and leaders: AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Wilfried
BERVOETS]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) ; Flemish
Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People's Party) [Stefaan DE
CLERCK, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT,
president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Patrick JANSSENS,
president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian
Party) ; Francophone Democratic Front or
FDF ; Francophone Liberal Reformation
Party or PRL ; Francophone Socialist Party
or PS ; National Front or FN ;
Vlaams Blok or VB ; Volksunie or VU [Geert BOURGEOIS,
president]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade
Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations
representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the
legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the
cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such
as the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax
Christi

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA,
EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP,
UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexis REYN
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 333-6900
FAX: (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CEJAS
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: (2) 508-2111
FAX: (2) 511-2725

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoi