Eight European nations (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Macedonia) have filed formal Membership Action Plans at NATO headquarters. These are detailed plans to convert their military forces to NATO standard as part of an application for membership. The plans also include provisions to improve democracy, freedom of the press, and their economies. NATO will not even consider new members until 2002.--Stephen V Cole

Control of Howard AFB in the former Canal Zone reverted to Panama on 1 Nov as the last USAF personnel left the country.--Stephen V Cole