This edition of well over 50,000 entries not only updates its predecessor but considerably increases the coverage of Latin America and Eastern Europe. I have been aided in this work by two colleagues at Glasgow University Library, Dr Lloyd Davies and Barbara MacMillan, and in general revision by Kate Richard. Close on 20% of the text has been altered. The equivalences, introduced into the last edition, linking acronyms in different languages for the same organization, have been extended. New to this edition is the cross-referencing between a defunct organization and its successor. Otherwise the policies adopted in previous editions have been retained: strictly local organizations are omitted, but the subject scope includes activities of all kinds; the country of origin of a national organization is given in brackets, unless it is the home country of the title language or can be readily deduced from the title itself. Acronyms of parent bodies of subsidiary organizations are also added in brackets. A select bibliography guides the reader to specialist works providing more detailed information. Particularly at a time of such widespread political change affecting organizational structures in so many countries, it is impossible to ensure complete up-to-date accuracy in a work of this kind. Readers are earnestly invited to inform me of any errors and omissions for attention in a later edition of this work. H. H. Bibliography Acronyms, Initialisms and Abbreviations Dictionary. 13th edn. Gale Research Co. , Detroit, 1989.