1988 in History

Pakistan and Afghanistan sign the Geneva Accords, with the United States and Soviet Union acting as guarantors.

Aye Ko leaves office after one week

Appointed Acting President of Panama

Senate chairman Ghulam Ishaq Khan becomes acting President after Zia's death.

Aye Ko serves briefly as acting head of state

Begins the Adamec Government in Prague and serves as Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia.

Noorani signs the bilateral agreement covering the voluntary return of Afghan refugees as part of the Geneva settlement.

Formed to take up the jihadist cause after the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan. Formed during meeting between "several senior leaders" of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Abdullah Azzam, and Osama bin Laden, where it was agreed to join bin Ladens money with the expertise of the Islamic Jihad organisation

Formed during meeting between "several senior leaders" of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Abdullah Azzam, and Osama bin Laden, where it was agreed to join bin Ladens money with the expertise of the Islamic Jihad organisation

Mobutu appoints Sambwa Pida Nbagui to lead the government.

Arrested for bombing La Belle Disco in 1986 which led to the US bombing of Tripoli

Drums with Led Zeppelin members at Atlantic Records' anniversary concert.

The achievement marks automatic spaceplane landing as an important Russian scientific milestone.

Directs Bagdad Cafe, released in Germany as Out of Rosenheim.

400,000 people watch Roger Waters stage "The Wall" in Berlins Potsdamerplatz with a variety of guests

"The Wall - Live In Berlin" is released

Plants a bomb at the La Belle Disco which leads to the US bombing of Tripoli

Plants a bomb at the La Belle Disco which leads to the US bombing of Tripoli. Arrested for planting a bomb at the La Belle Disco in 1986

Delivers the Bruges speech criticising centralising tendencies in Europe.

British Steel shares begin trading after the state-owned corporation is privatised.

Thatcher delivers a major speech criticising European centralisation.

Leads the Energia-Buran programme during its only orbital flight.

Signs the free trade agreement with the United States.

Helps organise a major peaceful religious rights protest.

Accepts a United Nations proposal for a cease-fire in the Gulf

Governmet opposition unites & forms a new alliance with Gyi as its Chairman

Mirza Aslam Beg becomes Chief of Army Staff following the death of President and army chief Zia-ul-Haq.

Rajiv Gandhi visits China, helping restore high-level political dialogue after decades of strained relations.

Secretary of State for Transport during the Clapham Junction rail crash

Announces Labour will not bring back the closed shop

The Gdansk shipyards are closed down

Supports the compromise strengthening Community resources and expenditure discipline.

Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism"

The 4th meeting between Reagan & Gorbachev. INF Treaty ratification documents are exchanged between Russia & the USA

The Supreme Soviet agrees to the foundation of the Congress of Peoples Deputies

Glasnost leads to the USSR Supreme Soviet dissenting with the Politburo & Central Comm

The Supreme Soviet agrees to the foundation of the Congress of Peoples Deputies. The Supreme Soviet abolishes itself. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will have 2,250 members. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will be elected except for 750 nominated by the CPSU

The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet

The Supreme Soviet dissolves itself. The Supreme Soviet approved formation of a Congress of Peoples Deputies, which constitutional amendments had established as the Soviet Unions new legislative body

A constitutional amendment revised presidential succession and removed the presidency-for-life provision.

Leads a military coup & seizes power

The independent state of Palestine is declared

Pink Floyd release the live album Delicate Sound of Thunder

Supports the decision to study concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

Supports the decision to establish the Delors Committee to study concrete steps toward economic and monetary union.

Supports work on concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

Supports work examining concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

Delors secured a multi-year budget and reform package that gave the Community greater financial stability.

About a million Armenians demonstrate for Armenian reunification

Crowds of Azeris rampage through the city of Sumgait, at least 32 Armenians are killed

Approves deportations and emergency measures against Palestinian activists during the uprising.

Appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior in Azerbaijan

President Zia dismisses Prime Minister Junejo and his cabinet.

Zia dismisses Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo and dissolves the National Assembly.

For the first time since Vladimir Lenins New Economic Policy, the law permits private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign-trade sectors. Allows foreigners to invest in the Soviet Union in the form of joint ventures with Soviet ministries, state enterprises, and cooperatives

The US & Canada sign a free trade pack

In the first open election in more than a decade, Bhuttos PPP win the largest bloc of seats in the National Assembly

Calls for multi-candidate elections for regional and local legislatures and party first secretaries and insisted on the separation of the Government apparatus from party bodies at the regional level, as well

The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet

Zia announces new elections after removing the Junejo government.

Leads Likud through elections overshadowed by the First Intifada and the future of the occupied territories.

European leaders asked Delors to chair a committee examining practical steps toward economic and monetary union.

The Fifth Strougal Government ends in Prague, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia.

The Sixth Strougal Government ends in Prague, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia.

The Thorsteinn Palsson Government ends, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Iceland.

Captains the Netherlands and heads the opening goal in the 2-0 European Championship final victory over the Soviet Union.

Scores a celebrated volley as the Netherlands beat the Soviet Union 2-0 in the European Championship final.

Scores a penalty as the Netherlands defeat West Germany 2-1 in the European Championship semi-final.

Guides the Netherlands to their first major international trophy by winning UEFA EURO 1988.

Plays in central defence as the Netherlands defeat the Soviet Union to win UEFA EURO 1988.

Guides PSV to the European Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Benfica.

Spends his final fourteen months of imprisonment there.

Performs at Nassau Coliseum in what becomes his final concert in the United States.

Benazir Bhutto becomes the first woman to govern a Muslim-majority state.

Wingti leaves office after losing parliamentary support

Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wins the largest bloc in the National Assembly.

Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wins the largest bloc in the National Assembly.

General election outcome recorded for Benazir Bhutto: Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wins the largest bloc in the National Assembly.

Government context for this general election: Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wins the largest bloc in the National Assembly.

Afghanistan and Pakistan sign the Geneva Accords, establishing a timetable for Soviet withdrawal.

Zain Noorani signs the Geneva Accords for Pakistan, providing a framework for Soviet military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Zain Noorani leads Pakistan's delegation in the final phase of United Nations-sponsored negotiations on a Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Libya proclaims a rights charter presented as limiting arbitrary punishment and state interference.

Iraqi forces use chemical weapons against Halabja during the Iran-Iraq War, killing large numbers of civilians.

Represents Italy as leaders discuss monetary integration and establish the Delors Committee.

Represents Ireland as leaders establish the Delors Committee to study monetary union.

Hosts the European Council as leaders discuss monetary integration and the next stage of the internal market.

Mitterrand backed the decision to study a staged path toward European Economic and Monetary Union.

Represents Greece as leaders discuss monetary integration and establish the Delors Committee.

Scores a hat-trick as the Netherlands defeat England 3-1 during the European Championship group stage.

Saw Maung seizes power as chairman of the military council

Benazir Bhutto takes the oath as Prime Minister at age thirty-five.

Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of a coalition Government, becoming at age 35 the youngest person, and the first woman, to head the Government of a Muslim-majority state in modern times

The independent state of Palestine is declared

Arafat makes a speech in the United Nations recognising Israel & renouncing terrorism

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty enters into force after ratification by the United States and Soviet Union.

Arafat recognises Israel's right to exist and accepts United Nations resolutions during diplomatic moves linked to the uprising

First called up to the full England squad by Bobby Robson for a friendly against Denmark

Emerges as a public Palestinian voice explaining the uprising to international audiences.

Supports political organization and civil resistance during the First Intifada.

Announces Russias withdrawal from Afghanistan

Signs as a guarantor in Geneva of the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan

U. R. Rao oversees the launch of IRS-1A, beginning India's operational remote-sensing satellite series.

The Joint Protocol linking the Vienna and Paris nuclear liability conventions is adopted.

Pink Floyd are one of the supergroups to play Knebworth Festival in aid of Nordoff Robbins music therapy

Scores twice in a 6-0 victory over Real Betis as Real Madrid secure the league title.

Becomes a Liberal Democrat peer after the SDP and Liberals merge.

Pan Am Flight 103 is destroyed over Lockerbie, later leading to accusations against Libyan officials.

Secretary of State for Transport during the Lockerbie Disaster, in which Pan-Am flight 103 was brought down by a bomb planted by Libyan agents over Scottish town of Lockerbie

Appointed manager of Leeds United

Appointed manager of Leeds United

Lifts martial law in Rangoon & releases 1700 political prisoners

Takes place in Azerbaijan after a conflict with Muslim Azerbaijanis

Takes place in Azerbaijan after a conflict with Muslim Azerbaijanis

Ends his two-year term as mayor and does not seek another term.

Appointed Minister of Internal Affairs in Russia by Boris Yeltsin

In the first open election in more than a decade, Bhuttos PPP win the largest bloc of seats in the National Assembly

Junejo's government ends when the President dissolves the National Assembly.

The 1988 election returns the Pakistan Peoples Party as the leading parliamentary party.

Political and social organizations signed a National Pact setting principles for public life.

The National Union of Seamen (NUS) backs down in the High Court after a three-day stoppage, which has stifled seafaring trade and transport in the UK

Begins the long-running Never Ending Tour.

Appeals publicly for political rehabilitation at the Nineteenth Party Conference but receives little support from the party leadership.

Loses the plebiscite proposing that he remain president for another eight years.

Noorani signs the Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on non-interference and non-intervention as one component of the Geneva settlement.

The fourth meeting between Reagan & Gorbachev. INF Treaty ratification documents are exchanged between Russia & the USA

A collection of out-takes and unheard tracks by Syd is released under the title, "Opel"

India rapidly deploys military forces to the Maldives to help defeat an attempted coup.

Releases Out of Order, renewing his late-1980s commercial momentum.

Proclaims Palestinian independence and accepts a diplomatic course during the First Intifada.

Receives Pope John Paul II during a visit that draws attention to authoritarian rule.

Subsequent talks at New York & Geneva make slow progress

Presents an initiative for Arab-Israeli negotiations and transitional Palestinian self-government.

II participates in peace negotiations connected with Jordanian political and historical developments.

For the first time since Vladimir Lenins New Economic Policy, the law permits private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign-trade sectors. Allows foreigners to invest in the Soviet Union in the form of joint ventures with Soviet ministries, state enterprises, and cooperatives

Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism".

At the CPSUs Nineteenth Party Conference, the first held since 1941, Gorbachev and his supporters launched radical reforms meant to reduce party control of the Government apparatus.

Calls for multi-candidate elections for regional and local legislatures and party first secretaries and insisted on the separation of the Government apparatus from party bodies at the regional level, as well.

Andrey Gromyko retired from the Politburo, Yegor Ligachev was relieved of the ideology portfolio within the Politburos Secretariat, and Boris Pugo replaced Politburo member Mikhail Solomentsev as chairman of the powerful CPSU Party Control Committee

At an unprecedented emergency Central Committee plenum called by Gorbachev in September 1988, three stalwart old-guard members left the Politburo or lost positions of power

The Supreme Soviet dissolves itself. The Supreme Soviet approved formation of a Congress of Peoples Deputies, which constitutional amendments had established as the Soviet Unions new legislative body

Andrey Gromyko retired from the Politburo, Yegor Ligachev was relieved of the ideology portfolio within the Politburos Secretariat, and Boris Pugo replaced Politburo member Mikhail Solomentsev as chairman of the powerful CPSU Party Control Committee

Pink Floyd play Berlin, the concert is very close to The Wall and 2,000 East German fans gather at their side to listen

The band plays Versailles, the show is filmed for the "Delicate Sound Of Thunder" video

Roger Waters issues a High Court writ against the band for breach of copyright, he claims $ 35,000 compensation for illegal use of the inflatable pig, one of his concepts, which has been used on their latest tour

Pink Floyd release "Delicate Sound Of Thunder"

Roger Waters issues a High Court writ against the band for breach of copyright, he claims $ 35,000 compensation for illegal use of the inflatable pig, one of his concepts, which has been used on their latest tour

Airborne occultation measurements show gradual stellar dimming consistent with refraction through Pluto's extended atmosphere.

A stellar occultation observed from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory provides the first direct detection of an atmosphere around Pluto.

The Pluto occultation light curve reveals a clear upper atmosphere above an extinction layer with a sharp upper boundary.

Maung Maung Kha resigns during the 1988 political crisis

Tun Tin's premiership ends with the military coup

Sein Lwin resigns after violent repression of protests

San Yu resigns amid nationwide unrest

Appointed President of Ecuador

Appointed President of Ecuador

Appointed President of Burma

The electoral college elects Ghulam Ishaq Khan President.

Appointed President of Taiwan, 1st term

Diouf wins re-election amid opposition protests

Sein Lwin becomes President during the uprising

Maung Maung becomes President during the democratic uprising

Carlos Andres Perez won election to a second presidential term.

Benazir Bhutto begins her first term as Prime Minister.

Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of a coalition Government, becoming at age 35 the youngest person, and the first woman, to head the Government of a Muslim-majority state in modern times

Saw Maung becomes Prime Minister under the military council

Rabbie Namaliu becomes Prime Minister after Wingti is removed

Tun Tin becomes Prime Minister during the final BSPP crisis

Under A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's missile programme leadership, the Prithvi surface-to-surface missile undergoes its first test flight.

Announces to the House of Commons his intention to privatize the electricity industry

Universities are closed & a dusk-to-dawn curfew is placed on Rangoon & other cities

Loses the national plebiscite seeking an additional presidential term.

Publicly accepts the plebiscite result after the No campaign wins.

1st advertisement in a Soviet newspaper appears in Izvestiya

Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism"

The Government proposes football fans should carry ID cards, later abandoned

Rehabilitated by the USSR Supreme Soviet

Is removed from candidate membership of the CPSU Politburo.

Announces resignation as Party Chairman at the Party Conference

Resigns as Party Chairman after rioting in Rangoon

Retires as President of the USSR

Kengo returns to head the government during continuing economic austerity.

Hosts the European Council during Greece's Presidency as leaders discuss the internal market and monetary cooperation.

Is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Nagorny-Karabakh Soviet votes for a transfer to Armenia

Greece returns to the Council chair under Papandreou, giving Athens responsibility for steering the Community agenda through December.

Begins the Second Steingrimur Hermannsson Government and serves as Prime Minister of Iceland.

Appointed Minister of Defence

Khmer Rouge announce a greater focus on political struggle

Begins the Sixth Strougal Government in Prague and serves as Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia.

Represents Greece at the special summit that reaches agreement on Community financing and agricultural reform.

The strike collapses after military repression. 5000 are killed during the opening months of the regime

The NUS calls a national strike in support of the 161 crew sacked by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for refusing to accept new terms & conditions

The NUS calls a national strike in support of the 161 crew sacked by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for refusing to accept new terms & conditions

The National Union of Seamen (NUS) backs down in the High Court after a three-day stoppage, which has stifled seafaring trade and transport in the UK

Thousands of seamen at major british ports are continuing to strike even though their union has called an end to the action

The Supreme Soviet abolishes itself

The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet

Releases This Note's for You, criticising commercial sponsorship and advertising in music.

Releases Traveling Wilburys Vol 1 with the supergroup.

Records Traveling Wilburys Vol 1 with Dylan and others.

Is hospitalised and diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Coaches Real Madrid to their twenty-third Spanish league championship.

Receives treatment during a serious decline in prison health.

Addresses the United Nations after the PLO declares acceptance of resolutions 242 and 338.

Receives Council action deploring Israeli deportations from occupied Palestinian territory.

Handles further Council demands against deportations during the First Intifada.

Security Council Res 598 orders an Iraq cease-fire or face an arms embargo. Security Council Res 598 is ignored

Moves to a cottage at Victor Verster Prison.

Winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year

Florence Griffith Joyner of USA sets 100m womans record (10.49)

ZAPU merges into the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF)

The Wembley celebrations are broadcast to 1 billion worldwide. 80,000 pack Wembley stadium to celebrate Mandelas 70th birthday

4 Billion tv-viewers watch Mandelas 70th Birthday Tribute

Indira Hinduja pioneers gamete intrafallopian transfer in India, resulting in the country's first GIFT baby.

Zia-ul-Haq dies in an aircraft crash near Bahawalpur.

Death of Ching-kuo

Death of John Carradine

The unexplained crash ends Zia-ul-Haq's presidency and military rule.

Death of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

Death of Raj Kapoor

Death of Robert Calvert