7

Abstract

Our Regional Assembly at Hyderabad was a spectacular success, marred only by the tragic death of Mrs Indira Gandhi on the opening day. Despite their personal grief and the great reorganization needed, our Indiail hosts re-arranged the programme so that no scientific sessions were lost, but · necessarily the social programme was curtailed. All involved agreed that this, our first Regional Assembly, was a most useful undertaking and that the sessions focus~ing on regional scientific problems were extremely useful both in letting visitors learn of local problems first hand, and in acquainting local .workers with up to date ideas from other countries. We hope that we shall be able to hold further such Regional Assemblies as resources permit. The major news for our General Assembly in Tokyo in 1985 is that the Inter-Union Commission on the Lithosphere will be amalgamating its programme with ours, and will be co-sponsoring nine of the IASPEI sessions. We welcome this collaboration which should ensure a much fuller programme for both IASPEI and ICL. Finally, I wish you all the compliments of the season and best wishes :for 1985, and thank you :for your suppo1't ~.uring the last year.