ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 5, 1993                   TAG: 9307050039
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: HOLIDAY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO                                LENGTH: Short

PUERTO RICAN GOVERNOR SIGNS PLEBISCITE BILL

Gov. Pedro Rossello authorized a popular vote Sunday that he hopes will result in statehood for Puerto Rico, which came under U.S. control nearly 100 years ago.

The Nov. 14 vote gives Puerto Ricans the chance to say whether they want to become the 51st state of the union, remain a U.S. commonwealth or establish an independent country.

The vote is nonbinding. But Rossello, betting voters will favor statehood, plans to use the results to convince the Congress to admit Puerto Rico as a state.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB