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Short Takes:
The Egyptian government started a series of meetings during recent days to follow up on the executive steps for exporting Egyptian gas to Tel Aviv in two years. ArabicNews.com learned from informed sources that foreign companies will export the Egyptian gas in return for 50% of the transaction's value, while the Egyptian side gets the remainder. Go

Sudanese Minister of Information and Culture Ghazi Salah Al Din is to arrive in Cairo within days to hold discussions with Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and Egyptian officials to prepare for convening the Sudanese national discussion conference. The Sudanese minister said he hopes to convene this conference during this month and that he is ready to meet the opposition leaders. Go

Lebanese Communications Minister Issam Naaman stated that resuming Lebanese- Israeli negotiations is limited to the success in the Syrian negotiations out of the unity of the Syrian Lebanese tracks. He said there are Lebanese preparations for making the necessary files for negotiations, adding that Lebanon will not fulfill the invitation to resume the negotiations unless the Israeli - Syrian negotiations succeed and Damascus regains its lands that were occupied in 1967. Go

King Mohammed VI received a congratulations message from President Mohamed Khatami of Iran on the occasion of Aid Al-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. "I wish that we can make achievements, thanks to the guidance of Islam --source of unity and development--, on the path towards the construction of a free and independent society, where justice, freedom and the respect of humans is guaranteed," Khatami said, MAP reported. Go

The internal airlines hall in Cairo airport witnessed large crowds during the last few days due to the tourism demand to spend vacations in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba, Nowabia, Luxor, Aswan and Safaga, as the EgyptAir company organized 21 additional trips carrying 9,000 passengers. Go

A report issued by the World Bank predicts rapid economic growth in Egypt in the current year. "In the light of continuing economic reforms that started in 1991 promoting privatization, Egypt will attract more foreign investments to its domestic market and therefore economic boom will result," the report stated. Go

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz on Sunday evening discussed in the city of Tabouk with the crown prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad al-Khaleifa, who is also the commander general of the defense force, Saudi - Bahraini bilateral relations and issues in the Arab and international arenas. Go

Mark Moher of Canada and Istvan Gyarmati of Hungary are the two persons currently being considered to head a new weapons inspection program for Iraq, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), called for by a recent Security Council resolution on Iraq, Jordan Times reported, adding that other candidates could come into consideration. Go

An 11-day computer exhibition starts today in Dubai, Khaleej Times reported, adding that a food fair will run concurrently with the computer show. Go

Qatar's illiteracy rate stands at 13.6% amid programs to reduce the rate, Gulf Times reported. Go