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Short Takes:
Osama El-Baz, advisor of the Egyptian president for the political affairs said that Egypt role will not shrink like what is repeated by some of Middle East experts after ratifying the final peace settlement and will play a main role in the area's events. In declarations to ArabicNews.com after his meeting with visitors of Cairo international book fair, he assured Egyptian people's denouncement to the failed attempt to threaten the national unity between the Copts and Muslim's asserting his Egypt's refusal to discuss the internal affairs in Europe and U.S.A. Go

Israeli Radio on Sunday quoted well-informed sources as saying that Egypt had received signals from Syria and Egypt on accepting an active Egyptian role in boosting their negotiations. Israeli Radio said that the advisor to the Egyptian President for political affairs, Osama El-Baz, expected the Syrian-Israeli negotiations to take one full year before a peace agreement is reached between the two sides. Go

The deputy commander of the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army militia and the commander of the militia's Western contingent, Aqel Hashem, was killed on Sunday afternoon by an explosive charge detonated by the Lebanese resistance. Lebanese resistance sources said resistance forces destroyed Aqel Hashem's armored vehicle in the surrounding of "Dubble" district. Go

The Mayor of Hannover, the capital of the lower state of Sachsen in the federal republic of Germany arrived in Damascus on Sunday on a three-day visit to Syria. In an arrival statement to SANA, the visiting governor said that Syria is a very important country and, "We shall discuss with the Syrian officials measures that should be taken to make Syria participate in the first international fair to be held in Hannover between June and November, this year." Go

Lebanese prime Minister Salim al-Hoss on Friday called on the Lebanese defense minister Ghazi Z'eiter and the Lebanese army chief Lt. Gen. Michael Suleiman to take necessary measures to know the reality of the Israeli moves in occupied South Lebanon, especially those moves connected to news on Israel's surveying of the Lebanese land and re-demarcation of borders. Go

A senior US adminsitration official said on Saturday, after a meeting between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and US President Bill Clinton that Arafat is to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday or Friday after the scheduled Wednesday arrival in Israel of US peace process coordinator Dennis Ross. The official said Arafat "raised the importance of moving on the interim issues, a number of interim issues that flow from the Sharm agreement, and he emphasized a need for U.S. engagement." Go

The Paris-based weekly al-Muharrir news said in its recent issue that the special contacts between Damascus and Washington resulted in a new formula for resuming the negotiations providing for American assertions to resume the negotiation and stating US confirmation that resuming negotiations will be ended in border demarcation as requested by Syria. Go

The Syrian petroleum company ratified five contracts whose value exceeds $200 million with US and European companies to develop and invest in new projects, including a contract with the Ritsen company to establish a center for coordinating gas and establishing a net for communication and modern computers to ensure guaranteeing the gas arrival to the consumers. Go

AFP reported on Friday that visits scheduled to be held next week to the US by Syrian and Israeli experts to discuss a draft project were postponed. The postponement was made because of the engagements of the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the US-ME peace process coordinator in foreign visits. Go

Speaker of the Moroccan house of representatives, Abdelouahed Radi, is taking part in Geneva this Jan.31 Feb.1 in the 3rd session of the preparatory committee of world parliament speakers to finalize the project of a declaration to be adopted by the World Assembly conference, Radi said. The World Parliament Speakers' conference will be held in New York from Aug.30 to Sept.1. Go

When Adil Ramzi missed a golden opportunity to score Saturday against Tunisia in Lagos and propel Morocco to the second round of the African Nations Cup, a 30 year-old teacher in Oujda died of a heart-attack. Go

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said he will start writing novels to encourage Iraqi authors to tackle youths' affairs in their stories and novels. Go

The Portuguese presidency of the European Union deems talks on the holding of a euro-african summit have still a long way to go, says Portuguese foreign affairs spokesman Horacio Cesar. The spokesman told Portuguese news agency LUSA talks held in Brussels have not decided on "essential issues" making it inappropriate to say the EU/Africa summit will take place April 3-4 as slated. Go

King Mohammed VI wound up Saturday a several day private visit to France. During his stay in France, the king met President Jacques Chirac at the Elysee. Go

Diplomatic sources in Kuwait have said an Arab ministerial committee will be held in Moscow on the sideline of the multilateral conference on the Middle East due to be opened today. The sources told the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am on Saturday that the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the PLO and Tunisia will take part in this meeting. Go

Saudi Minister of Education Muhammad al-Rashid met on Sunday in Riyadh with Senegalese Minister of Education Andrea Lunko and members of the accompanying delegation, currently visiting Saudi Arabia. The two sides discussed bilateral relations in the field of education and means of strengthening and boosting them. Go

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and members of the accompanying delegation left Riyadh on Sunday following a several-day visit to Saudi Arabia. During his visit, the Indonesian president held talks with King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah and high-rankling Saudi officials on bilateral relations, Islamic and international issues and matters of mutual concern. Go

It was announced in Riyadh on Sunday that Saudi Arabia will take part in the meetings of the follow up committee of the multilateral negotiations, on the Middle East due to start today in Moscow. Go