We are looking for sales & marketing representatives in different countries. Apply now!

Short Takes:
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on Monday received a message from Bahraini Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khaleifa that dealt with bilateral relations between the two states and means of backing them, as well as issues of mutual concern. Go

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday in Cairo received Kuwait's deputy premier and foreign minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Egypt's foreign minister, Amr Moussa, attended the meeting. The two sides discussed results of the meetings of the Egyptian- Kuwaiti joint committee, chaired by al-Sabah and Moussa. Go

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Monday in Damascus received the chairman of the PLO political department, Farouk Qaddoumi, and members of his accompanying delegation. Talks dealt with developments in the Palestinian arena and the suspended Middle East peace process. The meeting was attended by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Suleiman Haddad and the PLO's representative in Damascus, Mahmoud al-Khalidi. Go

At the invitation of Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zou'bi, Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema arrived in Damascus today on an official visit to Syria. During his visit, the Italian premier will discuss ways of enhancing bilateral relations between Syria and Italy in various areas. Go

Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh on Monday in Amman received the Syrian charge d'affairs in Amman, Wahib Jaber, on the occasion of ending his term of office in Jordan. Fraternal relations between Syria and Jordan and means of boosting them were reviewed during the meeting. Go

Hussein El-Sadr, Egypt's ambassador at Vatican asserted that the visit of pope to Cairo and his meeting with the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak which is due to start the day after tomorrow - acquires great importance because it is the first visit by the Pope to Egypt and that it comes at an important stage of the peace process history. Go

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa met with Daniel Kurtzer, the US ambassador in Cairo, as they reviewed the peace process developments in the Middle East on different tracks in light of the solidification in the peace process. Go

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid said following his meeting with Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah that he discussed with Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed the situation in the Arab arena, especially the recent Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the Arab foreign ministers' agenda. He said he presented the Kuwaiti official with a report on the AL's efforts concerning the Kuwaiti captives in Iraq and the communications that took place with the UN, as well as the international efforts exerted to release them. Go

All Moroccan schools will be equipped with computers by year 2004 at a budget worth $ 20 million, the Prime Minister's office said. Computer science teaching will the generalized to all universities and higher institutes, the source said, adding that intensive training sessions will be held in this connection. Go

Kuwaiti Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah met on Monday in Kuwait with the chief of staff of the Lebanese Army, Lt. Gen. Samir al-Qadi. The Kuwaiti Army's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Ali al-Moumin, and the Lebanese ambassador to Kuwait attended the meeting. Talks dealt with means of developing and strengthening military cooperation relations between Kuwait and Lebanon. Go

Israel Radio said yesterday that Israeli sources urged the US administration to stop its economic and military support to Egypt due to President Mubarak's sympathy with Lebanon, adding that Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak expressed resentment over what he called an "instigation and hatred campaign against Israel." Go

Jordanian- Israeli talks on transport and communications started on Monday at the Jordanian Ministry of Transport. They were chaired by Jordanian Minister of Transport Issa Ayoub and Israeli Minister of Communications Yitzhak Mordechai and dealt with means of eliminating obstacles hindering the flow of commodities, the transfer of passengers, revitalization of the joint operating agreement for the Jordanian Aqaba airport, extending working hours at the crossings between the two sides, and reducing fees paid to Israel on Jordanian trucks. Go

A fair for Egyptian products will be held in the framework of the meeting of the Egyptian - Japanese business council in association with the Japanese organization for foreign trade. A symposium will also be held concerning the development of the investment atmosphere in Egypt, said a diplomatic source in the Foreign Ministry, adding that this fair will be held in the framework of Egypt's celebrations of the year 2000 as well as another fair for Egyptian furniture in August. Go

The upper house of the Jordanian Parliament has voted for a second time to cancel article 340 of the penal code, which allows men who commit "honor killings" to receive light sentences, Jordan Times reported, adding that the vote paves the way for a joint session of the Parliament's two houses to address the measure. Go

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz yesterday chaired a meeting of the Saudi Cabinet which reviewed the visit to Saudi Arabia of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, Saudi Press Agency reported, saying the visit enhanced bilateral relations and expressing hope for developments that will benefit both countries. Go

Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi Saleh said yesterday that the resignations of UN officials working in Iraq confirmed their opposition to the US policy on Iraq and sent a message calling for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq, Iraqi News Agency reported. Go

Qatar has named Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer Al Thani as its new ambassador to Bahrain, Bahrain Tribune reported. The crown princes from the two countries this week conducted the first meeting of the joint supreme committee between the two countries, as bilateral relations have seen substantial improvements in recent months. Go

A new major department store, the Lulu Center, is slated to open in the Qatari capital, Doha, in the second week of March, Gulf Times reported. Go