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Syrian diplomatic sources told ArabicNews.com that, "Peace for Damascus is a strategic goal" as it also is for the Arab states and that the goal is a just and comprehensive peace within resolutions of the international legitimacy, especially Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 245 and the land-for-peace principle, in addition to the Madrid agreements. The sources referred to the negative situation through which the area is passing currently as nothing but a result of the current Israeli policy and not implementing the agreements reached on all tracks. Go

A telephone call was made on Tuesday evening between Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Talks during the telephone conversation dealt with Arab and international developments, the situation in the Middle East and issues of mutual concern. Go

The number of working projects in the industrial free zone in Port Said (200 kilometers east of Cairo, Egypt) reached 120 with investments valued at $370 million, and these projects have exported goods worth $390 million in one year, General Mustafa Kamal, governor of Port Said, said in a phone call with ArabicNews.com. He added that the area of the free zone is 750,000 square meters, saying that 168,000 square meters are currently prepared to contain the new projects in the coming stage. Go

EgyptAir company decided purchasing 2 777 Boeing airplanes to develop the company's fleet. Sources in EgyptAir told ArabicNews.com that the board of directors of EgyptAir, headed by Mohammed Fahim Rayan, decided to carry out its transaction to purchase Boeing 767 airplanes, adding that EgyptAir fleet now includes three Boeing airplane families 777, Airbus 767, Airbus 330, 328 and 320 type planes to facilitate training and maintenance operations in EgyptAir, which is considered the monopoly-holder for all air agreements between Egypt and the rest of the world. Go

The Egyptian police carried out intensive campaigns in all the governorates to confront crime in its all forms and all kinds of outlaws. Due to these campaigns 107 guns were found, as well as 283 people dangerous to general security, 66 fugitive suspects and 237 traffic violators. Also 38 suspects in crimes, 5,332 in felonies and 122 suspects in state security cases were found. Go

A statement issued by the Egyptian Tourism Ministry said that the German tourists come on top of those coming to Egypt during 1999 and the beginning of the year 2000, as their percentage reached 73% of the tourists coming to Egypt and their number reached 100,000 during the last year. Go

King Mswatti III of Swaziland is projecting to pay a visit to Morocco next April or May to confer with King Mohammed VI on various issues of mutual concern. Go

Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator and minister of local government in the Palestinian government, expressed his hope that Tel Aviv will use the chance allowed by the success of Sharm El-Sheik to restore credibility to the peace process after the Egyptian efforts to restore the peace process to its normal course. Erekat added in special statements to the Egyptian radio Sawt al-Arab that judging the level of progress in the peace process depends on the Israeli government's commitment to carrying out all the signed agreements. Go

Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi arrived in Rabat Thursday. Before leaving Buenos Aires, Youssoufi hailed ever-improving relations between the two countries since the visit of former President Carlos Menem to Morocco in 1996, saying they will be enhanced to the political, economic, commercial and cultural fields. He also told the press he invited Argentine entrepreneurs to visit the kingdom for further contacts with Moroccan peers and officials to seek more partnership opportunities. Go

Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss on Wednesday made a telephone call to Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara. Talks dealt with the latest developments in the region in light of the recent Israeli military escalation in south Lebanon and the western Bekaa. Go

Saudi diplomatic sources told ArabicNews.com that there are are no Saudi troops fighting in Chechnya against the Russians and denied that there is any US mediation between Riyadh and Sanaa concerning the border problem. The sources said there is no mediation and that mediation is not needed between brothers, saying that things are going as officials in the two states see according to the joint interests between them and adhering to the very special relations between them. Go

King Abdullah of Jordan said in an interview with Famiglia Cristiana magazine that the city of Jerusalem is able to house the capitals of two independent states, CNN reported. Israel and Palestine both wish to have Jerusalem as their capital city, and the subject of the city is part of final status negotiations between the two sides. Go

Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Shimon Peres asserted his absolute support for the idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state as being the best available solution currently instead of establishing a bilateral national country in Israel. Go

Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa is to visit Qatar soon, Gulf News agency reported, citing Bahraini news reports. No exact date was given for the visit. Bahrain and Qatar have recently witnessed a strong improvement in bilateral relations most recently manifest in the meetings of the joint supreme committee for the two states. Go

A telephone call was made on Wednesday between Bahraini Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khaleifa and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani, during which the two sides reviewed current conditions in the Arab and international arenas and issues of mutual concern. Go

Ibrahim El-Saad, the Saudi ambassador in Cairo, hailed the Egyptian government's efforts to take care of its pilgrims concerning preparing the necessary services to acquaint them with means of performing the pilgrimage before traveling to Saudi Arabia as well by as providing them with health care in the Saudi lands. El-Saad said there was no difficulty in granting visas to the Egyptian pilgrims due to the fruitful cooperation between the two states in this field. Go

Funds raised in the second nationwide solidarity campaign stood at $43.3 million on March 14, said the board of the Mohammed V Foundation. The amount was announced by the KPMG international audit firm which compiled documents and polled banks and bodies involved in collecting funds. Go

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has said Iraq will provide $10 million worth of crude oil to Lebanon in solidarity with Lebanon and in support of the resistance against Israeli occupation, ABC News reported. Go

Moroccan researcher Mohamed Tozy was awarded the Philippe Habert Prize of political science for his latest work "kingy And Political Islam In Morocco." Go

Bloc of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality in Israel warned Prime Minister Ehud Barak's government against attempting to settle soldiers from the pro-Israel South Lebanon Army militia in Arab villages or in Arab districts of cities in Israel. Go

The United Nations has approved three contracts for the purchase of for use on poultry farms, which have already lost as many as 60% of their birds to disease, Washington Post reported. Go

An Algerian court issued a prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years against 72 persons who were accused in an international drug smuggling case that was frustrated in 1999 by the Algerian and the French police, as a guard at Oran harbor informed the authorities of an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of drugs on the French ship "Zeralda," and the security forces arrested the smugglers easily. Go

Omani Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Ahmed bin Khalfan al Rawahi issued a decision Tuesday banning the importation of beef from Denmark out of concerns over reported cases of mad cow disease among Danish cattle, Oman News Agency reported. Go

Construction will begin next month on a hotel and business center near Bahrain International Airport, Gulf Daily News reported. Go