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200 German tourism companies decided to declare Egypt as having a special characteristic during the current year. Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mamdouh El-Beltagi told ArabicNews.com that a meeting will be held with representatives of those companies next week to determine the needs of the coming tourists through these companies as part of the Egyptian plan to increase the number of German tourists visiting Egypt to 300,000 during 2000, a 20% increase over last year. He said that Germans ranked first in the number of visitors to Egypt. Go

Dubai will host on April 8-12, 2001 the Middle East International Transport Exhibition with the participation of transportation ministers and decision makers from the Gulf Cooperation Council member states. A press statement issued by management of the World Trade Center in Dubai said the fair will discuss several issues that concern the transportation sector in the Middle East, like issuing the unified Arab traffic code and facilitating the movement of Arab cars inside the Arab states without obstacles, as well as making studies concerning establishing new Arab railways. Go

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid received a written message from Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael, which supports efforts by Abdul Meguid and the AL to defend Sudan's unity and support it in confronting foreign schemes conspiring against its stability and regional safety, especially its stance toward Canada and its call for raising the Sudanese issue in the United Nations Security Council. Go

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on Tuesday in Jeddah met with British Defense Secretary Geoffery Hoon and members of the accompanying delegation currently visiting Saudi Arabia. During the meeting Hoon conveyed the greetings and good wishes of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Saudi crown prince. Go

It was announced in Geneva on Tuesday that Jordan has officially joined the World Trade Organization to become its 136th member. AP said this announcement comes after 30 days have passed since the Jordanian Parliament ratified the treaty agreed on by the two sides in November, although the singing measures had been delayed due to failure of the WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle, during which it was presumed to have this routine approval of the Jordan's joining of the WTO. Go

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa on Tuesday in Cairo discussed with the Belgian deputy foreign minister Middle East peace process developments on all tracks and the importance of the European role in pushing the peace process. Go

A Jordanian official note asked the Israeli authorities to present the criminals who are accused of burning two young Jordanian men in a hotel in the Israeli city of Eilat recently to a public trial. Omar El-Refai, the Jordanian ambassador to Israel, said the Israeli detentions after the preliminary investigations in the case showed that it is a criminal and not a political case, adding that the Israeli authorities are giving special concern to the case after becoming sure of the perpetrator. He said the Israeli authorities are now detaining three Israelis suspected of being involved in the case for investigation. Go

British Housing and Construction Minister Nick Ritzford, who is leading a delegation representing 16 British construction companies on a visit to Lebanon, met separately yesterday with Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss and Oil and Hydraulic Resources Minister Sleiman Traboulsi, Lebanon new agency reported. Go

Morocco's women's Tae-kwondo team participates in the world cup competitions to be held in Lyon, France April 14-16. The eight-member Moroccan team is coached by Morocco'd Hassan Smaili and the Korea'd Yu Nam Sun. Go

The Tangiers port police and customs arrested here Tuesday a French citizen while he was about to leave the port smuggling 20 kg of cannabis. Go

President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbazogo, on Tuesday wound up a visit to Morocco. President Mbazogo had spent four days in the kingdom. Go

The chief of the general staff of the US armed forces, General Henry Shelton, is to pay a visit to Morocco on April 20. General Shelton's trip to Morocco is the third leg of a tour that will lead him to Jordan and Egypt, an authorized source from the Pentagon said. Go

Morocco's players, Younes Al-Aynaoui, Hicham Arazi and Karim Alami, qualified Tuesday to the second round of the $ 350,000 Hassan II Grand Prix. Go

The Aden Ports General Authority and the Iranian Company (Saco) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding for Saco to make studies and technical plans for a sea port in the city of Al-Mukalla, Saba news agency reported. Go

Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss said yesterday that there is only one internationally-recognized border between Lebanon and Israel, Lebanon NNA reported, adding that al-Hoss said Israeli suggestions that there are four interpretations of the border shows bad Israeli intentions regrding implementation of UN Security Council resolution 425 which calls for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from south Lebanon. Go

Isa Golverdi, first navy zone commander in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IGRC) said yesterday that Iran was holding ten oil tankers detained on Monday and Tuesday for smuggling Iraqi oil through Iranian waters, the Iranian news agency, IRNA reported. Go

The Algerian daily al-Khabar stated on Tuesday that 20 gunmen surrendered themselves to the Algerian security sources during the few past days in Boumerdes province. Go