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Short Takes:
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference kicked off Monday at the United Nations headquarters in New York with 187 countries participating. The one-month gathering will discuss nuclear arms race in the Indian sub-continent, the nuclear situation in the Middle East, President Hosni Mubarak's initiative to free the Middle East region of weapons of mass-destruction and development of ballistic missiles during the past few years. A resolution is expected calling on Israel to join NPT and to give up its nuclear weapons in order to render the Middle East region free of nuclear weapons. Go

Monte Carlo Radio's correspondent in Cairo denied today that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad are ready to hold a summit today in Alexandria. The correspondent added that the talks of Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara in Beirut and in Paris on Tuesday is of special importance in preparation for the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. Go

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa received Mohammed Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, ambassador of Qatar in Cairo and its permanent delegate in the Arab League, who conveyed a message to Moussa from Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabir al-Thani concerning bilateral relations, who added that Qatari - Egyptian relations are excellent and that the Qatari - Egyptian committee will meet in Cairo at the end of this year and that the foreign ministers of the two states will meet in the coming meetings of the countries of the Damascus Declaration in May in Cairo. Go

The Kuwaiti criminal court said 14 Egyptian citizens out of 15 ones that were presented for trial in riots that took place in the Khitan area on October 20, 1999, while a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence was issued against suspect Saeed Mahamoud Hussein Hamad after being accused of robbery and sabotage. Go

A delegation of Egyptian businessmen is getting ready to visit Sweden in the first week of June to fulfill the invitation of the Egyptian - Swedish association for businessmen which is headed by Onsi Sawires. Go

The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah discussed the peace process' latest developments in view of results of the discussions between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and US President Bill Clinton, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last week. Go

An Iranian court decided closing 3 newspapers that support the reform policy in Iran without judicial warning. An Iranian diplomatic source in Cairo said these newspapers are used to attacking symbols of the Islamic republic, saying that officials from these newspapers will try to contract the Iranian judicial authorities to allow the resumption of publication. Go

The first international race for Arab horses for 800 kilometers will be held on May 19 in front of the Giza pyramids, in which Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed al-Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, and sons of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan will participate, in addition 130 competitors from Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Go

The Middle East and Gulf Microsoft Company said it would move its regional operations to a new headquarters in Dubai Internet City in order to benefit from the advantages like taxation and customs exemptions the city provides to the companies working in it. Go

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on Sunday received a message from Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali pertaining to relations between the two countries and current Arab issues. Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia conveyed the message during his meeting on Sunday with Sheikh Zayed. Go

The Armenian community represented in the Armenian, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox church in Damascus is to hold a central rally on the occasion of the 84th anniversary of the May 6th martyrs and the 85th anniversary of the Armenian martyrs. This event marks the massacre committed by the Turks against the Armenians in Syria, where there is a place in Bab Touma in Damascus called Burj al-Rous (the tower of heads) which signifies a pile of heads of Armenians killed in a square in this quarter in 1915. The rally will be held today at 6 p.m. at the Armenian- Catholic stage in Bab Touma. Go

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid has stated that his talks with Kuwaiti officials, especially with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, during his visit to Kuwaiti will deal with latest developments of the Middle East peace process, the situation in Lebanon and several issues of mutual concern. Go

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan held a meeting on Sunday in Abu Dhabi with the president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, currently visiting the UAE. Go

King Abdullah of Jordan on Sunday received a message from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who briefed the king on the results of the talks Arafat held in Washington on Thursday with US President Bill Clinton concerning the peace process on the Palestinian track and what has been realized in this regard. Go

Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani on Sunday in Doha received a delegation representing the US congress. Relations between the two countries and regional and international issues were to be reviewed. Go

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday in Cairo received Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who arrived in Cairo on Saturday evening coming from Washington following his meeting with US President Bill Clinton. Bilateral issues were discussed. Go

Bahraini Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa on Sunday in Manama received the Russian minister of state property, Farit Gazizullin, who is the special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Go

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah received a message on Sunday in Kuwait from Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern. Go

A consultation telephone call was made on Friday evening between Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in which they discussed various current regional conditions, the Lebanese daily al-Safir said on Saturday. Go