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Short Takes:
A Qatari court yesterday released 20 defendants on trial for involvement in a 1996 coup attempt on QR10,000 each, Gulf Times reported. Go

Norway licensed Saja petroleum company -- the largest Norwegian oil company working in Libya -- to invest in Libya, noting that this measure does not constitute a violation of UN sanctions imposed on Libya. Go

Iran criticized US accusations that Iran is building nuclear weapons. Iran stated that Iran's nuclear program with Russia is for "civilian application of nuclear energy" and is in accord with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Iran sees the accusation as intending to harm Iranian economic interests, stating that those interested in a nuclear free region should focus their attention on Israeli nuclear capabilities. Go

The UN Security Council's sanctions committee approved reforms in the process of administering the oil-for-food deal with Iraq. The measures deal chiefly with reducing delays in the process. Go

King Hassan II called Tuesday on the two legislative chambers of the Moroccan parliament to outline their agenda. Go

Japan has extended to Morocco two loans worth $101.64 million for a road and power projects. The first $46.90 million loan will be used to bring electricity to villages in northern Morocco while the second $54.70 million loan will finance a bypass project south of Casablanca. Go

Britain's ON Beck & Company Ltd, a producer of cooling and ventilation supplies, is looking into setting up a manufacturing operation in Oman, Oman Daily Observer reported. Go

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Aziz criticized UNSCOM chairman Richard Butlers report to the UN which said UNSCOM had made little progress in inspections in Iraq, CNN reported. Go

Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi minister of interior, head of the Arab interior ministers' council, denounced terrorism, which contradicts Islamic law and called for cooperation to reach a joint context for confronting and ending terrorism. Go

Sudan Minister of Justice Ali Muhammad Othman on Wednesday said Egyptian - Sudanese relations would become better than before, adding that the current meetings between Sudanese and Egyptian officials are of great significance. Go

The Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Ahmad Abdul Aziz al-Sadoun on Wednesday following a two-day official visit to Syria said "For our part we discussed situations relating to Kuwait and the need of Iraq's abidance by all UN resolutions." Go

Morocco and Spain will hold on April 26-27 a high-level meeting to look into ways of fostering cooperation in various sectors of common concern. Several partnership projects in the economic, fishing, energy and industrial sectors are on the agenda of the meeting to be chaired by the two countries' prime ministers, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, and Jose Maria Aznar. Go

Palestinian President Arafat said May peace meetings in London must address main peace issues, Bahrain Tribune reported. Go

Lebanese Foreign Minister Fares Boueiz met on Wednesday with ambassadors of UN Security Council permanent member states in Beirut to explain Lebanon's position rejecting the conditional Israeli proposal to implement 425. Go

Qatar's crown prince Sheikh Jasem Bin Hamad al-Thani met on Wednesday with US army deputy chief of staff Gen. Joseph Ralston and members of his accompanying delegation who arrived in Doha earlier in the day for a two-day visit to Qatar. Go

General Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, the Sudanese minister of interior, confirmed his country's intention to cooperate with all Arab countries in implementing the Arab agreement for combating terrorism, adding that Sudan participated in all phases of developing the agreement. Go

Arab and international experts will meet next week to discuss an Arab initiative for to deal with the problem of homeless children on the streets, as called for by the Arab Council for Childhood Development. Go

Qatar's Cabinet at its weekly meeting approved an agreement with Romania for avoiding double taxation and the formation of a permanent committee in support of Jerusalem, Qatar News Agency reported. Go

The US on Tuesday introduced Resolution L.88, adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights, dealing with human rights in Sudan. "It is vitally important that individuals responsible for human rights violations be held accountable and tried for their crimes under internationally acceptable standards," US Ambassador Nancy Rubin said. Go

About 80,000 Israelis celebrating the state's 50th anniversary next Thursday plan to attend a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for a controversial settlement at Jabal Abu Ghneim (Har Homa), CNN reported. Go