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U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin said, "the United States has no intention of adjusting downward in any significant way the key elements of our ideas" on the peace process, but cast doubt on continued U.S. involvement in the process, saying, "If we conclude that we simply cannot reach an agreement, then we will need to come out and say so and explain why; and that day is not far off." Go

Egypt's assistant foreign minister for European affairs, Fathi El-Shazeli, confirmed yesterday that Egypt is currently negotiating with the European Union on regulating the European Union's trade with Egypt and developing a timetable of 12 years for attempting to open the European markets to Egyptian agricultural goods. Go

U.N. spokesman Juan Carlos Brandt said that the monthly report on the Saharan self-rule referendum cited a slowdown of the registration process during May, but said that fewer than 50,000 members of uncontested Saharan tribes remain to be registered, while provisions have yet to be finalized for dealing with 65,000 applicants from contested tribes. Go

Jordanian diplomatic sources said on Tuesday that the meetings of the joint Jordanian - U.S. military committee will convene in October. Go

Moftah Azouzah the secretary of the general public committee for industry and metals in Libya said Tuesday after meeting Egyptian Minister of Industry and Mineral Wealth Soleiman Reda that they followed up on the implementation of ideas agreed upon in the last period and methods of solving the problems in activating those agreements, among which is issuing source certificates. Go

The head of a human rights organization in Algeria Kamel Razek has said he possess proof of the existence of detainees in secret detention camps, but later he denied his statement published by Algerian newspapers. Go

Iran's U.A.E. ambassador held trade talks with Dubai ruler and U.A.E. Defense Minister Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum, IRNA reported. Go

Prime Minister Hariri and Parliament Speaker Berri met today to discuss preparations for Lebanon's upcoming local elections, Lebanon News Wire reported. Go

Saudi Arabia's Chemya petrochemical company plans a major expansion project in cooperation with Exxon Chemical Arabia Incorporated to establish a low density polyethylene plant and an olefin cracker plant, Saudi Press Agency reported. Go

Oman's Sultan Qaboos issued two decrees, one calling on the minister of agriculture and fisheries to issue guidelines for the protection of agricultural resources and one increasing Oman's share in the International Monetary Fund, Oman News Agency reported. Go

Djibouti on Monday ratified the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti- Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, just the second of the 126 countries that signed the agreement to ratify it, U.N. spokesman Juan Carlos Brandt said. 40 states must ratify the agreement before it takes effect. Go

The meetings of the executive bureau for the Arab ministers of transpiration began on Wednesday at Arab League headquarters to discuss uniting traffic rules between the Arab states and signing the Arab united traffic notes agreement. Trucks and cars will be allowed to pass among all Arab countries without any complex measures, and the goods carried by these vehicles will also be transported easily. Go

ordanian Foreign Minister Jawad Anani and Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath discussed economic issues including trade barriers and touched on ways to maximize benefits for both sides from free trade zones and joint ventures. Go

Turkey has pledged to reopen al-Hijaz railway to facilitate transportation with Turkey. Go

President Rafik Tarar of Pakistan has called on the Israeli government to carry out all U.N. resolutions providing for Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab lands. President Tarar also stressed that Pakistan would not change its nuclear program and is determined to make progress in this regard. Go

The Syrian Cabinet, during its Tuesday meeting chaired by Premier Mahmoud al-Zou'bi, discussed a project providing for ratifying the loan agreement between Syria and Abu Dhabi Development Fund on contributing to financing a telecommunications project providing for installing 1.65 million telephone lines, distributed among 367 telephone centers in various cities and rural areas in Syria. Go

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Tuesday met with his Indonesian counterpart, on the sidelines of the meetings of the coordination bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement currently held in Colombia. Go