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Short Takes:
Syria's ambassador in Washington Walid al-Mu'allim has denied news reports brodacast by Israeli television that Syrian and Israeli negotiators met for the first time in two years at a forum organized by James Baker's third Institute for public policy in Houston, Texas. Go

Saudi second deputy premier and defense minister prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz has asserted on Wednesday in Riyadh that inter-Arab relations of amity and cooperation is the sole way to "be able to deter challenges the Arab nation has undergone." In a statement he made in Jeddah the Saudi prince added maintaining solid Arab solidarity is the only way to serve the Arab nation and the Islamic nation alike and to settle their disputes. Go

Algerian security forces said that 10 persons were wounded in an explosion that took place on Thursday in al-Muwazieh market near al-Bleida province. Four people are reported to be seriously wounded. Meanhwhile, the Algerian dailies reported on Thursday that nine civilians were killed by armed groups, adding that Algerian security forces have killed 20 armed group members during recent days. Go

The criminal court in Tunis on Tuesday sentenced all Tunisians convicted in the killing of Belgian deputy premier Andre Kolz in 1991 in Belgium to 20 year imprisonment sentences. Go

Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Eli Eirzli has underlined the Syrian political, military and security role in Lebanon, noting this key role is a Lebanese decision, which is not subject to bargaining. Go

The meetings of the African countries' foreign minister - will begin today to prepare for the thirty four African summit which will be hold from the 8th to 10th of the current June in Wagadougo - capital of Burkina Faso. Go

The minister of information and culture in the Palestinian government, Yasser Abed Rabbo, asked, "Does establishing the settlements, refusing redeployment and refusing to open Gaza airport and its harbor conform with the Oslo conventions?" Go

Assistant Secretary general of the Syrian Baath Arab socialist party Abdullah al-Ahmar on Wednesday received Uruguayan parliament member Alem Garcia, who is the candidate of the white national party for Presidential election and member of the executive committee of Fe-Arab. Go

The Sudanese daily al-Jumhoriyah on Thursday said that Cairo and Khartoum had agreed to resume dialogue to settle suspended issues between the two countries, as well as to enable the Egyptian committee in charge of restoring Egyptian properties confiscated in Sudan to complete its work. Go

Two soldiers from the Nepalese contingent working within UNIFIL were killed and another two wounded in a car crash on Thursday night. A spokesman for UNIFIL said the accident took place when the car carrying the four Nepalese deviated and fell in a valley, just two km from the Nepalese contingent in al-Henneih, south of Tyre in south Lebanon. Go

The BBC has appealed to the Yemeni authorities to set free three British journalists who were arrested under charges of violating Yemeni laws relating to journalists working rules in Yemen. Go

The US has denied reports that it has asked the Arab states for a one-week time before taking a decision to convene an Arab summit conference. US undersecretary of state for political affairs Thomas Pickering was quoted as saying in a statement in Manama that the US has never asked for "the postponement of the summit." Go

A Tunisian plane carrying a Tunisian official delegation led by transport minister Hussein al-Shawk arrived at Beirut International Airport today. The Tunisian airline company will make one weekly flight between Beirut and Tunis. Go

Saudi Arabia said it will cut its oil output by 225,000 barrels a day, Fox News reported. Mexico and Venezuela also agreed to make cuts, the report said. Go

Three BBC journalists were formally charged for filming in a tribal area of Yemen without permission, Nando Times reported. Go

US forces in the Gulf have been warned to be prepared for possible terrorist attacks, and naval forces canceled "unnecessary" shore leave, CNN reported. Go

The Palestinian high court of justice decided on Thursday to release Abdul Aziz El-Rantisi, the spokesman of Hamas, who was arrested by Palestinian police on April 9. The court decided in its May session to offer the general prosecution a last chance that ended on Thursday to indicate the reasons for arresting Rantisi. Go

Hanan Ashrawi, the Palestinian minister of higher education, accused the Israeli authorities on Thursday of destroying the Palestinian - Israeli peace talks. Ashrawi confirmed the importance of holding an urgent Arab summit in order to take a decisive stance towards Israeli obstinacy concerning the peace track in the Middle East. Go

The Egyptian authorities continued their investigations into the accused Islamist terrorist Abdul Fattah Fahmi, who was recently arrested during his attempt to enter the country from Jordan using a forged passport. Go

The Sudanese authorities announced yesterday that he is instituting a general military mobilization after battles between the Sudanese army and rebel forces in the South. Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir called for all who are capable of carrying weapons to join the army. Go

Egyptian Minister of Interior Habib al-Adli received yesterday the secretary-general of the public committee for general security in Libya. A security source said that during the meeting the two ministers tackled aspects of cooperation between Libyan police bodies in the fields of combating crime and developing coordination in the fields of combating terrorism and organized crime. Go

The Syrian People's Assembly on Wednesday discussed the state's general draft budget for 1998 submitted by the government and estimated at 237.3 billion Syrian pounds (US $5.2 billion), representing an increase of 12 percent over the figures from last year's budget. Go

Speaker of the Australian Parliament Ian Sinclair will arrive tomorrow in Damascus for a four-day visit to Syria. Go

The symposium held by the Jordanian Communist Party on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the usurpation of Palestine, "al-Nakbah," called for maintaining solidarity with Syria and Lebanon in their rejection of US and Israeli pressure aimed at separating the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. Go