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Short Takes:
Oman has begun a national program on birth spacing, encouaging parents to wait at least two years between births to help enusre healthier children, Oman Daily Observer reported. Go

A Jordanian clinic said that most cases of students who believed they had become ill from a vacinnation were psychological, Jordan Times reported. Go

Next year's Lebanese budget will be discussed after the term of current President Elias Hrawi ends, Lebanon News Wire reported. Go

UN Secretary-General Annan recommended that the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) continue with its work, which includes the disposal of unexploded mines and other weaponry in the demilitarized zone. Go

Yemeni Minister of Interior General Hussein Mohammed Harab stated today that Arab security is an integral system and that it could not find a defense that provides it with security and stability except with cooperation to combat crime. Go

The Swedish Company "Sweco International" will carry out a study on solid waste processing in the eastern Moroccan city of Oujda. Go

Libyan Radio broadcasted yesterday that Libya called for the General People's Conference, the biggest legislative organization in the country, to convene its annual session later this week. Go

Riak Mashar, the head of coordination council between the southern Sudanese states said today that the Ugandan aggressions in Sudan are not justifiable and that they aim at destroying Sudanese sovereignty. He added that the attack is a US scheme that uses Uganda as a tool to undermine the serious endeavors for achieving peace in Sudan and to isolate Sudan from its neighbors. Go

Number of representatives of parties and Lebanese political powers staged a it-in strike yesterday in front of the Turkish embassy in El-Rabia, east of Beirut, protesting the Turkish - Israeli military alliance. The strikers raised signs up that denounced and condemned this alliance. They repeated slogans that indicated that Lebanon will not accept any regional regime headed by the Turkish - Israeli alliance under US sponsorship. The strikers called on the Turkish people for solidarity to topple this alliance. Go

Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs Bouabdallah Ghoulemallah in press statements yesterday in Cairo on the 25th anniversary of the 1973 October War against Israel stated that, "The victory is still within the Algerian's souls, and it should remain in the Arabs' hearts, because it confirms many values, among which is uniting the soul of the Arab nation and the Arab leaders' agreement on supporting the Arab armies in Egypt and Syria." He added that Arabs need more than ever to remember the anniversary of the victory to regain solidarity, shown by the battle to regain an Arab team spirit and the struggle to achieve a comprehensive peace. Go

Saudi Arabia announced today that US Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson will visit the gulf state at the beginning of December to hold talks on petroleum cooperation, climate change, solar energy and investment, particularly in the energy production fields. Saudi sources said that Saudi Arabia will try to sign contracts to export petroleum and to import equipment to be used in the petroleum fields. Go

Egyptian Minister of Health and Population Ismail Salam discussed during his meeting yesterday with a Iraqi health delegation under the chairmanship of Iraqi Minister of Health Omid Medhat Mubarak the continuing implementation of the agreement for joint health cooperation between them in the fields of medicine, preventive health, training doctors and exchanging experiences between the two countries. Go

Mohammed Abdallah El-Mela, the secretary general of the Union of Chambers of Commerce in the Gulf Cooperation Council states announced that the general trusteeship of the union associates with the chambers members and with Gulf organizations for industrial advice, will meet with the European Commission to host the second round of Gulf-European partnership talks, which will be held in Dubai in 1999. Go

The Kuwaiti dailies on Wednesday said that the Islamists for the 20th straight year won the elections of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students. The papers added that the Islamists won all seats of the Union's executive committee. Go

Iran on Wednesday expressed its desire to sign security agreements with all its neighbors, especially with the Arab Gulf states. Go

Jordanian Agriculture Minister Mujhim al-Khresheh stressed his country's desire to maintain relations with Israel. He stressed that there is a "de facto " that has to be dealt with in that Israel is a state existing in the region. Go

Lebanese deputy Premier Michael Murr has expected the Syrian-Lebanese summit to be convened within the next 10 days. Following his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on Wednesday, Murr added that matters will be clarified concerning the Presidential elections, saying the issue of the election should be settled before October 20, the date when the ordinary session of the Lebanese parliament will be convened. Murr said that commander of the Lebanese Army Lt. Gen. Emil Lahoud is the most favored to assume the presidency office. Go