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Egypt refused yesterday the Israeli - US call to release Israeli spy Azam Azam. Official sources confirmed that the attitude of President Hosni Mubarak is firm constant and obvious toward releasing Azam Azam, this attitude did not change, and nothing new affected it. This came as a comment on what was stated by the leader of the Israeli Shass party that President Mubarak had promised the US President Bill Clinton to release Azam Azam. Go

French Minister of Defense Alan Richard will arrive in Kuwait on Sunday for a short visit, during which he will hold talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Salem al-Sabah. Official sources in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense said thursday that Richard's visit will include a tour of the Gulf. Go

The French - Qatari joint committee is to hold a meeting today in Doha. Qatari military sources said today that during the meeting they will endorse the new agreement between the two countries in the attendance of French Defense Minister Alan Richard and Qatari Minister of State Sheikh Ahmed Bin Seif Al-Thani. Go

The Australian Organization for Defending South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa has demanded the release of Lebanese child Ali Mustafa Toubeh, arrested by the Israeli occupation forces one year ago and held in Khiam camp. Go

The foreign ministers of the Damascus Declaration countries will convene in Doha on November 11 and 12. The declaration includes Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Go

The International Irrigation Commission organizes next week in Rabat a workshop on "the future of Irrigation in the World." The event, to be attended by water experts and agronomists from Morocco and abroad, will look into progress made in irrigation and water harnessing techniques. Go

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabir al-Thani said he is going to visit Sudan and Eritrea after his current visit to Yemen. He also announced that Qatar is seeking to rectify atmospheres between the two countries. He said there is no relation between his visits to Yemen and Eritrea and the International Court of Justice decision concerning the dispute over the Hanish Islands. Go

A report released by the Gulf states shows the volume of southeast Asian - Gulf Cooperation Council states at $10.8 billion, an increase from $6.1 billion in 1994. South East Asian exports decreased from $3.6 billion in 1994 to $1.1 billion in 1998, while imports of Asians increased from $6.5 billion in 1994 to $8.7 billion in 1998. Go

Official sources in the Ministry of Defense in Cairo announced that the Egyptian - Saudi joint training exercises known as Morgan-4 are to start today. Elements from Egyptian and Saudi naval forces in addition to elements from the two states' air forces are to take part in the annual training in the Red Sea. Go

A round of official talks started on Friday in Seoul between Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and Southern Korean Prime Minister Kim Chong-pil. Go

Lebanese Minister of State for Financial Affairs Fuad al-Sanyoura discussed with the Egyptian ambassador in Lebanon, Adel al-Khudari, the executive steps for the agreement recently signed between the two states on setting up a free trade zone, exchanging commodities and exempting them from customs fees. Following the meeting, the Egyptian ambassador said the agreement will be enforced as of the beginning of next year. Go

Unemployed doctors and engineer asked Morocco Prime Minister Abderrahman Youssoufi to settle their problems as well as to find important work like those found for holder of high certificates who were allowed to join the public sector after the intervention of King Hassan II last month. Go

Lebanese Minister of Trade and Economy Yassin Jaber announced that Syria granted Lebanese companies a discount of nearly 70% on advertising costs for its product in the Syrian governmental mass media. He said the steps taken by Syria aim at improving commercial relations between Syria and Lebanon, adding that the Syrian governmental Arab Information Corporation gave Lebanese businessmen the same discount percentage as it gives to Syrian businesses in promoting their products on the Syrian market. Go

Yemen's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Abdul Qader Bajmal, is to pay official visits to Cairo and Damascus on October 31, during which he will deliver messages from Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. Official sources in Yemen said that the two messages are concerned with methods of enhancing and developing relations between Yemen, Egypt and Syria. Go