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Short Takes:
President Mubarak said he has heard that Netanyahu's reports, issued periodically, have contained invalid accusations of torture of Coptics in Egypt, adding that this may or may not indicate that Israel is behind the Sunday Telegraph story. He said Egypt does not care what is said because its position is very obvious concerning the Wye Plantation agreements. Mubarak said Israeli Prime Minister Natenyahu's attempts to replace the "land for peace" principal with the phrase "land for security" as meaningless as the former is a basic principal, recognized and admitted by everyone. Go

Al-Sharq al-Awsat said that Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to conduct a two-day visit, IRNA reported. Go

UAE Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum met with Iranian Vice President Maasouma Ibtikar to discuss regional environmental issues, Khaleej Times reported. Go

The joint Palestinian - Israeli economic committee met today in Ramallah, establishing meetings at least once a week over the next six weeks, the Israeli Finance Ministry's spokesman stated. Go

Abdessadek Chekkara, a renowned Andalucian music singer, passed away Saturday in his northern hometown of Tetuan. Chekkara, 67, gained fame for his long and skillful research in the rich heritage of the Moroccan Andalucian music, inherited from the Muslim rule in Spain. Go

King Hassan II held talks here on Sunday with Saudi minister of higher education, Khaled Ibn Mohamed Al-Ankari, who is currently on an official visit to Morocco. Go

King Hassan II has renewed "feelings of hope and optimism" as to the future of the brotherly ties binding Morocco and Algeria. In a message to Algerian President Liamine Zeroual on the occasion of Algeria's national day, King Hassan II said "We seize this happy opportunity to renew to you the feelings of hope and optimism as to the future of the brotherly ties between our two neighboring and brotherly countries." Go

Pakistani ambassador in Cairo Tayeib Sadiki denied yesterday the accuracy of published reports regarding a meeting between Pakistani President Rafik Tarar and his Israeli counterpart, Ezer Weizman, on the margins of a celebration in Turkey few days ago for the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic. Go

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber al-Thani on Sunday received a message from Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal relating to bilateral relations between the two countries. Go

The number of Sudanese refugees who had been evacuated to neighboring countries as a result of the fighting taking place in southern Sudan with Sudanese rebels led by John Garang increased to 374,000 families who reside in eight neighboring countries, excluding Ethiopia. Go

Well-informed Tunisian sources said that the message Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali sent through his defense minister, Habib Bin Yahya, to Turkish President Suleiman Demirel relates to prospects for bilateral cooperation and the Middle East peace process, as well as the possibility of strengthening security and stability in the Middle East. Bin Yahya is currently visiting Turkey. Go

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Qader Bajmal arrived on Sunday in Damascus for a short visit during which he will convey a message from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to President Hafez al-Assad. Go

Works of the tenth meeting of the agriculture and water committee for the Gulf Cooperation Council ministers of agriculture started deliberations on Sunday. The meeting's agenda included discussions on and the approval of obligatory agricultural and veterinary quarantine and fishery projects. Go

The Kuwaiti government on Sunday agreed to the resignation recently submitted by its deputy prime minister and minister of state for cabinet affairs, Nasser al-Rawdan. Al-Rawdan stressed that his resignation is for health reasons and his need to rest. Go

President of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Sunday received a message from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. No information was disclosed on the content of the message. Go

South Africa's Vice - President Tabo Mabiki and members of the accompanying delegation arrived in Riyadh on Sunday on a several-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. Go

Egypt and Uganda signed two agreements on cooperation in the areas of agricultural research and preventing double-taxation between the two countries. Go

Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali on Saturday night discussed with French President Jacques Chirac, currently visiting Tunisia, bilateral relations and main international and regional issues, foremost being the Middle East peace process. Go