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Short Takes:
The Saudi minister of trade Osama El-Fakih yesterday estimated the losses of Saudi Arabia due to the drop in oil prices to be about 10 billion dollars. El-Fakih on the occasion of convening the first meeting for Saudi - Iranian committee, said that the Saudi petroleum exports amounted to 55 billion dollar last year, adding that the Saudi economy achieved a growth of 8% last year, a rate that will not be matched this year. Go

The chairman of the Algerian central bank, Abd El-Wahab Kirman, announced a reduction in Algerian reserves of foreign currencies to $7.5 billion in August, and the reserves are expected to fall to $7 billion at the end of the current year. Go

Eritrean Justice Minister, Fouzia Hachem, has voiced her country's wish to benefit from Morocco's experience in justice and related sectors. At a meeting held Monday in Rabat with Moroccan Justice minister, Omar Azziman, the Eritrean official called for the consolidation of partnership between the two African countries in courts management, magistrates training, trade laws and the use of computing in files archiving. Go

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael met yesterday with Samir Seif, the first Egyptian assistant foreign minister, who is currently visiting Khartoum to participate in the meetings of the ministerial meeting on refugees. During the meeting they discussed Egyptian - Sudanese relations and methods of upgrading them. Go

The head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in the Russian Duma (parliament), Gennadiy Zyuganov, who is currently visiting Libya confirmed that his party took a decision to work to lift and halt the sanctions imposed on Libya, adding that the 21st century has to be free of sieges and sanctions under the leadership of Russia. Go

Libyan Finance Minister Muhammad Beit al-Mal has asserted that his country did not borrow from the International Monetary Fund or the World Cank despite the international economic crisis and drastic recession in oil prices. Go

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in Amman on Tuesday for a short working visit. Upon her arrival, Albright met with Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan Bin Talal and high-ranking Jordanian officials, briefing them on the results of the visit made by US President Bill Clinton to Gaza and occupied Jerusalem, the talks he held there, and the tripartite meeting between Clinton, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Go

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Middle East and North Africa Affairs Muhammad al-Sader and the secretary of the Hizbullah party in Lebanon, Hassan Nasser, have underlined the importance of operations carried out by the Lebanese national resistance in confronting Israel. Go

A Palestinian industrial zone was opened on Tuesday in Gaza in the presence of US Secretary of Commerce William Daley and the industry official in the Palestinian Authority, Saadi al-Karnas, and Israeli Minister of Industry and Commerce Natan Sharansky. Go

Orient Radio quoted Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss as saying on his expected visit to Damascus that there are "contacts with the Syrian leadership in this respect," noting that the visit may be made after his government wins the confidence of the Lebanese parliament. Go

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud on Tuesday received Kuwaiti Minister of Planning and Development Ali al-Mousa and members of his accompanying delegation. Go

Algerian President Liamine Zeroual on Tuesday assigned Ismail Hamadani to form the new Algerian government. Hamadani had the position of member of the nation's council before he was appointed as prime minister. He was born in 1930 in Bordj Bou Arreridj province, 226 km from the capital Algiers. Hamadani occupied several diplomatic posts. Go

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday received the US ambassador to Lebanon, David Satterfield, who was accompanied by the new US charge de affairs to Lebanon, David Hale. Talks dealt with bilateral relations and the situation in south Lebanon. Go

Mar Ignatius Zakka II of the Syrian Orthodox Church was elected as chairman of the World Council of Churches. Patriarch Ewas was elected to this post in the meeting of the 8th general assembly of the WCC, which was held in Zimbabwe. Go

The Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday that one member of the Saudi northern border guard on the border with Iraq was killed after being shot from a car which was inside Iraqi territory. The agency identified the soldier as Ibrahim Jahoush, a member of the border staff at al-Leifeyeh center on Saudi Arabia's northern border. Jahoush was exposed to gunfire while he was carrying out his duty from a car inside the Iraqi territories. The agency noted that the driver was killed immediately. It gave no further details about the situation. Go

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Sheikh Jamil al-Hujeilan met on Tuesday in Riyadh with the British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Andrew Green. Go

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal met on Tuesday with local administration minister in Eritrea Muhammad Ahmad Sharifo and members of the accompanying delegation, currently visiting Saudi Arabia. Go