We are looking for sales & marketing representatives in different countries. Apply now!

Short Takes:
Well-informed diplomatic sources in Kuwait told the Kuwaiti daily al-Anbaa on Sunday that commander of the air force in southern Iraq was killed with his driver and two of his guards were seriously injured late Friday night after they were ambushed by an armed group while he was on his way from Nassereyah to Basra. The sources did not mention the name of the officer, only saying that he is a lieutenant general in the Iraqi army. Go

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz announced on Saturday that Baghdad is currently holding a dialogue with the Kurds in order to reach a peaceful solution for the situation in northern Iraq. Aziz added: "We are ready to maintain a dialogue with the Kurdish leadership in order to reach peaceful and democratic solutions to the Kurdish issue. He ridiculed the "US claims" of protecting the Kurds, noting that the United States provides the Turkish Army with weapons to kill the Turkish Kurds. Go

The Dutch ambassador in Cairo, Ronald Lawdon, announced his country's intent to establish a new program for technical aid that will be allocated for the Egyptian private sector working in industrial and agricultural fields under a new program supporting and promoting promising markets, while Egypt was chosen to be one of those countries who will benefit from this program. Go

Syrian Minister of the Interior Muhammad Harba met on Saturday in Damascus with the chairman of the association of Syrians who reside in Lebanon. Talks dealt with the current preparations being made concerning the referendum on the nomination of President Hafez al-Assad for a new constitutional term due to be held on February 8. Go

Algeria's ruling National Democratic Rally coalition party will hold a conference on February 4 to select a candidate for the Algerian presidency after conflicts within the party over the possibility of selecting former Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is seen as the choice of the Algerian Army, Bahrain Tribune reported. Go

Dubai will host a two day conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council states starting tomorrow focusing on computer crime, Khaleej Times reported. Go

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said that the situation in Iraq will not return to being the same as it was before the US and Britain conducted several days of air attacks in December, Jordan Times reported. Go

UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan established the Emirates Information Corporation, associated with the UAE Ministry of Information and Culture, to advance information and culture in the country, Gulf News reported. Go

King Hussein of Jordan said to CNN speaking on Arab issues "I don't see how a future relation can develop" if Israel does not improve its politics toward the Palestinians. He said regarding the overthrow of the Iraqi government with the help of the opposition, "It won't work." Go

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recommended a six-month extension of the UNIFIL force in south Lebanon. He also noted that about $112.9 million is owed to the countries participating in the force. Go

Sudan will launch next February a nationwide campaign to immunize five million children against Poliomyelitis. Go

The Arab Labor Organization has set up a common Arab strategy to ensure social coverage for all Arab workers. The strategy, which seeks to level up the working conditions of Arab citizens by ensuring them the necessary medicare and social rights, will be discussed during the next Arab Labor Organization Conference due next march in Cairo. Go

Moroccan Foreign Minister Abdellatif Filali, who was in Cairo to take part in the Arab ministerial meeting held on Sunday, conferred with several Arab peers on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and on the situation in the Arab world. Go

Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Mostafa Othman Ismael said his country did not agree to extend the cease fire agreed upon between the government and a rebel movement in Bahr El-Gazal province, because Sudan wants to expand the range of the cease fire to include the entire south paving, for ending Sudan's long civil war. Go

Egyptian Minister of Agriculture Youssef Wali announced the approval of the European Union to finance agricultural development projects in new lands west of Nobaria through a donation valued at 60 million Egyptian pounds. Go

The Algerian daily al-Khabar said on Sunday that two citizens were killed on Friday at a fake barrier by armed men in Towerbret district in Bouira province, while Algerian security forces killed two armed men in Wajanah town in al-Alali. Go

Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad on Sunday received a message from US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, dealing with bilateral relations between the two countries and recent political developments. Go

President of Kuwaiti Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Sunday in Kuwait received a message from President of Malawi. No information was reported on the content of the message, delivered by Malawi's Finance Minister Muhammad Qasem Shelomagha during his meeting with Sheikh Jaber on Sunday. Go

The Kuwaiti Ministry of the Interior has denied news reports that Abdullah Ocalan is present in Kuwait. Acting director of the public relations department at the Kuwaiti Ministry of the Interior Maj. Ahmad al-Sharqawi said in a press statement on Sunday in Kuwait that news reported about the arrival of Ocalan in Kuwait via another country are groundless. Go

The Saudi daily Okaz has said that the Saudis consumed during the three days of Eid al-Fitr this year some 250 tonnes of chocolates, at a cost estimated at between $13.3 and $14.6 million US. The paper in its Saturday edition quoted one merchant as saying that chocolate consumption by Saudis during the holiday increased by 20% in comparison to last year. Go

Sudan has announced its readiness to start a direct or through mediated dialogue with Eritrea in order to settle problems between the two countries. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael has denied the accusation made by Eritrea that Sudan supports Ethiopia in the dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Go

Kuwait's First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad on Saturday received a message from his French counterpart, Hubert Vedrine, concerning bilateral relations and developments in the Arab region. The message was conveyed by the French ambassador in Kuwait. Go

The Iraqi National Council has announced that it will hold an extraordinary session on Tuesday, January 26. The Iraqi News Agency did not explain the objective of the meeting. Go