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Short Takes:
Eye-witnesses said that a group of Kurds, residents in Damascus today broke into the Greek embassy, destroyed the doors and windows and tried to set fire in the embassy, but the Syrian security forces could prevent them. Four men were arrested. Meantime, the Syrian police carried out strict guarding measures on the place as well as on the house of the Greek embassy, the Turkish embassy, several foreign countries embassies and affiliating centers in Damascus. Go

Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam on Monday in Damascus received members of an Austrian Parliament delegation led by the second chairman of Parliament, Heinrich Neisser. Talks dealt with the current situation in the region and "Israel's role in obstructing the Middle East peace process." Earlier in the day, similar talks were held between Syrian Minister of the Interior Muhammad Harba and Neisser. Go

Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mamdouh Beltagi stated that Italy sent the most tourists to Egypt 1998. The tourism sector achieved a progress in brining back the out flow as Egypt was visited by nearly 3.5 million tourists in 1998. Go

Press sources in Bonn said today (Tuesday) that the Israeli intelligence (Mossad) had given help described as "decisive" for the Turkish secret intelligence in chasing Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistani workers party who was arrested in Kenya and taken to Turkey today. Go

Gulf Cooperation Council health ministers are studying a plan under which tobacco agents in the GCC states would pay 1% of their total costs to the GCC health ministries, Bahrain Tribune reported. Go

Bahrain's Batelco telecommunications company cut its rates for the third time in the past year, Gulf Daily News reported. Go

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens met yesterday with members of the US House Armed Services Committee led by Robert Reilly to discuss US support of Israeli security, as well as for the Arrow anti-missile missile system. Go

A dead rare beaked whale washed ashore in Oman, Oman Daily Observer reported. The whale's body will be studied to determine its origin, the report said. Go

The Palestinian Authority, Israel and Belgium signed a trilateral agreement establishing a program for Palestinian doctors at al-Quds University and Ben Gurion University, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. Go

Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stated that there is nothing new in the idea of a confederation with Jordan as suggested recently by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Erekat also said that in this regard he refers to a previous decision taken by the Palestinian National Council, pointing out that raising the topic once again does not require any special meanings or new developments. Go

The Egyptian - British work's council is to meet in Cairo today, in the presence of British Secretary of Trade Brian Wilson, who is currently visiting Egypt leading a large delegation of businessmen as a part of a series of visits and condensed meetings between British and Egyptian businessmen with the aim of discussing increasing investments and the volume of mutual cooperation in industry, trade and technology. Go

Moroccan and Italian businessmen started Monday in Casablanca a three-day meeting to give a new momentum to partnership between the two countries in matters of leather industries and related sectors. Go

The Executive Bureau of the Arab Ministers Council in charge of Electricity will meet in Morocco this Feb. 17-18 to review a number of electricity projects in the Arab world and ways of enhancing the exchange of experiences and data. Go

Italy backs the Moroccan candidate to the top post of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Italian Ambassador to Morocco, Guido Martini, said on Monday. Go

The council of the Maghreban workers union will start a two-day meeting in Casablanca to debate issues related to the situation of workers in the five member countries of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA). The meeting, held once every six months, will be attended by representatives of trade unions from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. Go

Thirty people died within the two past days due to cholera, which has swept Bardera district in southern Somalia. Another 300 cases were reported in Somalia during last week. Somali medical sources stated that some 18 persons died on Saturday and 13 on Monday morning. Go

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has criticized Israel's attempt to influence public opinion through exaggerating bilateral relations with Turkey. In an interview with the Turkish Daily News issued on Monday, Cem said these Israeli attempts put Turkey in a difficult position, especially towards its intention to be a friend to the Arab world. Go

Israel and Croatia on Monday signed a military agreement providing for modernizing Croatian jet fighters in Israel. Israel Radio said in this context that some 24 Croatian jets will be renovated in Israel in collaboration with the Israel Military Industries company at a cost of US $100 million. Go

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to annex the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, already occupied by Israel, and to impose Israeli law on these territories if a Palestinian state is announced on May 4. Go