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Short Takes:
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak authorized Foreign Minister Amr Moussa to head tomorrow to Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, to head Egypt's delegation to the meetings of foreign ministers from the Group of Eight Developing Islamic Countries (G8) which will start its work on Saturday to prepare the recommendations and decisions that will be raised to the summit of the G8 member countries' heads of state which will begin in Dhaka at the start of March. Go

Morocco's reserves in foreign currency increased in 1998 by 5 % to $ 4.4 Billion against $ 4.2 bln in 1997. According to Morocco's Central Bank (Banque AL Maghreb), the reserves are sufficient to cover the country's imports for the upcoming six months. Go

Sources in the Jordanian Ministry of Planning stated that Saudi Arabia agreed to finance Jordanian infrastructure projects, clarifying that an agreement took place during the visit paid to Saudi Arabia by a Jordanian economic delegation under the chairmanship of Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Taher Kanaan, and including Minister of Finance Michel Marto as well as Minister of Planning Nabil Amari. Go

The European parliament's committee of foreign affairs, security and defense policy adopted Wednesday a report calling for integrating Libya in the upcoming Euro-Mediterranean conference of foreign ministers. Go

Qatari Minster of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture Ali Bin Saeed al-Khayarin said that March 8 municipal elections will lay the groundwork for democracy in the Gulf state, Gulf Times reported. Go

Palestinian advisor Ahmad Tibi and Arab Israeli Knesset member Taleb Al Sana plan to visit Iraq and meet with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, though no definite date has been set for the visit at this time, Jordan Times reported. Go

The United Arab Emirates' Federal National Council approved a law that will provide a full year of maternity leave for new mothers employed by the UAE government, Khaleej Times reported. Go

European envoy for the Middle East, Miguel Angel Moratinos, briefed Moroccan Premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, on the latest developments of the Middle East peace process, at a meeting in Rabat on wednesday. Moratinos also expounded the efforts made by the European Union to put on track again the derailed negotiations between Israel and Arab states, a statement by the premier's office said. Go

Morocco hopes that the presidential elections scheduled next April in Algeria would help restore stability in the country. "We also hope that the ballots would be an occasion for our Algerian brothers to respond positively to Morocco's calls for the normalization of relations, opening of borders and suppression of visas between the two neighboring countries," the spokesman said Yesterday in Rabat. Go

King Hassan II had on Wednesday evening in Marrakesh talks with Arab League Secretary General, Esmat Abdel Meguid. The contents of talks were not disclosed. Go

Jordan's King Abdullah bin Hussien confirmed that Jordan is not going to interfere in the affairs of any country and at the same time he will not allow any country to interfere in Jordan's affairs. Go

The Arab League said the council of Arab foreign ministers will hold a two-day meeting for its 111th session on March 17 and 18. A well-informed source at the AL's General Secretariat said on Wednesday that the new date for the session was fixed as a result of consultations with Syria, the current chairman of the AL council. Go

The General Secretariat of the Arab Bar Association has asserted the need for ensuring a fair trial for Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan as well as a just solution for the cause of the Kurds. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the general secretariat expressed its concern over the act of the international piracy in which observers asserted the involvement of the Kenyan, US, Israeli and Turkish intelligence bodies that led to the abduction of Ocalan. Go

The US Defense Department has announced that the US and British warplanes had destroyed about 20% of Iraq's batteries of anti-aircraft missiles since December 1998. Spokesman for the Pentagon Ken Bacon told journalists in Washington on Tuesday, "We have probably reduced the total number of surface-to-air missile systems he [Iraqi President Saddam Hussein] has by about 20 percent." Go

Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss received a message on Wednesday from Kuwaiti First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. In his message Sheikh al-Sabah praised the warm relations linking Kuwait to Lebanon and Lebanon's stand in backing Kuwait at all times, ensuring its security and sovereignty. Go