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Short Takes:
Israeli Minister of Internal Security Avigdor Kahalani, who is also the chairman of the "third way movement," asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the chairman of the Labor Party, Ehud Barak, to publish the protocol pertaining to the secret talks held with the two men on the possibility of forming a national unity government. Israel Radio said that in the protocol, Netanyahu and Barak had agreed to give up most of the territories of the Golan to Syria in case an agreement is reached with the Syrians Go

Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema said he had convinced a country ( he did not identify) to offer the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party PKK the right to political asylum, but Ocalan refused this choice. In a statement to the German magazine Der Speigel D'Alema added that Ocalan had the opportunity to live safely away from publicity, but he chose to stay in Europe in order to continue his political career. D'Alema added that he does not want to mention the name of that country which agreed to give Ocalan sanctuary out of fears it would be victimized. Go

Local authorities of Tata, a town 1,000 km south-east of Rabat, have arrested four tourists who were preaching Christianity in neighboring small villages. According to "Al Ittihad Al-Ichtiraki," copies of the bibles and pamphlets were seized from the four Britons and two Koreans. Go

A Saudi military delegation led by the chairman of the Saudi Chiefs of Staff, Lt. Gen. Sultan al-Muteiri, arrived today in Algiers at the invitation of the Algerian Army's Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Muhammad al-Ammari. It was officially announced in Algiers that the visit, which will last until March 8, falls in the course of consultations between the military leadership in the two countries. Go

The World Bank (WB) concluded two loan accords with Morocco, worth $14.2 million to partially finance a large-scale project to rehabilitate the ancient medina of Fez (central Morocco). The ancient medina of Fez, Morocco's spiritual capital, is classified as a universal legacy by the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Go

Saudi Arabia has nearly completed its preparations for the Haj pilgrimage, in which two million pilgrims may participate, Bahrain Tribune reported. Go

Plans for a mobile telephone system in Jordan, to be carried out by Jordan Telecommunications Company, should be ready to announce by March, Jordan Times reported. Go

Bahrain's Cabinet said that the Gulf state plans to enhance relations with India and the United States, Gulf Daily News reported. Go

Qatar Petrochemicals Company's profits fell in 1998 by 47.6% from their level in 1997, Gulf Times reported. Go

Annual military exercises between the Gulf Cooperation Council states are underway in the Gulf and Sea of Oman, Khaleej Times reported. Go

Austria has imported 600 tons of sea salt from Tunisia to melt ice blanketing streets and roads, a spokesman of Vienna municipality said on Friday. He said the deal was made necessary by the soaring demand for this kind of salt on the European continent. Go

An Egyptian cultural festival is currently being held in the German city of Cologne, organized by the Sofitel chain in Germany and Egypt in association with the Egyptian cultural bureau in Germany. The program of the festival includes artistic shows by German, Dutch and Egyptian groups for public arts, documentary films representing Egyptian culture and civilization and tourist films that show the tourism potential of Egypt. Go

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Sunday in Riyadh received the director of the Middle East department at the Dutch Foreign Ministry, B. M. Corper Shouk, who handed the prince a message from the Dutch foreign minister. Go

The UN forces working in south Lebanon UNIFIL has denied any launching of Katyusha missiles from south Lebanon against northern Israel. In a statement he made on Sunday afternoon, one of UNIFIL's high-ranking officers said that UNIFIL units deployed in all parts of south Lebanon had not observed any military activity since Sunday at dawn." Go

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens has commended the Palestinian govenment's cooperation with Israel. Arens told Israel Radio on Sunday that the Palestinian government understands well Israel's decision concerning the closure of the West Bank and Gaza. Go

Some 1,000 Kurdish citizens held demonstrations on Saturday afternoon in Paris, calling for the release of the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, who was arrested in Kenya on February 15 and taken to Turkey. Go

The Qatari Army's chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Hamad Bin Ali al-Ateyah, met on Saturday in Doha with his French counterpart, Gen. Jan Pierre Calash. The Qatar News Agency said that during the meeting the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and means of supporting and developing them in all fields, especially in the military areas. Go

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has received a message from French President Jacques Chirac. No information was disclosed on the content of the message, delivered by the French ambassador to Saudi Arabia during his meeting on Saturday with Crown Prince Abdullah in Riyadh. Go

A group identifying itself as the "Revolutionary communists in Europe" on Saturday announced responsibility for attacking the Iranian embassy in Holland. AFP said that the group admitted responsibility for the attack in a written statement left in front of the embassy and in another statement sent by fax to the Dutch news agency. The group claimed support for the Kurdish cause. Go

The Iraqi daily al-Thawra on Sunday called upon Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid to ask the UN to end the two no-fly zones in the northern and southern parts of Iraq. The paper asserted that the AL chief has to ask the international organization to take necessary measures in order to halt US and British aggressions and to hold Washington and London responsible for losses resulting from these aggressions. Go

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met on Sunday in Cairo with Belgian Crown Prince Philip. Present at the meeting were the Belgian deputy premier and the minister of trade and the economy and the Egyptian minister of trade. Later in the day President Mubarak met with the Lord Mayor of London, Lord Levene of Portsokin. The governor of Cairo attended the meeting. Go

Belgium's deputy premier and minister of trade has asserted that the Israeli government is responsible for the current stalemate in the Middle East peace process. In statements he made on Sunday in Cairo following economic talks with the Egyptian government, the Belgian minister added that Israel was the one which intended to suspend steps conducive to establishing just peace which is a "grave stand." Go