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Short Takes:
Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak made a phone call tonight with the Saudi king Fahd bin Abd al-Aziz and the Emirate president to deal with the situation in the region and the latest Arab and regional developments were discussed at the top of which the recent development of the Middle East peace issue. An Egyptian official source said today that Mubarak has made a phone call with the Saudi crown prince Abd Allah bin Abd al-Aziz, the 2nd deputy prime minister, the Saudi minister of defense and aviation Sultan Bin Abd al-Aziz tackling the developments of situation in the region, Iraq and Iran's occupation to Emirate Islands. Go

The Jordanian weekly al-Sabeel quoted press sources as saying that undeclared talks are being carried out between Syria and Jordan to study the possibility of providing water from Syria to Jordan. The paper added that such reports come after the refusal of Israel to provide Jordan with its share of water as stated in Wadi Araba agreement. Go

The US embassy in Damascus has announced it will start as of Monday, April 5 to issue non-migration visas, including tourism, business and study visas. In a statement released on Tuesday in Damascus the embassy stated that meetings with those who wish to get non-migrant visas can be made from as from the said date between 7.30 -11 a.m.. Go

Visiting Senegalese Minister of Communication Aissata Tall Sall handed over to Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi a message from President Abdou Diouf to King Hassan II at a meeting in Rabat Tuesday, MAP reported. Go

Sudanese Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Abd El-Rahman El-Nomini stated that Egypt is deeply concerned with Sudan's unity. He also said that Egypt seeks to achieve reconciliation between the Sudanese opposition and government and in southern Sudan. He added that his country will demand that Egypt and join IGAD (the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, which plays a major role in Sudanese peace talks), which comprises seven countries from East Africa: Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda. Go

It is expected that the number of pilgrims to Mecca will reach today two million Muslims, with the majority of them being Saudi citizens or others who reside in Saudi Arabia, due to political and economic changes which affect the number of pilgrims arriving from other countries. Go

Newsmen and technicians from the Moroccan public Radio and Television (RTM) and of the state-owned "Al-Anbaa" daily staged Tuesday a sit-in in front of the departments of finance and communications to protest their poor working conditions and financial situations, and called for amending the regulations governing the media to enable them to keep pace with the socioeconomic and political changes Morocco is witnessing, and respect of journalism ethics. Go

The British daily Financial Times on Tuesday stressed that the British decision to close down the Kurdish television station Med. T.V. came following intense pressure from Turkey, which accused the station of provoking the wave of explosions that has recently hit Turkey. The British daily added that the independent British TV committee which supervises Med. T.V. decided to close down the Kurdish station for 21 days as a punishing measure. Go

The UN secretary general's spokesperson said yesterday that the oil pipeline in Iraq, bombed earlier this week, resumed pumping late Monday night. Go

United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Sergio Vieira de Mello expressed his sadness on the death of relief worker Deena Marie Umbarger of the United Methodist Committee who was killed in Somalia. The UN official called on the international community to "safeguard the lives of relief workers and civilians, whose only aim is to help the vulnerable populations." Go

Palestinian Minister of Labor Raffeq Al-Natshe stated that the rate of Palestinian unemployment amounts to 20% in normal conditions, rising to 98% when the Israeli authorities close Gaza and the West Bank, adding that when the independent Palestinian state is proclaimed, it will include all the employed Palestinians. Go

King Hassan II has received a message from crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who is also first vice-president of the ministers council and commandant of the national guard. Go

Kuwait's first deputy Premier and foreign minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, met on Tuesday in Kuwait with the representative of the Arab League at the UN, Hussein Hassounah. Talks dealt with the latest developments in the region and issues of mutual concern. Go

At least 23 persons were killed and another 27 wounded during confrontations that took place on Monday in the Somali city of Bedawa between two warring factions. Go

Salim al-Za'noun, the chairman of the Palestinian National Council, announced on Tuesday that the central council of the PLO will hold a meeting to discuss the question of announcing the Palestinian state. In a telephone call with the office of the AFP in Amman on Tuesday,al-Za'noun said, "We are now extending invitations to members of the PLO council to attend the meeting," to be held in the last week of April. Go

Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation Kamel Mahadin has denied that Jordanian asked for US mediation to settle disputes with Israel over its share of water under the wadi Araba treaty. In a statement to the Jordanian daily al-Dostour on Tuesday, the Jordanian minister also denied reports which said that a US envoy will arrive shortly in Amman to discuss the Jordanian water problem with Israel. Go

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen on Tuesday received a message from his Eritrean counterpart, Isaias Afworki, pertaining to current developments in the Eritrea - Ethiopia conflict as well as bilateral relations between Eritrea and Yemen. Go