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Short Takes:
The German - Arab chamber for industry and trade is to organize a symposium on May 20 in which Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa will speak about the European - Egyptian partnership in light of the Barcelona process for European - Mediterranean cooperation as well as speaking about the future of economic and political relations between Egypt and Europe. Go

King Abdullah of Jordan has noted the remarkable relations linking Syria and Jordan. He added that the two states "enjoy historical links." In a statement to CNN broadcast on Sunday, the Jordanian king added: "We are all pleased about this close relationship with Syria." Go

The fourth Arab session on the fight against use of drugs started in Tunis Tuesday with sport experts and doctors from several Arab states attending. The gathering will discuss the dangers of drugs on the health of athletes, the extent of the problem in the Arab states and alternatives to us of drugs. The role of media in facing the phenomenon will be also tackled. Go

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is passing through a very critical phase. He called on the international community to promote these negotiations and give them a push forward. Go

Lebanese intelligence on Tuesday detained two men who are accused of setting up a spy networking and carrying out destruction to benefit the Israeli intelligence. A Lebanese security source said the two men were planning to carry out explosions in Lebanon and to collect information on the moves of the Lebanese army, the Lebanese resistance and political and party figures. Go

Andrea Robinson, the special coordinator for the Middle East peace process at the Canadian Foreign Ministry, met separately with Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss and Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri. Developments in south Lebanon and the Middle East peace process were reviewed along with the situation of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Go

Saudi Arabia decided to ban telephone services for sexual conversations presented under the name of friendship phones. A press statement released by the Saudi embassy in Cairo today said that Riyadh decided to use new technology that allows tracing this kind of calls, separating it from other normal phone lines. The statement added that the Saudi Arabian government began 16 months ago to monitor this contact to combat this issue threatening Saudi youth. Go

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will grant Morocco a loan worth 23 million Euro for drinking water and sanitation projects. The loan will be used to improve drinking water and sanitation networks in Meknes (130 km east of Rabat). The delegation will also visit some EIB-financed projects. Go

Saudi Arabia increased the price of gasoline sold locally from about 16 cents a liter to about 24 cents a liter, Gulf Times reported. Go

Jordan plans to increase trade ties with Libya and explore Libya as a market for expatriate Jordanian labor, Jordan Times reported. Go

Oman has approved the sale for Viagra for prescription use as of June 1, Oman Daily Observer reported. Go

A British team found evidence of an ancient human settlement in an excavation of an archaeological site in Kalba, Khaleej Times reported. Go

The Bahraini authorities captured a shipment of hashish worth 2.5 million Bahraini dinars after a high-speed sea chase, Gulf Daily News reported. Go

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it has vaccinated more than 80,000 Somali children against measles. Go

Faisel El-Husseini, the official in charge of the Jerusalem file in the Palestinian Authority, said that the decrease in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu's popularity made him act like a wounded animal with a dangerous and brutal form. He described the endeavor of Netanyahu's government to close the Palestinian offices in Beit El-Shark (the Orient House) as a serious trend and not a maneuver, because the case is political and not a legal one. Go

Speaker of the chamber of advisors (upper house of the Moroccan parliament), Jalal Essaid, is currently paying an official visit to Malaysia to explore cooperation prospects between the two countries' parliaments. Go

Moroccan prime minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, will pay a two-day work visit to Senegal on May 29. Go

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz met on Tuesday in Jeddah with the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Saudi news agency reported. No details were given. Go

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Tuesday in Kuwait received Japanese Minister of International Trade and Industry Kaoru Yosano. Talks dealt with bilateral relations and means of giving them a push. Go

The Jordanian Ministry of Information has permitted the circulation of the 'Kull al-Arab" (All the Arabs) daily which is published in al-Nasera in Israel. Thereby, this daily is the first paper which is published in Israel and is circulated in Jordan, the Jordanian weekly al-Sabeel reported. Go

The Jordanian weekly al-Hadath saidd that the Jordanian and Israeli sides will resume their negotiations on Jordan's share from al-Yarmouk river waters and Tabaraya lake after Israel has pledged to provide Jordan with its full share of the said waters. Go

The Jordanian weekly al-Majd said that the bar association, and engineers and agronomists unions in Jordan have decided to set up committees to investigate several members of these trade unions under charges of taking part in a reception held by the Israeli embassy in Amman. Go

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat left for Washington on Tuesday carrying a reply message from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to US President Bill Clinton. Erekat said he will deliver the message to the US special envoy on the Middle East, Dennis Ross. Go