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Short Takes:
At the directives of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, the Syrian government has decided to send urgent humanitarian aid to Turkey following the violent earthquake which hit several Turkish areas and resulted in heavy human and material casualties. On Thursday afternoon, the Syrian prime minister received the Turkish ambassador in Damascus and told him about the decision of the Syrian government to send urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Turkey. The Turkish ambassador conveyed greetings from Turkey's people and government to President al-Assad for sending a message of commiseration and condolences to the Turkish president and people on the victims of the earthquake. Go

Israel Radio said today that US Senator Arlen Specter said he had felt in Syrian President Hafez al-Assad during his recent meeting with him in Damascus "seriousness and readiness to resume negotiations with Israel." In a press conference he held in occupied Jerusalem today, Spector said Syria and Israel are passing a decisive phase pertaining to resuming negotiations in light of the formation of a new government in Israel. Go

Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi met in Rabat on Thursday with William Eagleton, special representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for the Sahara. Go

Moroccan King Mohammed the Six chaired yesterday the meeting of the administrative council for the solidarity corporation of King Mohammed the 5th, that was built by the late king El-Hassan the second, so as to combat poverty in the country. According to what was announced by the spokesman of the royal palace today, the council has discussed the establishment of a week for solidarity along with being committed to principals of transparency, credibility, brotherhood spirit and equality between the Moroccan people. Go

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, started on Thursday a visit to Morocco. Sheikh Hamdan and the delegation accompanying him were welcomed at the airport by royal advisor Allal Sinaceur, Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdelkbir Alaoui Mdaghri, and Minister in charge of Maghreban, Arab and Islamic Affairs Abdeslam Znined. Go

Jordanian Interior Minister Nayef al-Qadi met yesterday in Amman with Comoran Vice President Mohmmad Farhan to discuss bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of security, Petra reported. Go

The Palestinian Authority and Israel signed an agreement Wednesday that will help shorten the time for delivery of mail from the Palestinian areas to Jordan and Egypt, inside the PA and between Israel and the PA, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's media advisor said. Go

Algeria's Sonelgaz and the Abu Dhabi Development Fund signed on Wednesday an agreement for a $20 million loan at 3.5% interest annual, payable over 15 years, with which the Algerian company will help construct the Hamma power station, Algerian News Agency reported. Go

Yemen's Civil Aviation and Meteorology General Authority, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association signed an agreement for an international team to visit Yemen's two international airports to learn about the steps being taken to prepare for any potential problems resulting from computer systems that incorrectly recognize the date next year as 1900 instead of 2000. The agreement also covers exchanges of information about the problem. Go

King Mohammed VI received in Rabat Thursday afternoon a delegation representing national federations of Muslims in France and Spain. Go

A security source in Beirut who follows up on investigations into the assassination of Hizbullah Party military official Ali Deeb, known as Abu Hassan Khudr Salamah, said that Israel had used a reconnaissance M.K. plane without pilot to detonate the two explosives which targeted the car of the late Hizbullah military leader while he was inside his car. The political source told the London-based al-Hayat daily that the investigation has preliminary information that affirms that Israel detonated the two explosives from the air by a reconnaissance plane which was flying over al-Nabatieh, and the two explosives were placed upon Deep's passing by. Go

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah left for London on Wednesday in a private visit to undergo medical tests, according to Kuwaiti official sources. Two years ago Sheikh Saad underwent surgery in Kuwait. He had been under several medical tests in the US and Britain. Go