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Short Takes:
The Algerians are heading tomorrow to the voting ballots for a referendum on a decision that aims to end political violence in Algeria, as the Algerian citizens will vote on whether they agree on the steps Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is taking to achieve peace and civil rapport. Go

The Chinese deputy foreign minister, Be Dowing is to arrive in Cairo tomorrow within a two-day visit to Egypt. He will be received by Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa as well as meet with the ambassadors accredited in the Middle East. Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Naji Gatrif said there would be talks with Chinese officials concerning the support of bilateral relations and their development, as well as of benefiting from the recent strong push for Egyptian - Chinese relations during, especially after the important and successful visit of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to China in April. Go

Former president of South African Nelson Mandela has asserted that the idea of establishing African unity, a parliament, and an African court of justice are all positive matters, voicing his support for all of them. In an arrival statement with members of his accompanying delegation in Tripoli on Tuesday, Mandela added, "The arrival of this group of presidents from the Organization of African Unity and their meeting in Syrte as well as their agreement to establish an African parliament in the year 2000 are all positive steps. Go

A high-ranking Mauritania official on Tuesday stressed commitment of his government to the choice of Arabization in the context of the new educational reforms which will start as of the new school year. Go

The first coordination meeting of the handicraft promotion program in the Arab states, held by the Arab Organization of Industrial and Mining Development, opened Tuesday in Rabat. Go

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad, and the president of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, held a round of official talks on Tuesday in Kuwait that dealt with several issues of mutual concern and means of developing bilateral relations. Go

A memorandum of understanding was signed on Tuesday between the governments of Jordan and Canada to finance the project on integrated administration of wastewater. The project aims at building a wastewater treatment unit in the Jordanian town of Deir Olaa using modern methods to treat and use the recyled water in agriculture. The Canadian government is contributing to financing this project at a total cost of US $2.4 million. Go

A Moroccan delegation of oil experts will present next week Morocco's oil drilling potentials to some 50 British companies and counsellors. A seminar will be in this connection in the British capital. The delegation, headed by Energy and Mining Minister, Youssef Tahiri, will then fly to the US city of Houston for similar presentations with the American oil companies. Go

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Sheikh Jamil al-Hujeilan revised during his meeting with Marsecllo Pargas, Mexico's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the relations between the GCC states and Mexico and means of supporting them in different areas, especially economic relations. Go

The Armed Islamic Group in Tipaza province, 70 km from the capital, Algiers, has killed three Algerian citizens. The Algerian daily al-Youm said that a bomb implanted in al-Qadereyah district went off as a police patrol passed by. Go

Famous British actor, Roger Moore, renowned for playing the part of James Bond in several action films by Ian Fleming, is expected Friday in Marrakech, southern Morocco, for a visit. Moore, a UNICEF ambassador, will be leading a delegation of businessmen including representatives of major international financial institutions such as Merrill Lynch, Reuters, Barclays Global Investors and Goldman Sachs. Go

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the President of Argentina, Carlos Menem, cancelled an official visit to Israel scheduled in October. The spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry attributed the cancellation of the visit to internal events, in reference to the general elections to be held in Argentina on October 24. Menem's schedule was to visit Israel, as well as Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Go

The Iranian daily Jomhouri Islami said that news reports from the republic of Azerbaijan say that Israel is currently buying Azari lands situated on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The paper added that most of the people of Azerbaijan are worried about this new plan and called on their officials to stand against it. The Iranian paper said that poverty pushes people on Azerbaijan to sell their lands to the Israelis. Go

It was announced in Stockholm on Tuesday that Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson will pay a visit to Israel on October 6 though 9. He will also visit the Palestinian self-rule areas and meet with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Go

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has reiterated his opposition to the return of the Palestinian refugees to the occupied territories, just one day following the beginning of final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian government, in which the question of the Palestinian refugees, is one of the most important debated issues. Go