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Short Takes:
Bahraini Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met today in Abu Dhabi with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan an-Nahyan, Gulf News Agency reported, adding that the two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as Gulf and Arab issues. Go

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who is also deputy premier and head of the Saudi national guard, is currently paying an official visit to Tunis to hold talks with Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Ben Ali that tackle bilateral relations and the situation in the Arab Maghreb area, as well as developments in the Arab areas. Crown Prince Abdullah started a tour of some of the Arab Maghreb states. Go

Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Said on Wednesday received a message from the president of Gabon, Omar Bongo, pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of mutual concern. Go

The Egyptian ambassador to Israel, Mohammed Bassiouni, said yesterday to al-Ahram that Israel does not hinder the start of multilateral negotiations. He said that despite accusations from Israeli political sources, Egypt doesn't hinder the talks but believes that progress in bilateral peace talks will precede multilateral talks. Bassiouni added that a breakthrough must be achieved on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks before the resumption of multilateral talks. Go

King Abdullah II of Jordan said the bureaus of the Hamas resistance movement in Jordan will remain closed, saying in statements to reporters yesterday that the procedures taken by the Jordanian government against Hamas form an issue that concerns the two sides only, and the government is the one which seeks the suitable solution to the problem. Go

Moroccan Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Handicrafts Alami Tazi met yesterday with Ahmed Amir Fath Allah, Egypt's ambassador in Morocco, to prepare for a three-day visit scheduled to be paid by the Moroccan minister to Egypt starting on October 14 according to the invitation made by Egyptian Minister of Trade and Supply Ahmed Goweili. Go

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met in Gaza on Wednesday with a British parliamentary delegation currently visiting the Palestinian Authority. Israel Radio said the two sides reviewed the development of negotiations between the Palestinian government and Israel as well as relations with Britain. Go

The chairman of the Iranian Shoura council, Nateq Nouri, is to make an official visit to Saudi Arabia next Sunday on top of an official delegation including several Cabinet ministers and high-ranking Iranian officials. Go

Switzerland's foreign minister arrived in Algeria on Wednesday for a two day visit. During the visit, the Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss will meet with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, as well as with Algeria's prime minister and parliament speaker to discuss means of developing and strengthening cooperation relations between the two countries. Go

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has expressed her optimism over the possibility of achieving a progress on the Syrian track. AFP quoted Albright as saying upon her arrival in San Francisco on Tuesday that peace on this track can be achieved if the key to open the door is found. Go

"The Law will always prevail over injustice," reads a message by King Mohammed VI to President Mubarak of Egypt which is celebrating the anniversary of the October 1973 war victory. Go

Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul al-Illah al-Khatib met yesterday in Amman with Palestinian Minister of Planning Nabil Shaath, as they discussed the latest developments in the peace process and Israeli - Palestinian negotiations on different important aspects of the Wye River accord. Go

Iraq will be allowed to purchase cold storage trucks for transporting medicines and heat-sensitive relief supplies within the oil-for-food program. Go

Morocco and the Canadian French-speaking province of Quebec have put the final touches to a bilateral convention for social security of Moroccan nationals living in the province. The convention is expected to be signed in the beginning of 2000. Go

Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Ran Cohen and his Palestinian counterpart, Sa'di Alkrunz, agreed during their meeting today on forming a supreme joint committee entitled to follow up on the establishment of joint industrial areas. Israel Radio said today that Cohen had a tour yesterday evening of the industrial zone location intended to be established near the city of Jenin. Go

Bahraini Defense Minister Sheikh Khaleifa Bin Ahmad al-Khaleifa met on Wednesday in Manama with the head of the US Central Command, General Anthony Zinni, and members of his accompanying delegation, currently visiting Bahrain. Go