We are looking for sales & marketing representatives in different countries. Apply now!

Short Takes:
A second round of closed-door talks was held on Tuesday in Algiers between Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, who has been on an official visit to Algeria since Monday. No official statement or certain information was released on the topics debated during the session. Go

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat received yesterday Italian President Carlo Ciampi and his escorting delegation, currently paying an official visit to the Palestine to discuss developments in the peace process and the efforts exerted to push it forward, as well as the European role in pushing these efforts in addition to boosting bilateral relations between Italy and Palestine in different fields. Go

Saudi Arabia's second deputy prime minister, defense minister and general inspector, Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, on Tuesday received a message from the Romanian deputy premier and defense minister, Victor Babiuc. The message was delivered by the Romanian charge de affairs in Saudi Arabia during his meeting with Prince Sultan on Tuesday in Riyadh. Go

Chinese Minister of National Defense Chi Haotian is scheduled to arrive tonight in Damascus, starting a tour of four Middle East countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Syria. The Chinese minister's tour aims at boosting bilateral relations between China and these countries, especially in military fields and attempts to hold transactions to export weapons to those countries, especially short- and long-range missiles. Go

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber al-Thani received on Tuesday a message from the secretary of the executive committee of the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas, on current developments in the Middle East peace process. Go

German minister of labor and social affairs, Walter Riester, is expected in Morocco next saturday on a four day visit. Riester, the first member of the cabinet of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to visit Morocco, will confer with Moroccan officials on the consolidation of bilateral cooperation in the fields of labor, social development, struggle against poverty, social security and integration of the disabled in society. Go

Sultan Qaboos Bin said of Oman on Tuesday received a message from Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of mutual concern. Go

The head of the childhood fund affiliated to UN, Carol Bellamy, started a visit to Iraq yesterday to look into the news which said that children's death exceeded more than doubled what pre-sanctions levels. Go

The enforcement of a national action plan on child labor is the concern of all, said employment minister Khalid Alioua. Opening a seminar on the national plan as well as sectorial ones, he stressed the importance Morocco grants the issue saying it translated into relevant actions within a nation-wide strategy meant to upgrade children's social conditions. Go

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy refused to specify a date for the Israeli forces' withdrawal from south Lebanon saying that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is always consulting with him regarding this matter. Israel Radio said today that Levy was commenting on reports by the mass media that Israel intends to advance the date of its troops' withdrawal from south Lebanon unilaterally to take place before the original date of june 2000 spoken about by Barak. Go

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak stated that 15 of 42 settlements established by settlers in the West Bank without a license will soon be dissolved. Israel's television added that the remaining settlements will not be dissolved, yet their expansion will remain frozen. Go

The meetings of the session of the Chinese - Iraqi joint committee for commercial and economic cooperation started today in Baghdad. Ahmed Rashied, the undersecretary of the industry and minerals ministry, stated that, "The horizons of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of Gas, petroleum, Finance, health, high education, communication, transportation, industry, trade and economy - will be offered and discussed during the meetings which will last for three days." Go

Preliminary estimates of mineral discoveries pointed to the existence of large deposits of gold in three areas in Hadhramaut governorate and in Atma and in Zamar governorate, as well as large quantities of zinc and manganese in Naham area in Sanaa. Go

Three Moroccan tennismen --Younes Al-Aynaoui, Hicham Arazi and Karim Alami-- have become this week among the forty top World tennis players. Al-Aynaoui, World No 28, and Arazi, World No 38, were joined by Alami, who was promoted to the 39th rank, following his brilliant performance in Palermo, Italy, where he reached the semi-final. Go

It was announced in Athens on Tuesday that Greek Foreign Minister Yeoryios Papandoniou will visit capitals of the European Union member states this month in order to discuss lifting Greece's opposition to officially nominate Turkey to the EU membership. Go

The UAE newspaper al-Khaleej quoted French and Saudi sources in Paris today as saying Saudi Arabia will sign a contract to purchase LeClerc tanks worth $3.5 billion US on November 9 during the visit to be paid by Saudi Arabia's second deputy prime minister and defense minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz to Paris. Go

A delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross is currently visiting Algeria to learn the conditions of prisons and communications with political prisoners, important figures and the concerned human rights movements in Algeria. Go

The Arab Economists Union will hold the 29th session of its council on October 18-19 in the Moroccan town of Al-Jadida, 200 km south of Rabat. The council will study the Union's activities report in addition to 40 scientific research projects, presented by Arab economists on the situation in the Arab world. Go