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Short Takes:
Egyptian President Honsi Mubarak arrived today at Cairo after a short recovery in France. The Egyptian president visited France after the EgyptAir plane crash, and he said he was undergoing a medical checkup. It was noticed lately that the Egyptian president's sense of hearing seemed to have been affected, especially during press conferences, as he demanded more than once the repetition of journalists' questions. Go

U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is due to pay a short visit to Ramallah where she will meet Suha Arafat, spouse of Palestinian president Yasser Arafat, and a number of Palestinian officials. Palestinian Radio said First Lady Clinton will also visit some projects currently under construction in Ramallah. Clinton had not visited Ramallah when she accompanied her husband a year ago to Gaza and Bethlehem. Go

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine is starting tomorrow his visit to Cairo coming from Beirut on a two-day official visit heading an official delegation at the conclusion of his visits to Syria and Lebanon. Go

The United Nations General Assembly yesterday adopted by consensus a resolution welcoming the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. the Assembly also called for the international community to provide assistance to the Bethlehem 2000 project. Go

Israel Radio said on Wednesday that Syrian official sides concerned consider that Israel is about to approve "the inclusion of the June 4, 1967 border line in the new formula which will be crystallized between the Syrian and Israeli sides." Israeli Radio on Wednesday quoted a high ranking Israeli politicians as saying to the Israeli daily Maariv, "We will know in the few coming days whether there will be a real breakthrough towards resuming negotiations with Syria, or not." Go

The Algerian daily al-Bilad issued on Wednesday said, quoting Arab diplomatic sources, that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika received promises from the Arab leaders in the Arab Maghreb and the Arab Gulf states on the importance of convening an Arab summit in Algiers. These sources asserted that the visits held by Arab delegates to President Bouteflika fall in this context. Go

Libyan leader Col. Moammarar Gaddafi and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni discussed in a meeting they held in Tripoli on Tuesday night the latest developments in Africa and the necessary steps to achieve security and stability there. The Ugandan president said in an arrival statement in Tripoli that he will hold with Gaddafi consultations pertaining to African issues. Go

Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi will pay this November 13-15 a visit to Libya where he will co-chair with peer Mohamed Ahmed Al Mankouch, the 4th session of the high joint commission. A statement of the prime minister's office said Youssoufi will be accompanied by a delegation including Cabinet members, businessmen and journalists. Go

United Arab Emirates Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Tuesday reiterated his country's stand on making direct negotiations with Iran over the three Gulf islands under dispute between the two sides. News reports in Abu Dhabi said that Sheikh Abdullah indicated in a cultural symposium in Algiers, where he is on an official visit, that the UAE has the right to debate this issue at the International Court of Justice, but prefers to resort to a regional solution to settle the dispute over the three islands of Abu Mousa, Greater Tanb and Lesser Tanb. Go

King Mohammed VI received in Marrakech Wednesday afternoon the speaker of the French Senate, Christian Poncelet. The meeting was attended by speaker of the Moroccan Chamber of Advisors (upper house), Jalal Essaid, and France's ambassador to Morocco, Michel De Bonnecorse. Go

British Prime Minister Tony Blair met on Tuesday evening in London with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and discussed with him developments in negotiations between the Palestinian government and Israel. A spokesman for the British government said on Wednesday that Arafat signed a license for the British Gas company for gas exploration near the coast of the Gaza Strip at a cost of US $40 million. Go

King Mohammed VI on Thursday received former interior minister, Driss Basri, whom he thanked for services rendered to the Alawit throne, Spokesman of the Royal Palace, Hassan Aourid said. The King decorated Basri with the Grand Cordon of the Throne Wissam, as a sign of recognition for his dedication and self-denial, the spokesman said. Go

The opposition Union of Democratic Forces-New Era in Mauritania has strongly condemned the step taken by the government in Mauritania to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, stressing that this step was a violation of Arab consensus and AL decisions and a denunciation of Mauritania's identity, civilization and cultural heritage. Go

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has proposed hosting the talks among the Sudanese sides. He stated this does not constitute a reconciliation attempt against the two other mediation attempts carried out by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and each of Libya and Egypt. The Sudanese minister added that his government did not receive any request from the Egyptian-Libyan mediation committee to visit Khartoum to become acquainted with the position taken by the Sudanese government. Go

A Moroccan business delegation will travel to Toronto, Canada, (Nov. 13-15) and New York (Nov.15-18) to explore export possibilities in the North American market. Organized by the Moroccan exports promotion center "CMPE," the delegation comprises executives from over 15 Moroccan enterprises of textile and leather. Go

Omani Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Ahmed bin Khalfan al Rawahi said yesterday in an interview with Omani television that Oman has a five-year plan to improve its agriculture and fisheries sectors to contribute to the economy, Oman News Agency reported. Go

The spokesman for the United Nations secretary general said yesterday that a $10 million program has been established to provide aid to those living in the Sudanese Nuba Mountains. The program will be part of the humanitarian Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal for the Sudan for the year 2000. Go

Official statistics issued by the Tunisian central bank showed that transfers from Tunisians working abroad reached 786.1 million dinars ($655.1 million US) during the first nine months of the current year, while they reached 690.8 million dinars in the same period of last year. The transfers from the Tunisians abroad are considered the second-biggest source of Tunisian net income in foreign currency after tourism, and there are nearly 610,000 Tunisians living abroad, among which 75% are in Europe. Go

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday appointed Major General John Vize of Ireland as Force Commander of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM). The appointment will take effect as of December 1, with Maj. Gen. Vise replacing Major General Esa Tarvainen of Finland, who took over the post in December 1997. Go