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Short Takes:
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed Egypt's hope for reaching final status negotiations in the framework which is agreed upon to reach a fair solution to all aspects of the Palestinian cause as the substance of the Middle East problem and the cornerstone for a just and comprehensive peace, as well as equal security for all countries and peoples of the area without discrimination. Go

Yemeni Prime Minister Abdul Karam al-Iryani met with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, Saba reported yesterday, adding that the talks addressed the results of the joint Egyptian - Yemeni committee and regional issues of mutual concern. It also said Moussa delivered a message from Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid. Go

President Hafez al-Assad on Sunday called on all Syrian citizens to pray for rain at 9:30 a.m. next Friday at the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and all over the country's provinces, begging the Almighty God to bring rain.The President's call was extended by the Syrian of al-Awqaf ministry ( Islamic trusts) to all citizens saying that the call of President al-Assad was made as a result of the delay in the seasonal rain this year. Go

The Sudanese government said yesterday that an explosion took place on November 27 in eastern Sudan that caused damage to a pipeline for transporting petroleum between Port Sudan and Khartoum. Sudanese Minister of Energy Awad Al-Jaz said the pipeline, which provides most of Sudan with its petroleum needs, is expected to be fixed today, but the Sudanese minister did not specify who was behind this assault, which is considered the second in less than three months. Go

Tunisian President Zein El-Abidin Ben Ali is receiving Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid tomorrow during the two-day visit he is paying to Egypt starting today. A Tunisian source in Cairo said the meeting will tackle the developments in the area, and means of enhancing joint Arab cooperation in all fields. Go

Yemen and Eritrea will announce on December 17 the final decision on maritime borders, the Yemeni news agency, Saba, reported arbitration committee member Ahmed Al-Goshairi as saying. Go

Sudanese Minister of Tourism and Environment Mohamed Tahir Eila and Minister of Culture and Information Ameen Hassan Omar arrived in Bahrain on Sunday evening for a short visit, Gulf News Agency reported. Go

Lee Ti Ying, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo how is heading a delegation of his party's members on a visit to Syria, met with the regional secretary of Syria's Baath Arab Socialist Party, Suleiman Qaddah, SANA reported. It added that the two sides discussed relations between the two parties and their countries and the Middle East peace process. Go

The EU- ME special envoy Miguel Angel Moratinos arrives in Beirut today (Monday) in a two-day visit to Lebanon. Go

The cities of Marrakesh (Morocco) and Dir Ballah (Palestine) signed in Marrakesh over the weekend a convention opening cooperation between the two town councils in technical and artistic fields and in the management of local affairs. Under the convention, the two sides will set up a joint committee to follow up the convention's enforcement. Go

Low oil prices and reduced sales combined to reduce trade during 1998 between the Gulf Cooperation Council's six member states and Japan by 23.9%, Gulf News reported. The report added that trade fell from $41.26 billion in 1997 to $31.69 billion in 1998, including a drop in the value of crude oil imports from $24.85 billion to $16.22 (34.73%) despite a drop of only 2.98% in the amount of oil imported. Go

US President Bill Clinton signed the new US budget today afternoon, which contains aid to the Palestinian Authority as called for in the Wye River agreement. Go