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Short Takes:
Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir and the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held a bilateral summit today. Sudanese Information Minister Ghazi Salah Al Din told ArabicNews.com that El-Bashir raised with President Mubarak the procedures he took this week in the Sudanese arena and the results of these procedures, as well as means of developing the Sudanese reconciliation discussions through the Egyptian - Libyan initiative. He added that consultations took place concerning the developments witnessed by the Arab arena in light of the Egyptian president's Gulf tour. Go

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Tuesday evening received a telephone call from King Abdullah II of Jordan. The conversation dealt with the peace process after the resumption of talks on the Syrian-Israeli track. The Jordanian king expressed Jordan's backing and support for Syria's efforts to restore its occupied territories and usurped rights and the establishment of just and comprehensive peace. Go

Moroccan sources in Cairo said that King Mohamed VI will make an Arab and Gulf tour at the end of current month that will include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Egypt, adding that the leaders of the four countries with the developments in Morocco and in the Western Sahara is issue of conflict between Morocco and Polisario. Go

King Mohammed VI arrived in Fez Tuesday evening coming from Oujda in northeastern Morocco. During his stay in the border city, the king launched several socioeconomic projects, mainly electric and drinking water production and supply systems, and visited the city home for the elderly where he greeted inmates and handed out foodstuffs for the needy. Go

Goma El-Ghazani, Libya's permanent delegate to the Arab League, said that the Egyptian - Libyan initiative concerning national rapport in Sudan is still continuous and has all potentials of achieving reconciliation and peace in Sudan. In press statemetns after his meeting today with Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid, El-Ghazani said, "We are sure that the Sudanese national elements will achieve rapport to confront the two obstacles confronting achieving the reconciliation." Go

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, who arrived in Cairo last night on a two-day official visit, during which he discussed the current developments in the peace process in light of the resumption of Syrian - Israeli peace negotiations. The discussions also tackled means of boosting cooperation between the two countries, increasing commercial exchange and investments as well as the French - African summit that will be held in Paris at the beginning of the coming year. Go

The Egyptian commercial office in Malaysia succeeded in marketing the date and orange crops in the Malaysia market for the first time. A statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Economy said this step comes after a small economic forum organized by the office for businessmen in Malaysia to increase the cooperation between Cairo and Kuala Lampur, adding that the office made this step after noticing that banks of Southeast Asian countries do not present banking credit against the risks of imports, which obstructs the commercial exchange process. Go

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak held a sudden meeting last night in Ramallah in the West Bank. The talks - which lasted 2 hours - tackled the frame agreement draft for the final settlement and specifying the sectors from which Israel should withdraw in the west Bank on 15th of last November according to Sharm El-Sheikh accord as well as releasing the third group of the Palestinian prisoners. Go

Ambassador Gomea El-Ghazani, Libya's permanent representative at the Arab League, paid the rest of his country's share in the AL's budget for 1999, which reaches more than a million dollars so that Libya's share is completed. The share is estimated at 2.9 million, 12% of the league's total budget, which is $27.6 million so that this share will be specified for paying the salaries of the AL's employees and its organizations abroad. Go

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh renewed his call for convening an Arab summit to regain Arab solidarity, saying it is an urgent national necessity for confronting all challenges and discussing all issues concerning the Arab states, adhering to overcoming disputes, and looking forward a better future for joint Arab work which establishs correct inter-Arab relations based on mutual respect and not interfering one anothers' internal affairs to achieving the supreme national interests. Go

The round of Syrian - Israeli peace talks scheduled to begin on January 3 are to take place at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced yesterday in a statement. Go

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy expressed his hope of reaching an agreement on a declaration of principles to be signed during the coming round of Syrian - Israeli negotiations which are scheduled to begin on January 2 near Washington. In a statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry yesterday Levy said this agreement will be a framework for the peace agreement between Syria and Israel. Go

The Arab League accused Israel yesterday of seeking to confiscate parts of Al Aqsa mosque's area in occupied Jerusalem, aiming at rebuilding Soliman's Temple. Saeed Kamal, the AL assistant secretary general for Palestinian affairs, stated that the league received reports concerning this matter from some Arab states assuring the importance of the AL's immediate move to prevent this new work against Al Aqsa mosque. Go

The Yemeni Cabinet met yesterday and approved three items on its agenda: the creation of "a circle for oil investment in the regulatory by-law of the general corporation for oil and gas," participation with the Agip company in production in Shabwah governorate, and the draft law on labor syndicates, Saba reported, adding that the measures were passed on for finalization. Go

Morocco is "a very strong" candidate to host the final rounds of the 2006 World football Cup, German Ambassador to Morocco, Hans-Dieter Scheel, said. Go

The Bahraini Shoura Council yesterday approved the merger of Bapco and the Bahrain National Oil Company (Banoco), Gulf Daily News reported. Go

The Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade will hold an auction for gold bars and jewelers at the beginning of the coming month. Egyptian Minister of Supply Hassan Ali Khedr said the value of the pieces displayed reaches 4 million L.E., and these pieces will be sold according to many judicial provisions or confiscation's of Egyptian customs, saying that these pieces will be sold at the prices of the Egyptian market. Go

The Israeli army's general staff started yesterday presenting a withdrawal plan from Lebanon named "A New Horizon" to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Go

Omani Interior Minister Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud al Busaidi sent a message to UAE Defense Minister and Dubai Crown Prince General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum regatding bilateral relations and strengthening them, Oman News Agency reported. Go

Newly appointed North Korean ambassador to Morocco, Paek Yong Ho, on Monday handed copies of his credentials to Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa. Go