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Short Takes:
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held two meetings on Wednesday in Cairo with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. One was plenary, attended on the Egyptian side by Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and the Egyptian President's advisor for political affairs, Osama El-Baz, while the Palestinian side was attended by members of the delegation accompanying Arafat. Go

The Arab Gulf states welcomed today the decision made by Bahrain and Qatar concerning settling their border dispute peacefully, as the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council states (GCC) , Jamil El-Hujeilan welcomed the decision and its fruitful results which establish cooperation among the GCC member states. Go

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on Wednesday received a message from Iranian President Muhammad Khatami pertaining to the Islamic Development Bank and means of strengthening cooperation among the Islamic states in joint financing of projects which are beneficial to the Islamic states. Go

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz received a message from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. No information was disclosed on the contents of the message. Go

The independent Sudanese newspaper El-Rae El-Akhar resumed its work after a stoppage of 110 days due to the Sudanese authorities' accusation against the newspaper of contesting El-Jihad's values and abusing the nation, the armed forces and the public defense troops. Go

Ahmed Abd El Halim, the Sudanese ambassador to Cairo, expressed the thanks and appreciation of the Sudanese Cabinet and Shura council toward Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for his stances toward Sudan in the latest events. He said the Sudanese Cabinet decided to implement all the agreements reached with Egypt during the visit of Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir to Egypt that were included in the joint concluding statement between the two states. Go

French Employment and Solidarity Minister Martine Aubry will visit Morocco next January 17-18, Ahmed Ghayet, a Moroccan-born French national who is advisor for integration at Aubry's department told MAP's Paris office. Go

An officer of the Territory Surveillance Directorate "DST" (counterespionage) appeared before the Rabat-appeal court for arson, theft and destruction of public authority documents. Go

Qatar has approved in principle the construction of the Gulf state's first Christian church, Gulf Times quoted the Italian ambassador to Qatar, Ignazio Di Pace, as saying, adding that the church will be Catholic. Go

King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia expressed his sorrow toward the problems of war and persecution to which Moslems in the world are exposed, especially the attacks in Chechnya by Russian troops. Go

Matin Hadlo, manger of the regional bureau of UNESCO in Amman denied reports concerning a UNESCO attempt to establish an Israeli- Jordanian regional radio located in Amman, saying this has nothing to do with truth. Go

The travel guidance unit in the Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned Egyptian citizens against travelling to Sierra Leone at the present due to the circumstances of civil war and the stumbled peace there. Go

It was announced in Tel Aviv on Wednesday that Russian President Boris Yeltsin will arrive in Israel at the end of next week in a visit to Israel described by the Israeli sources as historic. Go

Legislation and administrative measures will never manage to prohibit alcoholic beverages sales, Interior Minister Ahmed Midaoui said. Midaoui was telling the house of representatives Wednesday how selling-licenses were delivered mainly for economic reasons. Tourism, trade with other countries and the presence of foreign communities in the country are the only reasons for the sale of beverages prohibited by Islam, he said, insisting sanction is not the best way to restrict use but rather preventive measures. Go

Interior Minister Ahmed Midaoui said Wednesday repressive measures were not enough to stop illegal immigration and that constant and serious action was required to put an end to the phenomenon which hurts Moroccan pride. Go

Egypt decided not to legally ban viagra tablets after their popularity in the back market due to the embargo imposed on its use, as the Egyptian Health Ministry agreed to allowing the medicine's use in a limited way for persons under medical care. Go

Tariffs on e-mail and GSM service in Oman are to be reduced as of January 1, according to the Oman Telecommunications Company, Oman Daily Observer reported. Go

The RAJA football club of Casablanca lost in Rio De Janeiro Wednesday at the Maracana Stadium a friendly game to the local Vasco Da Gama (1-4). Go