Today's Headlines
- Multilateral negotiations should not replace bilateral tracks
Addressing Tuesday meetings of the Steering Committee of multilateral talks in the Russian capital, Moussa pointed out that Regional cooperation issues depend to a great extent on the achievement of real and sustained progress in the bilateral negotiations and on the continued existence of a positive and conducive environment in the peace process as a whole. "This requires a number of important elements, mainly the faithful and timely implementation of all signed agreements," he said. Regional, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Ben Ali calls for convening an Arab summit
Tunisian President Zine al-Abidin Ben Ali called for convening a comprehensive Arab summit under the slogan "Reconciliation for stability" with the participation of Iraq and Kuwait. Tunisia-Regional, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Yemeni president in Brussels
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in Brussels on Tuesday for a three-day visit to Belgium, during which he will hold talks on "regional and international developments of mutual concern." With high-ranking officials at the headquarters of the European Union and the Belgian government. Yemen-Belgium, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Moroccan-Italian joint working group set up
Morocco and Italy decided to set up a joint working group to give a new momentum to economic cooperation. Morocco-Italy, Economics, 2/2/2000
- Women demonstrate in Kuwait to demand their political rights
A group of Kuwaiti women organized yesterday a large march in front of the cultural association to demand women's political rights on the first day of opening registration for the electoral lists. Kuwait, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Economic cooperation, focus of Italian minister's talks in Morocco
Economic and financial cooperation between Morocco and Italy has been at the focus of talks Italian Foreign Trade Minister Piero Fassino held in Rabat Tuesday with several Cabinet members. Morocco-Italy, Economics, 2/2/2000
- World Bank official visits Egypt
Nostafa Nabli, the senior economist in the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa areas, arrived today in Cairo in the first visit by a high-ranking official in the bank after the agreement on the new cooperation strategy for discussing the role of the international corporation in the future to push forward Egyptian exports and support social development, as well as to apply programs for data and technology development in the country. Egypt-World Bank, Economics, 2/2/2000
- Report: Egypt arranges summit between al-Assad, Arafat
The Jordanian daily al-Arab al-Youm quoted an official source at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry as saying that the Egyptian political leadership is making contacts in preparation for convening a Syrian- Palestinian summit between Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Regional-Palestine, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Israel presents border map of the Palestinian authority
Official Palestinian sources stated that the Israeli government presented to the Palestinians a map of the proposed borders to the Palestinians, depicting the Palestinian Authority's borders in the future. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- List of provisions Israel has yet to honor in its peace agreement with the Palestinians/ document
The negotiations affairs department of the Palestine National Authority released lately a list of provisions and agreements that Israel has so far failed to implement from the set of peace agreements that were signed between the Palestinians and the Jewish state over the years. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Second sessions of Kuwaiti - Egyptian joint supreme committee this month
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa is heading with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, the second session of the Kuwaiti - Egyptian joint committee, scheduled to start on February 21. Egypt-Kuwait, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Prime Minister al-Hoss says Lebanon is proud of ties with Morocco
Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss said he is proud of friendly relations between Lebanon and Morocco and voiced determination to further strengthen ties between the two states. Lebanon-Morocco, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Bahrain crown prince and ME negotiation tracks
Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad al-Khaleifa has asserted that his country gives great priority to all Arab negotiation tracks in the peace process. Bahrain-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Moroccan-Mauritanian parliamentary cooperation discussed in Nouakchott
Means to upgrade Moroccan-Mauritanian parliamentary cooperation were discussed at a meeting in Nouakchott between visiting speaker of the chamber of advisors (upper house of the Moroccan parliament), Jalal Essaid, and speaker of the Mauritanian senate, Diang Bobo Laria. Mauritania-Morocco, Politics, 2/2/2000
- USD 283 million US dollars Italian investment in Egypt
The second round of Egyptian-Italian economic talks has enabled Egypt to obtain investments totalling $ 283 million over the coming three years.The two sides highlighted the importance of Egyptian-Italian cooperation in relation to economic development in Egypt through the current projects at a total cost of $300 million. Egypt-Italy, Economics, 2/2/2000
- Foreign ministers of Islamic states meeting in June
The foreign ministers of the Islamic states will convene in June in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Regional-OIC, Economics, 2/2/2000
- SLA official and the killing of Aqel
The commander of the eastern sector in the pro-Israel South Lebanon Army militia, Col. Nabih Abu Rafe’ has ruled out that soldiers from the SLA collaborated with the Hizbullah in the operation in which Aqel Hashem was killed. Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Bulgarian speaker meets officials in Agadir
The speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Yordan Sokolov, conferred with local officials of the Agadir region (southwestern Morocco) on consolidation of friendship and cooperation ties between Morocco and Bulgaria. Morocco-Bulgaria, Politics, 2/2/2000
- A message from AL chief to Saddam Hussein
Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid has sent a message to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, delivered to the Iraqi representative at the AL, Sultan al-Shawi, who refused to disclose content of the message. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Fighting terrorism, a must
Interior Minister Habib al-Adly paid tribute to the current level of security coordination among Arab Interior Ministers in the fight against terrorism. Egypt, Politics, 2/2/2000
- EU-Syria seminar on vocational education and training for economic development
A seminar held under the title "Vocational education and training for economic development" is being held on February 1 - 3 at the Damascus Meridian Hotel. Syria-European Union, Economics, 2/2/2000
- Four main items on agenda of Palestinian central council's meetings
A Palestinian source in Cairo stated that agenda of the Palestinian central council's meetings, which are starting today in Gaza, include four main items. Palestine, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Establishing a college for Egyptian archeology in Luxor
The council of South the Valley Egyptian university agreed on establishing a college for Egyptian archeology in Luxor city that includes a repair department, pharonic language, and Islamic and Coptic archeology. Egypt, Education, 2/2/2000
- Honduras denies moving its embassy to Jerusalem
The Honduran embassy in Cairo denied published reports concerning moving its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel-Honduras, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Analysts: Moscow multilateral will not enhance Arab trade with Israel
Analysts in Dubai on Tuesday said the multilateral talks which started in Moscow on Tuesday would not give Israel an entry card into the economies of the Arab Gulf states. Regional-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Second Egyptian satellite to be launched in July
It was decided to launch the second Egyptian satellite, Nilesat 102 into space through the European company Arianespace from its Kourou, French Guinea base in South America in July 2000 after finishing all the necessary tests before releasing this satellite into space. Egypt, Business, 2/2/2000
- Mexican senators visit Morocco
A group of Mexican senators from the foreign committee, currently visiting Morocco, reviewed with Moroccan peers reactivation of agreements signed between the two countries in 1991. Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Morocco earmarks $25 million to sports facilities
Morocco will earmark a budget of $ 25 million to sports facilities, in support to Morocco's bid to host the 2006 soccer World Cup. Morocco, Economics, 2/2/2000
- Report: Israel to exchange prisoners and corpses with Palestinians
The Jordanian weekly al-Hadath reported information disclosed by Palestinian opposition sources that expected the possibility of a nearby release of more than 1,500 Palestinian and Arab prisoners from the Israeli jails for the release of an Israeli pilot held in Iran since 1987 and transporting the bodies of three Israeli soldiers killed in al-Sultan Battle in south Lebanon in 1982. Regional-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Israel continues aggressions against south Lebanon
Israeli warplanes on Tuesday raided al-Hijreh mountain area situated between Zibqin and al Shgeifeh in the western sector of south Lebanon. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/2/2000
- On conditions in south Lebanon
Israeli Radio on Tuesday reported that high-ranking military sources in the Israeli army asked for giving the political level the green light so as to be able to react to the recent escalation in south Lebanon, saying the "hands of the army are tightened." Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Israeli officials and the situation in south Lebanon
Israeli Army Radio said on Tuesday that Israel had decided to resort to self-control concerning the situation in Lebanon and will refrain from attacking Lebanese civilian institutions in the surroundings of the capital, Beirut, following the killing of three of its soldiers on Monday in south Lebanon. Regional-Israel, Politics, 2/2/2000
- Archaeological find beneath Koam ad-Dekkah
A major archaeological discovery has been recently made at Koam ad-Dekkah, Alexandria unveiling the features of a complete residential district covering a total area of 40.000 sq. m (13 feddans) dating back to Greco-Roman era. Egypt, Culture, 2/2/2000
- Report: Egypt refuses to mediate between Syria and Israel
Egyptian diplomatic sources in Cairo told the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am on Tuesday that Cairo refused, once again, an Israeli request to mediate for holding a summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. Regional-Egypt, Politics, 2/2/2000
Short Takes
- The Arab committee for supporting Jerusalem held its fourth meeting in the headquarters of the Arab Lawyers Union in Cairo under the chairmanship of Farouk Abu Esah, the committee's secretary general, and with the participation of representatives of the Arab journalists, the solidarity organization of the Asian and African people as well as writers and experts on international law and political science. Go
- Speaker of the Yemeni Parliament, Abdullah al-Ahmar, has praised the level of existing relations between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, stressing that demarcating what is left of borders between the two countries will be ended shortly in light of having "good intentions" between the two states. Go
- Belgian vice-premier and foreign minister, Louis Michel, is expected in Morocco this February 3-6, it was officially announced in Brussels. The Belgian official will meet Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohamed Benaissa and Justice Minister Omar Azziman. Go
- Nine persons were stripped of their Kuwaiti citizenship, including two government officers, after being accused of cooperating with the Iraqi authorities during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Watan said yesterday that among those nine persons are five people who had acquired Kuwaiti citizenship, while the other four were originally Kuwaitis. Go
- Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on Tuesday in Riyadh received former US President Jimmy Carter and members of the accompanying delegation, currently visiting Saudi Arabia. Go
- Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaleifa Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who is also the deputy commander of the armed forces in the United Arab Emirates, met on Tuesday with British Defense Secretary Geoffery Hoon and members of the accompanying delegation in the framework of his tour of several countries in the region. Go
- Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, second vice-chairman of the ministers' council, minister of defense and airforce and chief inspector of the Saudi armed forces, hosted a lunch reception at his residence in Agadir in honor of Prince Moulay Rachid, younger brother of King Mohammed VI. Go
- The speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, on Tuesday in Beirut discussed with Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss the latest developments in south Lebanon. During the meeting, Berri proposed to ask the United Nations to carry out an instant measure in order to learn the real intention of the Israeli measures on the Lebanese borders. Go
- A round of official talks was held in Kuwait on Tuesday between the ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, and President Omar Bongo of Gabon, currently visiting Kuwait on a three-day official visit. Go
- Seven terrorists were killed in confrontations between the Algerian security forces and an armed group in Aghwat city in southern Algeria on Sunday and Monday. Go
- The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am on Tuesday quoted Western sources in the Jordanian capital, Amman, as saying on Tuesday that Syria has refused the entry of Israeli Jews into Syria, having on their heads "the Jewish hats" (yarmulke) during the Syrian- Israeli negotiations in Shepherdstown. These sources added that this issue "of the Jewish heads" was under heated debate between the two sides, and the Syrian side stressed that Jews entering into Syria, following the signing of a peace agreement, wearing "this hat" is not acceptable because this will provoke the Syrian citizens. Go
- Israeli Minister of Industry and Commerce Ran Cohen stated that all sides participating in the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland show great interest in the Middle East peace process on all its tracks. Go
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday toured the border areas in south Lebanon in an attempt to raise the morale of the Israeli soldiers following the attacks launched by the Lebanese resistance during the past few days. Go
- Saudi Minister of Information Fuad Abdul Salaam al-Farisi met on Tuesday in Riyadh with Kuwaiti Information Minister Saad al-Ajami, currently visiting Saudi Arabia. Go
- US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright yesterday called on Syria to try to curb the activities of the Hizbullah Party, Miami Herald reported. Go
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