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Today's Headlines
- Mubarak, Ciampi discuss Israel's attacks against Lebanon
President Hosni Mubarak discussed with Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi the difficulties facing the peace process such as deterioration of the situation on the Lebanese front after the latest Israeli attacks. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Message from Ben Ali to Gaddafi
Colonel Moammar Gaddafi of Libya received a message from Tunisian President Zein El-Abidin Ben Ali that tackles the regional and international developments. Libya, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Al-Sharaa's message to UN chief holds Israel responsible for ME peace stumbling
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa said the "Power arrogance in Israel has reached the extent where aggressor has been changed into a victim and the real victim, who defends his/ her land, into an aggressor according to the Israeli criteria." Syria, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Serious retreat in Middle East peace ; Italy - Egypt issues
Addressing a press conference with his Italian counterpart Lamberto Dini, Moussa said that the Italians felt the serious retreat in the Middle East peace process. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Meetings of Egyptian - Jordanian committee commence today
Works of the joint supreme Egyptian - Jordanian committee started today in Cairo under the leadership of Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid and his Jordanian counterpart, Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Al-Rawabdeh, Moussa meet Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000
- El-Mahdi asks Garang to specify clear position on Egyptian - Libyan initiative
El-Sadek El-Mahdi, head of the Sudanese opposition Ummah Party, asserted that the Egyptian - Libyan initiative concerning Sudan had achieved numerous positive results. Sudan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Sudanese government ready to discuss separation of religion and state
Sudanese Vice President Ali Ossman Mohammed Taha stated yesterday the government's readiness to discuss separating between religion and the country with the rebels of southern Sudan. Sudan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Yemeni president confers with Saudi army official
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday received the chief of staff in Saudi Arabia, Lt. Gen. Saleh Bin Ali al-Mahya. Yemen, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Pope to observe mass for the sake of Iraq
Pope John Paul II announced on Wednesday that he will hold a special mass for Iraq in the Vatican next week due to the fact he could not visit Baghdad as he had hoped. Iraq, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Sudanese president in Qatar after concluding visit to Kuwait
A round of official talks was held on Wednesday in Doha between Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani and Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, currently visiting Doha. Sudan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia voice will to boost Maghreban Union
King Mohammed VI of Morocco, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria and President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia voiced in an exchange of messages the will to enhance the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), which marks this Thursday its 11th anniversary. Maghreb Region, Politics, 2/17/2000 - President of Comoro islands sends message to King Mohammed
President of the Comoros islands Azali Assoumani has sent a message to King Mohammed VI. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Interior minister meets World Bank executives
Moroccan Interior Minister Ahmed Midaoui on Wednesday conferred with a World Bank (WB) delegation on aspects of cooperation between Rabat and the Bretton Woods institution. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Preparations continue on convening African - European summit
The African - European summit that will be organized by the Organization of African Unity will he held in Cairo on March 3 - 4 to discuss establishing a fruitful partnership between the two sides. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - COMESA 2000, good initiative for economic cooperation
Moussa said that the COMESA grouping represent 21 states, in which 500 million people live in Africa and is considered as one of the most important gatherings in the black continent. Regional, Economics, 2/17/2000 - US predicts Syrian- Israeli negotiations not to be resumed soon
The US has stated that there is no reason to have the belief that the Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations, frozen for one month, will be resumed shortly. Syria, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Report: Barak may approve withdrawal to June 4, 1967 borders
The Israeli daily Maariv said on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has remarked on the possibility of approving Damascus' request to return back to the June 4, 1967 border line. Syria, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Egypt resents Israeli aggression against Lebanon
"Egypt will also hold contacts with the US, the EU and other parties concerned," he expounded. Baz also expressed Egypt's resentment regarding recent Israel aggressions against Lebanon, causing much damage to the Lebanese people. Baz also voiced hope in improving peace process atmosphere along with rebuilding confidence. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Arab League call on UN remove obstacles before Iraq
The Arab League has called on the UN Security Council to reconsider the obstacles placed by the US and Britain before the implementation of the oil-for-food concerning Iraq. Iraq, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Moroccan foreign minister meets WTO chief in Bangkok
The possibility of setting up in Morocco a training and information center for African countries on issues related to world trade, globalization and relations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) was discussed at a meeting in Bangkok Wednesday between Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mohamed Benaissa and WTO Director General Mike Moore. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Nineteen Moroccan Sahrawis flee Tindouf camps, return to Morocco
Some 19 Moroccan Sahrawis have fled the sequestration camps of Tindouf (southwestern Algeria) and returned to Morocco, in response to the royal call "The country is clement and forgiving." Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Woman in Qatar gets the right to be lawyer for the first time
The Qatari authorities have for the first time given a woman the right to practice law in Qatar, according to the Qatari daily al-Sharq on Wednesday. Qatar, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Patriarch Istafanos: Vatican Pope sees Egypt model of national Unity
In a statement issued on the occasion of a visit to be paid by Pope of the Vatican John Paul II to Egypt on February 24-26, Patriarch Istafanos II, the Patriarch of Catholic Copts, stressed that the Pope sees Egypt as a wonderful and unique model of national unity. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Israel and Jordanian workers
The Israeli Hebrew-language radio said on Wednesday that the Israeli ministry of the interior and the police have abstained so far from enforcing rules on Jordanian workers who work in Israel and stay there in violation of Israeli laws. Jordan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Spanish agriculture minister in Morocco
Spanish Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Jesus Posada started this Thursday a short visit to Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Egypt calls upon advanced countries to honour pledges
Egypt anew called upon advanced countries to deliver on their pledges towards the developing countries as cited in the agreements reached during Uruguay round of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Egypt, Economics, 2/17/2000 - Nasrallah assures continuing the katyusha
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Lebanon's Hizbullah Party, asserted that the katyusha weapons will remain to confront the Israeli occupation troops. Lebanon, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Jordan, UAE voice backing for ME peace process
King Abdullah II of Jordan has underlined the importance of achieving progress on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks to as the two countries can restore back their occupied territories according to the international legitimacy resolutions concerned. Jordan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Spanish mea culpa over El Ejido racist incidents
"We should all be self-critical over the El Ejido incidents, and we have taken note of errors to avoid that this occurs again," said the head of Andalusia autonomous government, Manuel Chaves. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - New round of negotiations between southern opposition, Sudanese government
Mansour Khaled, the advisor of the head of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, asserted that a new round of negotiations between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army will be held on February 21 in Nairobi. Sudan, Politics, 2/17/2000 - Moroccan-Thai cooperation discussed in Bangkok
Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohamed Benaissa held a meeting in Bangkok Wednesday with his Thai peer, Surin Pitsuwan and with speaker of the Thai parliament, Wan Mohammad Nour Matha. Benaissa voiced hope to see Moroccan-Thai economic and commercial relations Morocco, Politics, 2/17/2000 - World Bank chief calls for equal partnership in new world system
The president of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn, pleaded Wednesday for equal partnership in the new world system. Regional, Economics, 2/17/2000 - Telephone expansion under way in Sudan
The Sudanese telecommunications company, Sudatel, has launched a short-term program to broaden its customer base, the pan-African news agency PANA reported. Sudan, Business, 2/17/2000 - Sudan's cereal prices show dramatic hike
Sudan's cereal market has shown a dramatic price hike in the last three weeks. Sudan, Economics, 2/17/2000 - Egyptian police officer demands right of asylum in Switzerland
The Egyptian authorities prevented yesterday an Egyptian police officer from presenting a request to get the right of asylum in Switzerland on allegations he was exposed to threats although he got an entry visa from Switzerland's embassy in Cairo that is valid for 16 months. Egypt, Politics, 2/17/2000
Short Takes
- Osama El-Baz, advisor to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for political affairs assured Egypt's and the Arab world's opposition to the US support for Israel's retention of its military superiority over the Arab states. Yesterday, El-Baz said this supremacy disturbs the balance in the area and threatens peace and security in Middle East as well as pushes its countries to get into an arms race, adding that it tempts the Israelis to use aggression to settle any dispute with the Arabs, saying that achieving security in the area in the post-peace stage requires that Israel end its military nuclear program in a specific time period. Go
- Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday in Amman received Moldova's foreign minister who handed him a message from the president of Moldavia, dealing with his country's desire to strengthen bilateral relations with Jordan in various fields, especially in the economic areas. Go
- The Lower House of the Jordanian Parliament voted to dismiss corruption charges against Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh, Jordan Times reported, adding that 68 of 72 deputies voted to dismiss the charges. Go
- A three-day meeting concerning democracy and Islam will be held in Algeria starting on March 20. Official sources in the supreme Islamic council in Algeria said yesterday that they addressed invitations to some religions figures and thinkers in the Western and Arab countries and that among the personalities is the Sheikk of Al Azhar, Mohammed Sayed Tantawi; French intellectual Roger Garoudy, head of Islam and the West association; as well as the thinker Ingmar Carleson. Go
- The Moroccan secretary of state for cooperation, Ms. Aicha Belarbi, flies this Thursday to Lesotho to represent King Mohammed VI in the wedding ceremony of this country's King Lestie III. On route to Lesotho, Belarbi will make a stopover in South Africa, where she will confer with Aziz Pahad, South African deputy minister of foreign affairs. Go
- The political bureau of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine held a meeting yesterday to discuss a call to form a new national council with the participation of all the political powers to keep the Palestinian identity in a unified framework for the Palestinian people. They urged in a press statement today to stop the negotiations with Israel and form or elect a Palestinian national council in which all power and political movements in the Palestinian arena participate to make a comprehensive political and organizational review of the Palestinian National Authority's work during the recent years. Go
- In the context of intensive efforts exerted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so as to put a stop to the problem of land mines in Egypt, Foreign Minister Amr Moussa will receive the UN mission to appraise the problem in question. It is noteworthy that the UN mission had paid a visit to Alamen area and got acquainted with the size of the perilous problem of mines which impedes the plan of reclaiming the western desert. Go
- Public Prosecutor Justice Maher Abdel-Wahed made it certain that no one to be found guilty in Al-Kosheh incidents would escape trial. "Relevant investigations are still on," he added, pointing out that trade problems between Muslims and Christians lie behind the outbreak of events in Al-Kosheh village and Dar El-Salam. "These events are being utilized by some foreign quarters in marring Egypt's reputation in the west," he added. Go
- The chief of the Israeli army, Shaul Mofaz has admitted that soldiers have feelings of great concern and fear due to the damage and losses inflicted on them, resulting from the operations carried out by the Lebanese resistance in the occupied part of south Lebanon. Go
- Israeli sources have stated that the Israeli Army continues work to implement the well-known withdrawal plan known as Ofik Hadash according to only one scenario which says that the withdrawal will be made in July. Go
- The Qatari armed forces' chief of staff, Hamad Bin Ali al-Atiyeh, met on Wednesday in Doha with the deputy commander of the US third army in the central command, Lt. Gen. Warren Edward, currently visiting Doha. Go