Today's Headlines
- Moroccan expert criticizes shortcomings of Arab human rights charter
He went on that the committee he chairs had the ambition to draw a charter that is more attuned to international legality and to the world's openness and democratic progress Regional-Morocco, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Analysts: reforming Syria's economy needs acceleration and revitalization
Diplomats and analysts said that Syria needs more exerted efforts and greater speed to open up its economy which is controlled by the state, despite the return back of private banks to Syria after 40 years of absence. Syria, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Arab experts in Beirut, Doha discuss educational reforms
Representatives for the private and public educational sectors from 21 Arab countries discussed in Beirut for the first time means of developing educational and learning curricula denied that such efforts for reforms are a result of foreign pressures especially the American pressures. Regional, Education, 2/21/2004
- Kuwait calls for understanding western demands for reforms; Moussa: the reforms will fail if not fully discussed
The secretary general of the Arab League (AL), Amr Moussa, considered that the American and European initiatives for political and democratic reforms in the Middle East "are incomplete" because they do not tackle the Arab- Israeli conflict. He said that there is no "opportunity" for initiatives that are not discussed with the parties concerned. Kuwait, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Syrian- UAE first tourism forum
Syria's Tourism Minister, Sa'dalla Agha al-Qal'a has stressed Syria's care to deepen the standing relations of cooperation with the UAE in the different domains. United Arab Emirates-Syria, Economics, 2/21/2004
- Morocco, international justice NGO sign cooperation protocol
A cooperation protocol was signed in Rabat Friday by the Moroccan Justice ministry and the international NGO "Search for Common ground" (SFCG), in partnership with the London-based British Human Rights Association. Morocco-UK, Judicial, 2/21/2004
- French FM arrives in al-Khartoum in efforts to solve Darfour crisis
France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dominique de Villepin arrived yesterday in al-Khartoum in a visit that concentrates on the situation in Darfour, west Sudan. He held talks with his Sudanese counterpart Mustafa Othman Ismael before he had met with the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir later in the day. Sudan-France, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Morocco and Spain start joint sea patrols to control migration
Morocco and Spain started on Thursday conducting joint patrols to control illegal migration between Morocco's southern shores and Spain's Canary Islands. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 2/21/2004
- UN rules out elections in Iraq before authority transfer; Al-Seistani representative calls for desolving municipal council in Karbala
Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbale, the representative of the religious Shiite clergy Ayatullah al-Seisatni in Kerbalaa threatened to flare up an armed people's revolution in the city unless its municipal council which was appointed by the American civil administration is desolved. Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Two Palestinians killed, Washington accuses Palestinians of obstructing the Roadmap
One Israeli soldier was killed and other three wounded in Hebron, the West Bank. Israel said that the incident took place when one Israeli soldier opened fire at his colleagues, wrongly, on his assumption that a Palestinian fighter attacked an Israeli force. Palestine-Israel, Military, 2/21/2004
- Air transport liberalization necessary for the sector's growth, Minister
The liberalization of the Moroccan air transport is necessary to accompany the growth of this sector, said, here Thursday, the Moroccan minister of equipment and Transport who noted that this strategy is part of the kingdom's vision to attract 10 million tourists by the year 2010. Morocco, Economics, 2/21/2004
Short Takes
- Officials at the US Department Of State said yesterday that Washington decided to lift the sanctions imposed on the travel to Libya next week in the most recent gesture to reward Libya over giving up its programs to produce nuclear weapons. Go
- Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and Chairman of Africa and the Middle East Department at the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Paul Fifa reviewed on Friday the situation in the region. Go
- Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Ebeid is due to arrive in Cairo on Sunday for a three day visit conveying a message to President Hosni Mubarak from Lebanese President Emil Lahoud, said Abdulatif Mamlouk, Lebanese Ambassador to Egypt. Jean Ebeid will held talks with Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on means to boost bilateral relations among other regional issues. Go
- Turkish Ambassador in Damascus, Ahmad Ogoz Celic, stressed that Syria and Turkey share an identical vision regarding Iraq's territorial integrity. Go
- Egyptian-Romanian official talks are due today in Cairo between Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi and Romanian Minister of Energy who arrives in Cairo today. The talks dwell on building a factory to manufacture oil and natural gas drilling equipment in Egypt. The two sides will also tackle the Romania request to import Egyptian natural gas. Go
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), hailed efforts exerted by Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, in her capacity as head of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society and president of the National Council for Motherhood and Childhood, to protect and empower women both at home and in armed-conflicts areas. Go
- The third session of the Arab Theatre Festival began Thursday its deliberations under the motto of "Same Issues and Unlimited Theatre" with the participation of 50 plays from 14 Arab states. Go
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