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Today's Headlines
- Norwegian foreign minister arrives in Damascus
Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for a visit to the country. Syria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Moussa: We support Syrian stance toward restoring the Golan
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said his country will continue working to support the Syrian position toward restoring the Syrian Golan Heights, because, "Egypt is keen on activating all tracks of negotiations in the Middle East peace process." Egypt, Politics, 8/25/99 - Sudanese FM calls on Washington change its policy toward Khartoum
Meanwhile, Sudanese Minister of Higher Education Ahmed Omer Ibrahim said Egypt totally supports Libya's efforts to achieve success in the Sudanese reconciliation process. Sudan, Politics, 8/25/99 - Al-Rawabdeh confirms improvement in Egyptian - Jordanian relations
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh said Jordanian - Egyptian relations are improving, due to the continued consultations and coordination between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah Bin Hussein, pointing to the expected visit to King Abdullah to Egypt in this respect. Jordan, Politics, 8/25/99 - King Fahd sends a message to Argentine president
Argentine President Carlos Menem has received a message from King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia pertaining to strengthening bilateral relations and dealing with nominating Saudi Arabia for the post of the director general of UNESCO. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 8/25/99 - Algerian president says Arab Maghreb Union should be built on European model
Bouteflika :If we work like the Europeans did, earnestly and by getting rid of the Algerians' syndrome that it is exploited by the other member countries, then we would move towards more serious business Algeria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Bashar al-Assad visits Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Kuwaiti Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber on Tuesday in Kuwait received Bashar al-Assad, son of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. The meeting was attended by Kuwait's deputy premier and defense minister, Sheikh Salem al-Sabah, and other high-ranking officials. Syria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Ruler of Kuwait confers with Saudi FM
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Tuesday received Saudi Foreign Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 8/25/99 - Japanese parliamentary delegation meets Moroccan foreign minister
A visiting Japanese parliamentary delegation reviewed in Rabat Tuesday with Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mohamed Benaissa ways of consolidating bilateral cooperation in various fields. Morocco, Politics, 8/25/99 - Morocco's champ El Guerrouj wins world title again in Spain
Morocco's field and track star, Hicham El-Guerrouj, won on Tuesday in Seville (Spain) the 1,500 m world title for the second consecutive time, confirming his supremacy in the distance. Morocco, Sports, 8/25/99 - Libyan message to Chinese president
Chinese President Jiang Zemin on Tuesday in Beijing received a message from his Libyan counterpart, Col. Moammar Gaddafi. Libya, Politics, 8/25/99 - Tunisian youth delegation to conclude visit to Egypt
35 young men and women will conclude their visit to Cairo on Sunday by visiting El-Fayoum city, where they will check industrial and social development projects as well as public service projects in which the youth of El-Fayoum are participating, a statement issued by the Tunisian information bureau in Cairo said. Tunisia, Culture, 8/25/99 - Berri receives Egypt's ambassador in Beirut
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri received Egypt's ambassador in Lebanon, Adel El-Khadary, yesterday, and they reviewed the current regional situation, the Lebanese arena, and bilateral ties between the two countries. Lebanon, Politics, 8/25/99 - Israeli delegates to Arab states
The deputy director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yunaf Beiram, on Tuesday headed for Morocco to meet with high-ranking Moroccan officials, especially with the Moroccan foreign minister. Regional, Politics, 8/25/99 - On the agreement between Hawatemah and Arafat
AFP said that the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine announced on Monday that the Palestinians will ask during final status negotiations for the right of the refugees of 1948 to return to their territories. Palestine, Politics, 8/25/99 - Bouteflika: We will not establish ties with Israel
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has said, "Algeria will not establish relations with Israel until after its withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories and its honoring of the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their own independent state." Algeria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Jordanian premier describes relations with Syria as strong
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdah has described Syrian-Jordanian relations as "perfect." Jordan, Politics, 8/25/99 - Amman: Syrian, Jordanian, Lebanese tripartite gathering of an economic objective
Syrian sources said, "Parts of this issue were debated in the meetings hosted by the Syrian capital in the past two days, during which discussions centred on tripartite economic integration and discussions in adopting a united entry visa." Regional, Economics, 8/25/99 - Iraq calls on the UN to halt US, British raids
Iraq has stated that it will continue to confront the US and British raids which on Monday claimed the lives of two persons and wounded a third. Iraq, Politics, 8/25/99 - UN chief calls for raising Iraqi oil exports value
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday submitted a proposal to the UN Security Council providing for raising the value of allowed Iraqi oil exports by US $1 billion in the context of the oil-for-food program. Iraq, Politics, 8/25/99 - Three new ECHO projects in Syria
To support vulnerable groups, ECHO, the humanitarian office of the European Union, has launched three new projects in Syria to assist desert Bedouins and Palestinian refugees. Syria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Syrian measures to stop smuggling through borders with Iraq
Iraqi opposition sources told a London-based daily in Damascus that the Syrian government has recently taken "strong measures to prevent smuggling on the Syrian-Iraqi borders" which were opened in 1997. Iraq, Politics, 8/25/99 - Palestinian - Israeli talks hampered by the problem of prisoners
Faris Qadoura, the head of the prisoners committee in the Palestinian Legislative Council said that the work of the Palestinian - Israeli committee concerning this question is currently facing a crisis because of the continuing Israeli obstinacy by not releasing the political detainees and prisoners. Palestine, Politics, 8/25/99 - Diplomatic sources: Israeli message to Syria
Israel Radio said that the Norway's foreign minister who arrived in Damascus on Tuesday is carrying a message from Israel in which Israel stressed its readiness to resume peace negotiations with Syria. Syria, Politics, 8/25/99 - Israelis, Palestinians agree on safe passage, port Building
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators reached on Monday an agreement allowing Palestinians to move more freely between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank starting in October, when work on a port in Gaza City will also begin. Palestine, Politics, 8/25/99 - Holland expels 30 Israeli Mossad agents
The Dutch authorities have expelled some 30 Mossad agents and employees following a scandal involving purchasing nuclear items, plutonium and very sensitive electronics from Russian figures in the Dutch territories. Israel, Politics, 8/25/99 - Continued Israeli aggressions against south Lebanon
News reports from south Lebanon said that the leadership of the Israeli occupation forces tried in vain to bring back the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army militia to the triangle of Kafer Houna, al-Rayhan, from which they had withdrawn after heavy strikes from the Lebanese resistance. Lebanon, Military, 8/25/99
Short Takes
- Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, whose country is presiding over the current rotating presidency of the European Union, will tour the region next month. Finnish officials said the Finnish president will visit the Palestinian self-rule areas and Israel on September 4 - 6. Go
- A fair of Moroccan industries lasting until mid-September is currently established in the Baghdad International Fair. A source in the Iraqi Ministry of Trade said the Moroccan companies will present products in the fields of electricity, food stuffs, clothes, traditional crafts and industries and household devices. 20 Moroccan industrial and commercial companies and a delegation of businessmen who are to arrive in Baghdad will take part in the fair, so as to discuss upgrading economic and commercial cooperation between the two states. Go
- King Mohammed VI of Morocco received in Rabat Tuesday a delegation representing Moroccan expatriates in France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. On Monday, the king received another delegation representing Moroccan expatriates in Arab states and in France. Go
- The Egyptian Businessmen's Assembly is due to organize on September 18 a symposium on German trade and investment in Egypt, aimed at encouraging German investments in Egypt. The chairman of the assembly's board of directors, Said El-Tawil, told ArabicNews.com that during the symposium they will discuss supporting and upgrading cooperation between Egyptian and German businessmen and overcoming the obstacles facing German companies in Egypt. He added that a large number of German businessmen, investors and representatives of German companies working in Egypt will take part in the symposium. Go
- The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold their 72nd meeting on September 11 at the headquarters of the GCC general secretariat in Riyadh. The Saudi daily al-Riyadh issued on Tuesday said the GCC foreign ministers will discuss in their meeting several Gulf, Arab and international issues of concern to their member states, mainly developments in the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iraq, Iranian-Gulf relations and the condition of the world oil market. Go
- After paying condolences to Saudi officials and Saudi King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz for the death of his eldest son, Prince Faisal, who died last Saturday of a heart attack, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat left Riyadh yesterday. Go
- The Israeli settlements forum in northern Israel has announced its opposition to withdrawal from south Lebanon, adding that it will take all necessary measures if a clear plan is not drawn up to ensure what it called the security and safety of the Israeli settlements. The forum called on the heads of these settlements to convene an urgent meeting next week in order to discuss the question of withdrawal and conditions of these Israeli settlements Israel Radio reported. Go
- The Israel's voice radio in Hebrew said that Israel will rebuild the Turkish naval military base in the Turkish Golcuk port which was destroyed as a result of the earthquake which recently hit Turkey. Go
- Egyptian Minister of Public Enterprise Atef Ebeid said yesterday that Egypt's privatization program has resulted in sales of about 40 percent of Egypt's public-sector companies. He said that 123 out of 314 companies have already been privatized. Go