Arabic News .com Front Page for Arab News
Today's Headlines
- Al-Sahaf meets with Abdul Meguid
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf met separately today with Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid and Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa. Iraq, Politics, 9/11/99 - Concluding meetings of Gulf foreign ministers
The foreign ministers of the Gulf states have concluded a meeting in Jeddah to discuss the Arab foreign ministers' conference scheduled to be held in Cairo tomorrow under the chairmanship of Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammad Said al-Sahaf for the first time since the Gulf War in 1990. Gulf, Politics, 9/11/99 - Palestinian civilian authorities control additional 7% of West Bank
The Palestinian civilian authority was established yesterday over an additional 7% of the West Bank. Palestine, Politics, 9/11/99 - Israel continues implementation of Sharm al-Sheikh accord
Israel has resumed the implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh accord without obstacles, especially following the release of 200 Palestinian detainees. Palestine, Politics, 9/11/99 - Deputy speaker of Indian parliament in Morocco
Visiting Deputy Speaker of Indian parliament Ms. Najma Heptullah Akbarati conferred Friday in Rabat separately with Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi and with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Benaissa. Morocco, Politics, 9/11/99 - Algerian sources: Diplomatic rapprochement between Algeria and U.S.A
Algerian sources expected a major progress in Algerian - US relations, speaking of cooperation between the USA and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to end the reasons for the large Algerian debt and the increase of violence. Algeria, Politics, 9/11/99 - Arab economic conference begins in Cairo on Tuesday
Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzouri is to inaugurate on September 14 the greatest economic conference witnessed by Cairo this year, organized by the Egyptian government in cooperation with the El-Youromani corporation and titled "The growing Arab economies are the entrance gate to the coming century." Regional, Economics, 9/11/99 - Arafat hopes to have normal relations with Damascus, Beirut
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said in a statement to the Lebanese daily al-Nahar, given in Libya and published on Friday, that normalcy has returned in the relations between Syria and Jordan, although Jordan has an agreement with Israel, asking "Then why are normal relations are not restored between Syria and the Palestinian Authority?" Palestine, Politics, 9/11/99 - Syrian ambassador to the US summoned back to Damascus
Arab diplomatic forces in Washington said the Syrian ambassador to the US, Walid al-Mu'allim, will return soon to Damascus at the request of the Syrian political leadership. Syria, Politics, 9/11/99 - Barak: President al-Assad is an honest man
The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that nothing will stop his search to build peace with Syria, noting that such a peace will strengthen Israel's might. Syria, Politics, 9/11/99 - Barak will withdraw next year from Lebanon
The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has stated that the next Hebrew year will witness the Israeli army outside the security zone in South Lebanon and deployed along the international borders. Lebanon, Politics, 9/11/99 - Chinese diplomatic delegation to visit Cairo on Wednesday
China's Deputy Foreign Minister is due to arrive in Cairo on Wednesday for a visit to Egypt that is to last for several days, during which he is to be received by Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa. Egypt, Politics, 9/11/99 - Tunisian - Palestinian economic talks Tunisia, Economics, 9/11/99
- Arab states call on AL to confront Disney exhibition
Palestine has officially called on the Arab League to insert on the agenda of the coming session of Arab FMs the subject of an exhibition run by the Walt Disney company that is said to show Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Regional, Politics, 9/11/99 - Report: Arab diplomats expect President al-Assad to visit Saudi Arabia
The Paris-based al-Muharrir news quoted Arab diplomatic sources in the Swiss capital, Geneva, as saying that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad may pay a visit soon to Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and high-ranking Saudi officials. Syria, Politics, 9/11/99 - Clinton to meet with Arafat this month
US officials said on Thursday night that US President Bill Clinton intends to meet with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat during the visit Arafat is to hold to New York later this month to attend the meetings of the UN General Assembly. Palestine, Politics, 9/11/99 - Security Council satisfied over Minurso-HCR work
The U.N. Security Council members are satisfied over the work made by the UN mission in charge of the Referendum in the Sahara (Minurso), said in New York on Friday the head of the Security council, Ambassador Walsum Arnold Peter Van of Netherlands. Morocco, Politics, 9/11/99 - Egyptian businessmen participate in mission to Britain
Sayed El-Tawiel, the head of the Egyptian Businessmen's Association, said the participation is aimed at developing Egypt's commercial and economic relations with Britain and opening channels for Egyptian exports into British markets. Egypt, Business, 9/11/99 - Morocco hosts 9th ministerial conference of G-77
The 9th ministerial conference of Group-77 will be held in Morocco's southern city of Marrakesh this September 13-16. Regional, Politics, 9/11/99 - Egypt warns of importing French beef
Sources in the Egyptian Ministry of Trade warned against importing French beef after a crisis erupted between Germany and France when Germany accused France of exporting animals that have used polluted fodder to Germany, adding that the French companies use drainage water in manufacturing animal fodder. Egypt, Economics, 9/11/99 - Muslim Brothers stage strike in Jordan
Following Friday prayers yesterday, the Muslim Brothers group organized a strike in a mosque inside a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan in protest over the measures adopted by Jordanian government against Hamas three weeks ago. Jordan, Politics, 9/11/99
Short Takes
- The Iraqi foreign minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahaf arrived in Cairo on Friday to preside over the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers due to start Saturday. In an arrival statement, al-Sahaf said that Iraq will encourage every idea and initiative in order to unify Arab ranks. He added " we have to study the ideas on the ground of positive and sincere participation and the desire to reach balance and a reasonable formula. "We will positively react to any initiative in this regard." Go
- The Arab social and economic council, headquartered in Cairo, has decided to postpone its meetings, which are to be held among Arab economic ministers, until Thursday, instead of tomorrow, because the date for these meetings conflicted with the Arab League council's meetings. Arab League Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs Abd El-Rahman El-Sahibani told ArabicNews.com that the council, in its meetings, would review the follow-up reports on the executive program for the Arab free trade zone and the activation of bilateral cooperation between the Arab states in the field of economics and investment. Go
- Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss on Friday in Beirut discussed with a delegation from the defense committee at the Italian Senate relations between the two countries and peace developments in the region. Go
- The Moroccan Child's Parliament opens this Saturday its 2nd session under the theme of generalization of schooling and struggle against illiteracy and child's labor. Go
- European Parliament will hold next October 21 in Brussels a colloquy on relations and cooperation between Morocco and EU. The encounter will be attended by Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abdelouahed Radi, Royal Advisor for economic and financial affairs Andre Azoulay, Speaker of the European parliament Ms. Nicole Fontaine and head of the European Commission Romano Prodi. Go
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak reiterated yesterday that the Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon would take place before the passage of a year from the time he took office, meaning before July 7, 2000. Barak also told Israel Radio, on the occasion of celebrations of the Jewish new year, that the Israeli troops are going to withdraw from Lebanon before July 7, 2000 and that the Israeli army will be spread along international borders in light of an accord to be signed. But Barak refused to answer the question on whether this withdrawal would take place if both Syria and Lebanon did not reach an agreement with Israel. Go
- It was announced on Friday in Seoul that Kuwaiti Defense Minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah will visit South Korea on Monday to discuss military cooperation between the two countries in the first talks of their kind between the two countries. Go
- The Jordanian authorities on Friday refused to permit the Jordanian engineers to visit al-Jweida prison, south of Amman, where 15 members of the Hamas movement are jailed, after they were arrested recently in Amman. Go
- Two Moroccan women Tae-kwondo champs, Mounia Bourguigue and Meryem Bidani, qualified for the Olympic games due in Sidney next year. The two Moroccans booked their qualification tickets after making a good performance at the African qualifying heats held lately in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mounia Bourguigue and Meryem Bidani gained last month gold at the Arab games held in Amman, Jordan. Go
- Russia has asserted its determination to continue urging for lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq since 1990. This was expressed in the message Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahaf received from his Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov, in which the Russian minister also stressed that Russia will continue work to realize a settlement to the situation concerning Iraq through diplomatic and political means and demanding abrogation of the sanctions. Go
- Germany will finance the training of some 25 Palestinian engineers by the Moroccan drinking water office. The one-month training session includes courses on the management, control and maintenance of water networks as well as on computing management, environment protection and safety measures. Go
- Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said that talk of settling the Palestinian refugees outside their country is a crime, as it is the right of the Palestinians wherever they are to return to their nation and the right of the established Palestinian state to receive its people. Go
- The European Union granted Morocco $ 5.3 million to enable the north African country develop and modernize its telecom sector and enhance its liberalization process. Go