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Today's Headlines
- Sudanese president to visit Egypt before year's end
The secretary general of the people's general committee for foreign contacts and international cooperation (foreign minister), Omar al-Muntasir, met on Tuesday in Tripoli with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael. Libya, Politics, 11/3/99 - Clinton: Progress on final status will bring summit
US President Bill Clinton said yesterday that the focus of Palestinian - Israeli talks now is on rapid progress, saying, "We have a very ambitious timetable here. I think the timetable is the middle of February that they've agreed to have the framework agreement," and adding, "We'll all be in high gear between now and then." Palestine, Politics, 11/3/99 - Saudi crown prince confers with Chinese president
Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz held two round of talks on Tuesday in Riyadh, attended by members of the delegation accompanying the Chinese president and several Saudi princes, ministers and consultants. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 11/3/99 - Chinese president vows backing for Arab causes
Chinese President Jiang Zemin has stated that his country and the Arab states form a solid force to salvage world peace and security, asserting that Bejing has always accorded a special attention to developing ties of friendship and cooperation with the Arab states. Regional, Politics, 11/3/99 - Gaddafi confers with Gabonese counterpart
Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi held a meeting on Monday evening with the president of the Republic of Gabon, Omar Bongo, during which they discussed key African issues. Libya, Politics, 11/3/99 - Palestinian minister pessimistic on the results of Oslo 2
Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Jamil Al Tarifi said today that the Palestinian side did not expect much of the Oslo trilateral summit in which US President Bill Clinton, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak participated. Palestine, Politics, 11/3/99 - Barak preparing for negotiations with Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak appointed a former head of the Israeli intelligence to head the Israeli negoting delegation with Syria. Syria, Politics, 11/3/99 - Iraq opposes any UN decision not considering its position
Iraq newly stated that the five permanent member states in the UN Security Council "know quite well that issuing any decision concerning Iraq without taking its opinion will be born dead." Iraq, Politics, 11/3/99 - US asks Turkey to settle water issue with Syria Syria, Politics, 11/3/99
- European Troika delegation arrives in Algeria today
The European ministerial troika is holding talks in Algeria today with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika which are the first of its sort since the Algerian presidential elections in April. Algeria, Politics, 11/3/99 - Export obstacles impeding cooperation between GCC, EU
The member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council expressed on Tuesday complaints of obstacles created by the European Union before a free exchange agreement. Gulf, Economics, 11/3/99 - US business delegation visits Morocco
A high-ranking US business delegation started a visit to Morocco that will last for one week at the invitation of the U.S - Moroccan council for trade and investment, which is the first of its sort in the North Africa area. Morocco, Economics, 11/3/99 - Dutch business delegation to visit Cairo on Friday
A Dutch business delegation representing 40 large companies is to arrive in Cairo on Friday on a visit, during which the delegation will hold commercial discussions with high-ranking officials in ministries of trade and transportation in joint cooperation between the Egyptian and the Dutch governments. Egypt, Economics, 11/3/99 - Arab League asks to join WTO as observer
The Arab League has called on the European Commission and the current president of the European Union to back the request submitted by the AL general secretariat to join the World Trade Organization, which has Geneva as a headquarters, as an observer. Regional, Economics, 11/3/99 - French-Moroccan high joint commission meets tomorrow in Fes
French Prime Minster Lionel Jospin is expected in Morocco Thursday to co-chair with his Moroccan peer, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the third annual meeting of the high joint commission (November 4-5). Morocco, Politics, 11/3/99 - Supreme committee for reconciliation in Sudan convenes its first meeting
The supreme committee for rapport and peace convened its first meeting yesterday in Khartoum, headed by Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir. Sudan, Politics, 11/3/99 - Tunisian president renews attachment to Maghreban Union
Tunisian President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali has renewed his country's attachment to a strong and integrated Arab Maghreb Union (UMA). Tunisia, Politics, 11/3/99 - Syrian-Kuwaiti memorandum of understanding signed
Syria and Kuwait on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding on amending the bilateral agreement that provides for organizing air traffic between the two countries. Syria, Economics, 11/3/99 - Revitalizing the Egyptian - Japanese business council
A delegation from Japanese companies will visit Cairo on November 20 - 23, during which the delegation will revitalize the role of the Egyptian - Japanese business council which was established 33 years, but which had no role in revitalizing commercial and economical exchange between the two countries until now. Egypt, Business, 11/3/99 - Committee in Kuwait's Ummah council opposes women's participation in elections
The parliamentary committee in the Kuwaiti Ummah council opposed the amendment suggested by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmed al-Sabah of women's participation in the Kuwaiti elections. Kuwait, Politics, 11/3/99 - Aleppo hosts industrial exhibition on plastic, rubber
The first industrial exhibition of plastics and rubber in Syria opens today in Aleppo (in the northern part of Syria). This event is organized by the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Damascus Chamber of Commerce. Syria, Business, 11/3/99 - Former Israeli premier: palestinian state is essential for Israel
Israeli former prime minister, Shimon Peres, said in Oslo on Tuesday that a Palestinian state will come to being if a Kosovo-like situation is to be avoided in Israel. Palestine, Politics, 11/3/99 - Some 228 British tanks for Jordan
British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon on Tuesday visited Amman to deliver 14 tanks, the first shipment of 288 "Challenger" tanks Jordan will receive from Britain. Jordan, Politics, 11/3/99 - 20 million Moslems in Russia
Minister of nationalism in the Russian Federation, Ramadan Abd El-Teibof stated that the number of Moslems in Russia is more than 20 million citizens, forming nearly 45% of the Russian Federation's total inhabitants and that Islam and Christianity in Russia have achieved a large degree of approach and peaceful coexistence. Regional, Politics, 11/3/99 - Arafat asks the mediation of the Arab League for Abu al-Einin Lebanon, Politics, 11/3/99
- Continued operations for Lebanese resistance
The Lebanese resistance attacked on Tuesday, using rockets, a south Lebanon Army militia armored vehicle at the entrance of the position for the joint SLA - Israeli forces in Barachit. Direct hits were achieved. Lebanon, Military, 11/3/99
Short Takes
- President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea started on Tuesday a private visit to Morocco. President Mbasogo is in Marrakesh (central Morocco) where he is expected to meet King Mohammed VI. Go
- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued a pardon for 5,000 detainees, among which are 152 from the extremist religious elements, on the occasion of celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Algerian revolution. All the released persons had only one year left to serve of their sentences. Go
- Arab League experts intensified efforts to reach a solution to the Somali crisis as AL Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid met today with Fahmi Ahmed El-Haj, an advisor to Djibouti's President Ismail Gabali and the chief of the Somali alliance, Hussein Aideed. El-Haj said he discussed with Abdul Meguid Djibouti's initiative to solve the Somali crisis and the importance of supporting it among Arabs, adding that the initiative completes the former initiatives, especially the Egyptian one. Go
- Kuwaiti Deputy-Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah, chairman of the national commission in charge of prisoners' affairs, arrived Tuesday night in Marrakesh. Sheikh Salem al-Sabah was welcomed upon his arrival by the city wali, governors and the Kuwaiti ambassador in Rabat. Go
- Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh met on Tuesday in Amman with UK Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon, currently visiting Jordan. Talks dealt with bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the military field, as well as the Middle East peace process on various tracks. Go
- Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman on Tuesday received a message from the President of the Ivory Coast, Henri Konan Bedie, pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of mutual concern. The Gulf News Agency said the special representative for Sultan Qaboos, Thweini Bin Shehab al-Said, received the message during his meeting in Muscat on Tuesday with the Ivory Coast's minister of state for foreign affairs. Go
- The minutes of meetings of the first session of the joint Libyan - Malawi committee was signed on Tuesday in Syrte, by the secretary of the Libyan people's committee for tourism (tourism minister), Salem al-Boukari Joudeh, and Malawi's minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Brown Mpinganjira. Go
- The Yemeni ambassador in Amman, Hassan Lowzi, has reiterated that his country did not make secret discussions on normalizing relations with Israel. He added that rumors in the Israeli press are attempts by the Israelis to facilitate breaking the Arab position. In a statement to the Jordanian daily al-Arab al-Youm, the Yemeni ambassador stated that his country does not think of normalization with Israel before the conclusion of negotiations on all tracks. Go
- Jordan and Belgium celebrated the beginning of the first regular airline trip between the two countries yesterday. 179 European tourists were on board the Belgian airplane. Jordanian Tourism Minister Akel El-Beltagi said after receiving the passengers that Jordan provide great atmosphere for tourists visiting the rare monuments and tourism spots in Jordan. Go
- The speaker of the Spanish Congress, Federico Trillo, will start on Friday a five-day official visit to Morocco at the invitation of the speaker of the House of representatives, Abdelouahed Radi. Trillo will hold a working session with Radi and meet with Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi and other Cabinet members. Go
- The April Understanding Monitoring Committee meets today at UNIFIL headquarters in the Lebanese border town of al-Naqoura. The committee will discuss several Lebanese complaints pertaining to the repeated Israeli attacks against south Lebanon and the western Bekaa. Go
- The Moroccan airline, Royal Air Maroc, started Tuesday weekly flights connecting Brussels to Nador, in northeast Morocco, in answer to the growing demand of the Moroccan community in Belgium. Go