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Today's Headlines
- Damascus is to exempt more directors general
A Syrian Arabic daily said on Monday that new decisions will be released soon in Syria to quit other directors of state-run public companies and that the number of directors removed will be 26. Syria, Politics, 12/7/99 - Arab, American sources not optimistic over Albright's tour
Well-informed Arab and American sources in Washington have downplayed the chances of success by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to achieve a breakthrough in the Middle East peace process and expected a recession in the possibility of resuming negotiations on the Israeli-Syrian tracks following recent US-Syrian contacts. Regional, Politics, 12/7/99 - Damascus did not answer three of 10 American questions on concept of peace, Lebanon and normalization
Well-informed sources in Damascus said that Syria will not offer a deposit for free to Israel, kept by the US administration, before Israel admits the original deposit providing for a complete Israeli withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 borders. Syria, Politics, 12/7/99 - The real diplomatic battle between Syria and Israel, report
The London-based al-Wasat magazine has stated that the real diplomatic battle between Syria and Israel will, in the end, concentrate on the strip of land east of Tabaraya Lake. Syria, Politics, 12/7/99 - Qaddoumi to visit Lebanon on Thursday
Farouk Qaddoumi, head of the political department in the Palestinian Liberation Organization, is to arrive in Beirut on Thursday for a visit during which he will meet with Lebanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Salim al-Hoss. Lebanon, Politics, 12/7/99 - Algerian, Vietnamese presidents discuss bilateral relations
Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong is currently on a three-day official visit to Algeria at the invitation of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The visit aims at strengthening political, economic, trade and cultural relations between the two countries. Algeria, Politics, 12/7/99 - Jordanian king starts visit to China
Jordan's King Abdullah II arrived in Beijing on Monday for a three-day visit to China aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries. Jordan, Politics, 12/7/99 - Executive steps to boost Egypt's mega projects
President Hosni Mubarak recently presided over an expanded meeting by the Ministerial Council to review the financial and executive steps of Egypt's mega projects namely; Toshka, the Suez Gulf, Darb El-Arbeen and East Owainat, East Port Said, Sinai and Aswan. Egypt, Economics, 12/7/99 - Morocco raises $15.8 million in anti-poverty campaign
Morocco raised $15.8 million in in-kind and cash donations during the second national campaign of struggle against poverty, the governing board of the Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation said on Monday. Morocco, Economics, 12/7/99 - Egyptian forum for medical exports
Egyptian Minister of Health Dr. Ismail Sallam is opening today the sixth exporting forum concerning medical industries in Egypt, which is organized by the trade chamber in Alexandria in cooperation with the Ahram economic magazine and in which heads of heads of pharmaceutical companies and companies concerned with medical industries are participating. Egypt, Business, 12/7/99 - New technologies to fill in Moroccan development gap
New technologies are a genuine "historic opportunity" for Morocco to catch up with developed countries, said economic adviser to the king, Andre Azoulay, in Bonn on Monday. Morocco, Economics, 12/7/99 - Kenyan mediation between Sudan and Uganda
Kenya is heading a new mediation to contain deep conflicts between its two neighbors, Sudan and Uganda, as Sudanese President Omar Hassan El-Bashir is to meet with his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Sudan, Politics, 12/7/99 - Abbas Madani urges end to cooperation with Bouteflika
Abbas Madani, the historical leader of the prohibited Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria, urged an end to the political cooperation with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Algeria, Politics, 12/7/99 - Iran, Bahrain for boosting bilateral relations
Bahraini Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Abd al-Nabi al-Shula on Monday in Manama discussed with his Iranian counterpart, Hosein Kamali, currently visiting Bahrain, means of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Bahrain, Politics, 12/7/99 - Establishing Italian - Egyptian center for furniture industry
Abd El-Azeem Wazeer, governor of Damietta, Egypt, said the governorate opens its arms before any foreign experience to cooperate with the Egyptian experience and present all required facilities to develop industry in Damietta. Egypt, Economics, 12/7/99 - Morocco pledges to settle joblessness in southern provinces
Moroccan Employment Minister Khalid Alioua said on Monday that the joblessness issue in the southern province of Laayoune will be settled "very shortly." Morocco, Economics, 12/7/99 - Egypt, one of the most investment attracting countries
The Arab investors in Egypt stressed their confidence in all the Egyptian government’s procedures and facilities to push investments forward. Egypt, Economics, 12/7/99 - Cactus cultivation project in Marrakesh region
Morocco is studying the possibility of cultivating cactus over 4,000 hectares in the Rehamna region near Marrakesh. Morocco, Agriculture, 12/7/99 - Hungarian ambassador assures the depth of relations with Egypt
The Hungarian ambassador in Egypt said that Egyptian - Hungarian relations are historical, deep and strong, saying there is great scientific and cultural cooperation between Hungarian and Egyptian universities, especially Suez Canal University. Egypt, Education, 12/7/99 - British minister confers with representatives of Iraqi opposition in London
British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Peter Hain held a meeting on Monday in London with the representatives of the Iraqi opposition who take London as a headquarters, in order to discuss latest developments in Iraq and the efforts made by the Iraqi opposition to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraq, Politics, 12/7/99 - Jordanian Muslim Brothers confirm resignations over Hamas issue
One member of the shoura council of the Muslim Brothers group in Jordan has confirmed news published by the Jordanian weekly al-Majd last week that ten members of the council submitted their resignations from the council in protest of "loose attempts" made by the Muslim Brothers' leaders on the question of arresting and then expelling Hamas leaders from Jordan to Qatar. Jordan, Politics, 12/7/99 - Head of Spanish opposition visits Morocco
Secretary general of the Spanish Labor Socialist Party (PSOE, opposition), Joaquim Almunia, started this Tuesday a two-day visit to Morocco, at the invitation of Moroccan Premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who heads the Moroccan Socialist Party (USFP). Morocco, Politics, 12/7/99 - Israeli fears over deteriorated conditions with Jordan
Political sources at the Israeli Foreign Ministry have expressed their fears of the deterioration of the Israeli-Jordanian relations on the background of boycotts pursued by various Jordanian vocational trade unions, especially the journalists union and bar association, which both call for halting Jordan's normalization with Israel. Jordan, Politics, 12/7/99 - Morocco braced for post fishing accord reprisals
Fisheries Minister Thami Khyari said Monday that several countries outside the European Union have invited the kingdom to talks on fishing rights in Moroccan waters. Morocco, Economics, 12/7/99 - Maadi Valley, cradle of ancient Egyptian
Degla Valley at Maadi desert with all its rocks and caves is a witness to the old age and most probably the cradle of the ancient Egyptian. Egypt, Culture, 12/7/99 - Al-Rawabdeh: procedures against Hamas leaders are not against Palestinians or Hamas
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh said that the last Jordanian procedures against the leaders of the Hamas resistance movement in Jordan have nothing to do with the movement itself or with Palestine, but is about Jordanian citizens that should not have joined a non-Jordanian system in the Jordanian territories. Jordan, Politics, 12/7/99 - Continued Israeli attacks against south Lebanon
The Israeli artillery stationed in al-Zafaata and al-Tibeh project bombarded the outskirts of western and central Zouter, Farroun al-Ghandouriyah and al-Hamra farm. Lebanon, Military, 12/7/99 - Report: Libya stops giving entry visas to Lebanese and Syrians
Governmental sources in Beirut stressed that the Lebanese Foreign Ministry will shortly summon the Libyan ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Mahmoud Maria, to learn about the decision taken by his country to stop issuing entry visas to Lebanese and the Syrian citizens to its territories. Libya, Politics, 12/7/99
Short Takes
- Egyptian Minister of Interior Habib El-Adli met yesterday with Ahmed Bin Mohammed El-Salem, the secretary general of the council of the Arab ministers of interior, to discuss issues that are on the agenda of the 17th session of the council of Arab ministers of interior, which will be held in Algeria at the end of January. Go
- Moroccan and Tunisian industrial promotion bodies signed in Tunis on Monday a framework cooperation agreement to give a new impetus to industrial projects and promote the signing of partnership agreements between the two countries' enterprises. Go
- The UK ambassador in Libya, Richard Dalton, arrived today at Libya after the diplomatic relations boycott between the two countries for 15 years. The new UK ambassador said that he intends to bring Libya into the heart of the international community. Go
- US Middle East peace process coordinator Dennis Ross met on Monday with Israeli negotiator Oded Eran and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and discussed with them the last maps for the second phase of redeployment in the West Bank. Go
- Hundreds of houses were destroyed in the Yemeni city Sokatra due to heavy rains which caused floods for several days. These floods are considered the worst the city has suffered in decades. A government official said 400 houses were completely or partially destroyed in the city and that great damage took place in the communications, electricity and water projects, as the communications went down between the city's inhabitants who number nearly 100,000 citizens. Go
- The "Groupe Banques Populaires" announced a new reduction of interest rates on investment loans, effective this Dec. 15, for entreprises. The interest rates for medium-term loans were reduced to 7.5% before taxes and 8.5% for long-term taxes. The bank also announced that its 340 agencies will give within 15 days an answer to all investment projects. Go
- The Jordanian Army's acting chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Shaher Dargham al-Nueimi, met on Monday in Amman with the chief of the French Air Force, Jean Rannou, and members of the accompanying delegation. The two sides reviewed conditions in the Middle East and issues of mutual concern. Go
- Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Monday received a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The message related to means of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries for joint interests. Go
- Kuwaiti Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Salem al-Sabah is heading today to the USA to resume medical checkups which were halted so he could contribute to the opening of the new parliamentary session on October 26 out of his adherence to performing his national duty. Go
- Saudi Arabia denied on Monday that it allowed an Israeli journalist working for Yediot Ahronot daily newspaper to enter Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted officials in the Ministry of Information as saying that what Radio Israel reported on the matter "is totally false and baseless." Go
- The Green Mrach newspaper, the mouthpiece of the movement of the Libyan revolutionary committee, emphasized the importance of the results achieved by the visit of Italian Prime Minister Massmo D'Alema to Libya during the last week. Go
- The Jordanian weekly al-Majd said in its most recent issue that a large number of visitors of the charity bazaar held on Sunday by the al-Hussein society for supporting the disabled in the Marriott Hotel in Amman withdrew as a result of Israeli participation in the bazaar. Go
- The Jordanian weekly al-Majd said in its most recent issue that a delegation of Israeli industrialists is currently making negotiations with several owners of stumbled Jordanian factories in the industrial city of Sahab, southern Amman, to buy these factories. Go
- Moroccan police and customs agents arrested last week a German national who was trying to smuggle out 30 kilograms of chira. Go
- Renowned Moroccan philosopher and thinker Mehdi Ben Abdou passed away Monday in Rabat at the age of 80. Ben Aboud was one of the outstanding figures in Morocco's resistance movement against the French occupation. Go