Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 8/20/2001
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of August 20, 2001
- Some 35 Syrian intellectuals voice solidarity with al-Homsi
Some 35 Syrian intellectuals on Monday signed a joint statement in which they denounced " the detention" of the independent member of parliament for the city of Damascus Muhammad Mamoun al-Homsi. Syria, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Libyan humanitarian projects in Iraq Libya-Iraq, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Arab and Islamic Affairs Arafat briefs Arab Foreign Ministers on developments in occupied territories
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived in Cairo late Tuesday on a two-day visit during which he will attend the emergency meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers. Regional-Palestine, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Sudanese opposition figures arrested Sudan, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Al-Assad confers with Junblat, Ramadan
President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday evening at the Damascus al-Shaab palace received the Iraqi vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Arafat to visit China on Thursday Palestine-China, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Libyan- Sudanese round of talks
The Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has stressed that the world partnership dialogue summit which concluded its works in Kampala on Monday was an opportunity to maintain an open and fruitful dialogue among the African states on several issues especially economic issues and means of creating a creative and just participation through which benefits will be exchanged in a way that there will be no loosing side. Sudan-Libya, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Mubarak, Abdullah, Arafat summit meeting with Bush Regional-USA, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Arafat meets with Fischer Palestine-Germany, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Shaath to visit Syria on Thursday Syria-Palestine, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Maher, Moratinos speak on Middle East peace
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on Tuesday said he resumed, during his meeting with European Union (EU) envoy for the Middle East peace process Miguel Moratinos, talks on possible steps to deal with the current Middle East situation. Egypt-European Union, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Israeli moves in Shebaa farms Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 8/22/2001
- Sharon's government continues escalation, 200 million Shekels for settlement
While the UN Security Council on Tuesday held a session at a Palestinian and Islamic request to discuss conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Israeli occupation forces continued their aggressions against the unarmed Palestinians and opened its tanks fire at the Palestinian villages and towns. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Al-Shara gets telephone calls from Maher, Hammoud, al-Khatib, Arab foreign ministers meet today
The Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara on Tuesday received a telephone call from the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher during which talks dealt with the emergency meeting of the Arab foreign ministers due to be held today in Cairo in order to crystallize a united Arab position towards the aggressive acts carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories. Syria-Regional, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Rabat hosts political affairs committee of UMA shoura council
The Political affairs committee of the Maghreban Shoura council (legislative body of the Arab Maghreb Union) is meeting in Rabat this August 22-23 to examine the union action in political fields. Maghreb, Politics, 8/22/2001 - US ambassador: Washington will support Morocco in conducting reforms and initiatives announced in royal throne speech
The United States of America will support Morocco in undertaking reforms and initiatives announced by King Mohammed VI in the throne speech (July 30), said US ambassador to Morocco, Margaret Tutwiller. Morocco-USA, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Junblat's statements on the Syrian presence in Lebanon
In exclusive statements to the Jordanian daily " Al-Arab al-Yaoum " ( Arabs today), the chairman of the Lebanese socialist progressive party Walid Junblat said that the recent detentions in Lebanon have no links to the Syrian presence in Lebanon. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Egypt condemns Israeli practices in occupied territories
Egypt has asserted that Israeli occupation practices in the occupied Palestinian territories including Jerusalem represent a flagrant violation of international legitimacy resolutions, and the fourth Geneva Convention on protecting the rights of civilians under occupation. Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 8/22/2001 - International observers, a must for implementing Mitchell plan
The Egyptian chief delegate said Egypt still hopes a just and comprehensive peaceful settlement be reached for the Arab Israeli conflict despite the fact that this hope was dealt many blows by the Israeli side during the past few months. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Military cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have started the first joint project for manufacturing light weapon industries and military equipment. This was following direct negotiations between Pakistani and Saudi military officials in both Islam Abaad and al-Riyadh. Saudi Arabia-Pakistan, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Annan welcomes possibility of Middle East talks
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday said he supported efforts by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to host a high-level meeting between Israelis and Palestinians in an effort to end the current wave of violence in the Middle East. Regional-Palestine, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Jerusalem Mufti praises Mubarak efforts
Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine Ikremah Sabri praised the efforts exerted by president Mubarak to support the Palestinian cause and to maintain Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Lebanese President welcomes the convening of the Francophonic conference
Lebanese President Emil Lahoud has welcomed the convening of the International federation conference for the Franchophonic conference due to be held in Beirut on October 24 Ð 26 which will precede the convening of the Franchophonic conference due to start on October 26th. Lebanon, Politics, 8/22/2001 - $ 50 million, the budget of the AL
In the context of the plan of development advocated by the new secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa and in the second part of this plan. Various departments at the Arab league answered the messages addressed by the AL chief to define number of posts needed with contractors whose work contracts expired in December this year and the extend of the need for their work. Regional, Politics, 8/22/2001 - Royal speech delivered Monday evening
Morocco's King Mohammed VI delivered Monday evening a speech on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People and on the occasion of Youth Day, marking this year the sovereign's 38 birthday. Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Junblat to visit Syria today Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 8/21/2001
- German FM in Egypt
"Germany supports the call for the implementation of the Mitchell Commission report, the termination of violence and the launch of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations," said Fischer. Egypt-Germany, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Syrian irrigation minister heads for Turkey Syria-Turkey, Politics, 8/21/2001
- An Egyptian campaign to prevent receiving the new Israeli ambassador Egypt-Israel, Politics, 8/21/2001
- Maher, Hamoud and Erekat contacts
"It is not logical that such a conference will exclude what is taking place in the Palestinian lands," he said, stressing that any conference on human rights cannot ignore the aggressive policy carried out by the Israeli government against the Palestinians. Egypt-Regional, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Egypt's new ambassador to Morocco stresses will to develop solid relations Egypt-Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2001
- Maher meets with Sudanese foreign minister
Emerging from the meeting, Maher said that the visit to Egypt by the Sudanese Foreign Minister was a chance to discuss in detail relations between the two countries and coordination in light of the decision made by President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir to form the Egyptian-Sudanese follow-up committee. Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Arab foreign ministers hold emergency meeting Wednesday
All Arab countries informed the Arab League of their approval to attend the emergency meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo or Wednesday. During the meeting, Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat will present a report on the conditions in the occupied territories. Regional, Politics, 8/21/2001 - One Palestinian, his two children killed by Israeli missiles
The Israeli occupation forces have committed acts against the unarmed Palestinians and targeted a house in Rafah resulted in killing the Palestinian citizen Samir Suleiman Abu Zeid and his two children Suleiman (5 year old) and ( Ala' 6 year old) and the wounding of 9 members of the same family. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Al-Assad concludes three-day visit to Kuwait
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday returned back home following a visit to Kuwait during which he held fruitful talks with the ruler of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti crown prinve, the foreign minister and the acting speaker of the Kuwaiti parliament ( Ummah council) and other Kuwaiti officials. Syria-Kuwait, Politics, 8/21/2001 - On al-Assad's visit to Kuwait
The Kuwaiti daily al-Seyasah issued on Monday said that the talks held between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with the ruler of Kuwait did not deal with the case between Iraq and Kuwait but discussed the question of the prisoners in the Iraqi jails and that President Bashar al-Assad promised to solve this question. Syria-Kuwait, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Lahoud discusses with Qansouh general conditions
Lebanese President Emil Lahoud on Monday at the Presidential Baabda Palace discussed with members of the regional leadership of the Baath party in Lebanon led by the party's regional secretary Issam Qansouh general conditions in Lebanon. Stress was laid on the unity of destiny with Syria. Lebanon, Politics, 8/21/2001 - On Iraqi- Iranian relations
Iraq on Monday called on Iran to take measures that can provide the necessary atmospheres to normalize relations between the two countries, and called on the Iranian officials to give up repeating claims that there are Iranian prisoners held by Iraq. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Algerian president underscores common resistance to colonizers, in message to king
Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, underscored, in a message of congratulations to King Mohammed VI on the 48th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People the Algerian and Moroccan peoples' joint struggle for liberation. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Morocco urges United Nations to shoulder responsibility toward Palestinian people
Morocco urged the United Nations Organization to shoulder its responsibility and take measures needed to guarantee the implementation of the Mitchell report and ensure that Israel respects the humanitarian international conventions, mainly the fourth Geneva Convention. Morocco-Palestine, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Sudanese rebels held two government's fishing ships
"Salma" company for investment working in the area of fishing said on Monday that the rebel movement in South Sudan confiscated two fishing boats and held nine of its members while carrying out fishing in " Nou" lake in the area of the Higher Nile. Sudan, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Egyptian-US consultations for facing the crisis
Egypt's Ambassador to the United States Nabil Fahmy said that US Administration did not reject the idea of dispatching observers to the Palestinian territories, but rather calls for providing a better political and security climate before dispatching those observers so that they may have a genuine opportunity for the success of their mission and making achievements on the ground. Egypt-USA, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Egyptian delegation to Washington highlights need for peace efforts
Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Nabil Shaath, lauded the efforts of President Hosni Mubarak to put an end to Israeli aggression against Palestinians. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 8/21/2001 - King Mohammed calls to fight unhealthy housing
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has called Monday to fight unhealthy housing and to ponder, thoroughly and daringly, on means of struggling against what he called "one of the most shocking symptoms of social deficit," which spares no part of the Kingdom. Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2001 - King Mohammed advocates policy up to aspirations of Moroccans settled abroad
Morocco is endeavoring to implement a general, integrated and coherent policy likely to tally the mutations and aspirations of the Moroccan community settled abroad, said King Mohammed VI Monday. Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Danish people support criticism voiced by their foreign minister to Israeli practices
An opinion poll issued on Monday in the Danish daily " Yalndas Postin" said that 43 % of the Danish people support the criticism made by the Danish foreign minister Mogins Likfout for Israel, considering this criticism as appropriate and neutral. Israel-Denmark, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Al-Ghajar village citizens demonstrate in protest of Israeli practices
People of the occupied al-Ghajar city held a demonstration on Monday in protest of the Israeli oppressive measures recently imposed on them. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Security Council discusses dispatching observers To the West Bank
UN Security Council started late Monday special session for discussing the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The session, opposed by Israel, was attended by representatives of 40 countries. Palestine, Politics, 8/21/2001 - Al-Assad continues eventful visit to Kuwait
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday continued his visit to Kuwait after it was announced the extension of the visit for a third day. Kuwait-Syria, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Al-Assad confers with chairman and members of the Kuwaiti chambers of commerce and industry
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday at his residence in Kuwait at Bayan palace at 9 a.m. ( local time) received chairman and members of the chamber of commerce and industry in the state of Kuwait and several Kuwaiti businessmen. Kuwait-Syria, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Ruler of Kuwait gets a message from Pakistan's President Kuwait-Pakistan, Politics, 8/20/2001
- Baz denies dispatching Egyptian troops to back up Palestinians
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will receive this week a report from Ossama Al Baz, the Political Advisor to the President on the outcome of contacts made by the Egyptian delegation with the US administration on ways of ending the current deterioration in the Middle East. Egypt-USA, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Egyptian delegation's visit, very positive
Egyptian Presidential Political Advisor Osama AL Baz described the current visit by the Egyptian delegation to Washington as very positive both in timing and topics addressed. Egypt-USA, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Contacting Israel is not enough; Washington could prevent it from crossing red lines
Egyptian Presidential Political Advisor Osama AL Baz will leave Washington Tuesday for Cairo to submit a full dressed report to President Mubarak on the outcome of the mission of the high level Egyptian delegation to Washington. Egypt-USA, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Two Palestinians killed by Israeli bullets
Two Palestinians were killed on Sunday by the Israeli forces. Maan Abu Lawi ( 38 year old) from Nablus and Muhammad Abu Arar ( 13 year old) after the Israeli forces opened fire on them at a military barrier of the southern entrance of Rafah city, while three other Palestinians were wounded when they tried enter the besieged city. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Fischer postpones visit to Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia-Germany, Politics, 8/20/2001
- Consultations by Arab foreign ministers
Arab League Secretary-General Amr moussa arrived in Sanaa late Sunday on a two-day visit to Yemen for talks with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Abdullah Al-Korbi and a number of other senior officials. Regional, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Preparation measures for the Jordanian parliamentary elections Jordan, Politics, 8/20/2001
- An Israeli Arab language TV channel Israel-Regional, Politics, 8/20/2001
- Syrian source denies initiative between Kuwaiti- Iraqi relations
A Syrian official source denied in a statement to the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyasah the " existence" of any Syrian initiative towards the Kuwaiti- Iraqi relations. The source asserted that news which talked about an initiative by President Bashar al-Assad concerning the Iraqi- Kuwaiti relations are groundless and that leaking such news at such a timing is just to try to confuse the visit. Syria-Kuwait, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Health cooperation between Syria, Sudan
The Syrian minister of health Muhammad Eyad al-Shatti on Sunday in Damascus discussed with his Sudanese counterpart Ahmad Bilal Othman in their meeting, which was attended by the deputy health minister Kawkab al-Dayeh and the Sudanese ambassador in Damascus fields of existing cooperation between the two ministries and means of revitalizing the executive program of the cooperation agreement signed in the field of health between the two countries. Syria-Sudan, Politics, 8/20/2001 - On the Syrian- Iraqi relations
In an analysis on Syrian- Iraqi relations since Syria's independence in 1946 the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyasah said on Sunday that Baghdad did not hide its ambitions towards " this lost Paradise," which is called al-Shaam, besides the same attitude was not also hidden by Egypt which was seeking her own vital environment, and therefore the Syrians found themselves between Baghdad on the one hand and the Saudi- Egyptian axis on the other. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Taha Yassin heads for Sanaa
The Iraqi vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan will be heading for Sanaa next week on top of a high ranking delegation in an official visit to Yemen which will last for several days. Iraq-Yemen, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Egypt's writers federation urges boycotting American, Israeli products
Egypt's Writers Federation Freedom Committee Sunday called for boycotting American and Israeli products. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Envoy denies Egyptian team blamed Palestinians for violence
An Egyptian diplomat yesterday dismissed as untrue allegations that an Egyptian team, during talks last week in Washington, had held the Palestinian Authority responsible for more than ten months of violence. Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Israeli Druze and the military service Israel-Lebanon, Politics, 8/20/2001
- Maghreban consultative council: human resources committee adopts recommendations
The human resources committee of the Maghreban Consultative Council, the parliamentary body of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), adopted at the end of a two-day meeting in Algiers Sunday a set of recommendations geared towards the consolidation of Maghreban cooperation. Maghreb, Politics, 8/20/2001 - On the visit of the Syrian minister of irrigation to Turkey
The Turkish daily Hurriet said in its Saturday's issue that the visit of the Syrian minister of irrigation Taha al-Atrash to Turkey during next week wins special importance regarding two sides: first that the water crisis between Syria and Turkey has started to take a smoother attitude. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Arab Labor Organization calls for drawing a future vision to social protection
The Arab Labor organization has stressed the need of intensifying efforts for expanding social protection so as to cover persons who are not entitled to protection according to the law as well as to establish funds and systems for protection that comply with the political, economic and social conditions of every Arab state. Regional, Politics, 8/20/2001 - Muslims will not abandon al-Aqsa mosque
The Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine said Muslims are adhering to Al-Aqsa Mosque and will not relinquish one inch of its lands. Palestine, Politics, 8/20/2001