Datasets:

---

jxm

/

robust04__gtr_base__dpr

like 0

BFN [Interview with 'Abdallah al-Asnaj, "foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Yemen," by unidentified correspondent in Paris; date not given] [AL-HAYAH] How would you assess the talks you held in Cairo recently? [Al-Asnaj] The meetings held in Cairo, especially those concerning the mission of the UN secretary general's special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, were separate meetings with a southern delegation that had powers to discuss details of the stages of implementing Security Council Resolution 924, and a northern delegation that did not have sufficient powers or no powers at all. Because the delegation did not represent the authorities or the state. It was a partisan delegation from the alliance of the General People's Congress and the Reform Grouping. We considered this an attempt by Sanaa to gain time by extending Brahimi's mission in the region without achieving any progress with regard to a halt to the ongoing war. We informed Brahimi of our view and willingness to meet with him at the United Nations if the northern side expresses similar willingness to engage in serious commitments aimed primarily at securing a cease-fire and hence searching for a suitable mechanism to ascertain the warring parties' compliance with the cease-fire arrangements. We proposed a mechanism whereby a body would supervise the cease-fire, in addition to an implementing body to operate on the ground and include northern and southern elements together with Omani and Jordanian representatives, that is after the approval of the two countries' governments. And then work later to broaden the scale of Arab participation and form two African and Asian groups to work under UN auspices and the supervision of its secretary general. I believe that from his visits to Sanaa and al-Mukalla Brahimi gathered specific ideas and sufficient information to include in the report he is going to submit to the secretary general. We will read this report when we go to the United Nations at the end of the week, where we will meet with [Butrus-] Ghali. [AL-HAYAH] Assuming that Brahimi's report points to Sanaa's intransigence, what will the next possible step be? [Al-Asnaj] The war issue in Yemen no longer concerns the Yemenis alone. It is a disaster for the Yemenis first. We are not a state, nor do we enjoy full rights at the United Nations. But there are states concerned with what is happening in Yemen and which could -- in the immediate term -- pose a threat to the region's security and stability. Ssnaa has on numerous occasions announced a date for a cease-fire, but it failed to observe it. We had hoped that it would prove its seriousness, specify what it wants, and present its view of how the cease-fire can be consolidated to enable Brahimi to compare and define common denominators. But Sanaa has not specified what it wants or how it understands the Security Council resolution. So it is now futile to continue a dialogue of the deaf while the fighting continues to escalate, especially in Aden, where missiles are being fired at civilian targets and causing painful human losses. [AL-HAYAH] What are your expectations as regards future events in Yemen? [Al-Asnaj] The northern war machine will reach the point of exhaustion by attrition. 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih has deployed his forces over a vast area of land. And most of these forces are suffering a great deal, especially as they were stationed originally on southern territory. The al-'Amaliqah brigade has been in Abyan for four years and has made its arrangements for a long stay and adopted the human shield method along Iraqi lines. These forces are no longer in a comfortable situation, and I believe that they will retreat when they realize that they are exhausted -- which will open the door to new Arab and international mediations and endeavors to reconcile the two parts of Yemen. As for the unity issue, it is settled. We cannot preserve unity on the basis of pools of blood and the Yemeni people's skulls. A unity that began through dialogue and amicably must end through dialogue and amicably, because Sanaa is not far from Aden, and vice versa. The possibility of establishing relations within another framework, as was the case four years ago, can be considered. The brothers in Syria agreed to separate from Iraq and later agreed not to establish unity with Iraq for regional reasons, so why insist on Yemeni unity? Arab unity has gone through numerous experiences, and maybe there was negligence in how to establish it, because it is more emotional than practical. [AL-HAYAH] Do you not fear the country's fragmentation? [Al-Asnaj] The war is consolidating the position of resistance and steadfastness, and if there were any political collapses inside the country, the situation would have been different.

BFN Officials in Aden called on the United Nations to impose sanctions on the government of Sanaa to lift the siege it was imposing on Aden. Anis Yahiya, head of the south Yemeni delegation touring Western Europe and the United States, said in a news conference he held in London that the threat of imposing sanctions was the only means to stop the northern bombardment of Aden. He added that the sanctions would force Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdullah Salih to comply with UN Security Council Resolution No. 924, which called for a cease-fire in Yemen. That came at a time when the intensity of the continued northern shelling of Aden and its suburbs had increased. A southern communique affirmed that the northern shelling had caused the death and wounding of 800 people since 17 June instant. [passage omitted] An official in Aden said that the main plant for generating electricity was subjected to an aerial and artillery bombardment by the northern forces, a matter which led to a power supply cut in Aden and caused heavy losses to the plant.

BFN [Report by Maher Chmaytelli] Aden, Yemen, June 23 (AFP) -- Fighting on frontlines around Aden and northern attacks on the city left 30 people dead and nearly 150 others wounded Thursday [23 June], and the south appealed for foreign intervention to break the stranglehold. The bombardments began at dawn, continued through the day and were still in progress as night fell. Twenty-two civilians were killed and around 100 wounded as Katyusha rockets slammed into the city's northern suburbs and shells hit the city centre, officials at Aden's main hospital said. Fierce fighting on the north and northwestern fronts left eight soldiers dead and 48 wounded when northern troops launched two offensives, according to the city's other hospitals. Wounded taken to the main hospital had to be treated in the corridors because of lack of space, while weeping relatives crowded the courtyard. A spokesman for the breakaway Yemen Democratic Republic said on Aden Radio: "Following renewed, blind bombardments by the north of Aden, we urgently call on the international community to impose a ceasefire by force." He appealed for northern troops loyal to President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih to be forced to withdraw from the south and to be treated as war criminals. Aden Radio called on the town's citizens to "join in the defence," assuring them there had been no breakthrough by northern forces, while television read out an army communique indicating "resistance operations" within territory held by northern forces. The army statement said 47 northern troops had been killed in the previous 48 hours during two "resistance" operations in the Lahij region, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Aden. Military sources here said the north had managed to seize the entrance to the town of Bi'r Ahmad, 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest of Aden, close to one of the city's three power stations. The plant was hit by eight Katyushas, causing a fire in fuel pipelines and resulting in a partial shutdown and power cuts in several Aden districts. A cloud of dust and sand hung over Bi'r Ahmad caused by explosions as a Toyota car, with a siren blaring, scoured the area picking up dead and wounded soldiers. Electricity was restored to many districts in the city after a power cut caused by a rocket attack on the Hiswah power plant, west of Aden. On the northern front the battle raged for control of the pumping station at Bi'r Nasir which provides Aden's drinking water supplies. Two shells hit the fish market at Ma'allah on the sea front and a salvo of Kaytusha rockets destroyed five houses in the working class district of Mansurah. Shells fell on Aden at the rate of two or three a minute and the Khormaksar district near the airport and northern suburbs near the front were also hit. Southern leaders said in a statement that 800 civilians had been killed or wounded by northern attacks on Aden and its suburbs since June 17. Salih and southerners backing his rival 'Ali Salim al-Bid have been locked in civil war for almost two months. "The Sanaa regime is continuing to defy the international community," the statement added, referring to a UN Security Council resolution adopted on June 1 calling for an immediate ceasefire and the start of talks. The north's Planning Minister 'Abd-al-Karim al-Iryani is en route for Washington where he is to meet with UN Secretary General Butros Butros-Ghali to discuss the war which broke out on May 5. Al-Iryani will also meet UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi who failed to broker a truce during a 10-day tour of the region, the official SABA' agency said. The north demands that the south renounce its May 21 declaration of a separate state before entering talks. The minister, scheduled to hold talks in Washington with U.S. State Department officials, will discuss the "means to apply UN Resolution 924 in the context of Yemeni unity," the agency said. The war shattered four years of uneasy union between the former Marxist South Yemen and conservative, tribal North Yemen. Meanwhile in Cairo, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Polyakov said any recognition by Russia of the breakaway state would depend on the findings of Brahimi's report.

BFN [Report by Suleiman Nimr] Zinjibar, Yemen, June 24 (AFP) -- Northern troops are marking time on fronts around the besieged southern Yemeni city of Aden, an AFP correspondent reported late Thursday [23 June] from the frontline. "For two weeks now we have not moved a metre," said Colonel 'Ali Salim Muhammad of the 17th Brigade stationed here, 20 kilometres (12 miles) east of Aden. "We could easily enter Aden, but we are waiting for the order from political leaders in Sanaa," the colonel added. "For the time being, we make do with bombarding military targets in Aden, especially the military camp at Khor Maksar." Aden hospital sources earlier reported that 30 people had been killed Thursday and nearly 150 wounded as north Yemeni gunners shelled the southern stronghold, prompting the south to appeal for foreign intervention to break the stranglehold. The bombardment began at dawn, continued through the day and was still in progress as night fell. Fierce fighting on the north and northwestern fronts meanwhile left eight soldiers dead and 48 wounded after northern troops launched two offensives, according to the city's other hospitals. The north's second lieutenant, Mujahid 'Ali Husayn, meanwhile said northern troops had moved some two kilometres (one mile) forward on Saturday [25 June], after repulsing a "desperate counter-attack by (southern) secessionists." Colonel 'Ali Shaykh 'Umar, commanding officer in Abyan 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Aden, admitted that "northern fire has hit civilians by mistake," but said that was "very rare." Since northern troops launched their unrelenting assualt on the port a week ago 108 civilians have been killed and 387 wounded, according to hospital officials. Northern troops listened to patriotic songs played over a loud-speaker mounted on a military vehicle as they fired shells on Aden. But the songs did not drown out the explosions of shells fired by the south's heavy artillery from the besieged city. Southern shells fell sporadically into the desert near the brigade's positions, and southern warplanes buzzed Abyan regularly, flying high to avoid northern anti-aircraft fire. Burned-out remains of northern troop-carriers, destroyed in southern air raids, were strewn around the dusty Al-Aslam region some 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Aden. But northern soldiers were visibly relaxed in the scorching sun, as they washed themselves with scalding water from an enormous tank mounted on a rickety lorry. War broke out between northern forces loyal to President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih and those of his southern rival 'Ali Salim al-Bid on May 5. So far, all attempts to mediate a ceasefire have failed.

BFN The brother president, Yasir 'Arafat, met in Tunis this morning with His Excellency Yemeni Deputy Parliament Speaker 'Abd-al-Wahab Mahmud and the delegation accompanying him. His Excellency 'Abd-al-Wahab briefed the brother president on the latest situation and the seriousness of the fast-moving and delicate developments which concern Yemen and its fraternal people. President 'Arafat stressed the importance of continuing efforts to find a just solution which would safeguard the interest of the fraternal Yemeni people and their effective role as one of the pillars of our Arab nation in its endeavour toward a better future. His Excellency 'Abd-al-Wahab Mahmud conveyed an important message from Yemen's Parliament Speaker Shaykh 'Abdallah al-Ahmar to the brother president, Yasir 'Arafat. The meeting was attended by his excellency the Yemeni ambassador to Tunisia.

BFN [Editorial Report] Jerusalem Qol Yisra'el in Arabic, in a special "With the Events" program, carries from 1438-1614 GMT a live or recorded phone-in program with Dr. Nabil Sha'th, "official in charge of the planning and international cooperation file in the Palestinian authority," who received phone calls in a "temporary studio" set up at the Palestine Hotel in Gaza. The phone-in program is interrupted by a news summary at 1530 GMT. Sha'th answers questions by the program moderators and callers on various domestic and personal issues, especially concerning prisoners and deportees. The program is moderated by Roset Hakim in Jerusalem and Hasan Abu- Zayid Sa'id and Mu'addi in the studio in Gaza. Answering a question by a caller from Hebron on rumors about Hebron being handed to the Palestinian authority early July, Nabil Sha'th says that according to the Palestinian-Israeli Declaration of Principles [DOP] signed in Washington, 13 July was the date set for the start of self-rule in the entire West Bank. He says that there has been some delay, but he expects that "if intentions are sincere and if the required effort is made, all cities of the West Bank will be included within the framework of the Palestinian authority and self-rule" three months from now. Asked by Hasan Abu-Zayid on the date of PLO Chairman Yasir 'Arafat's arrival in the self-rule area, Nabil Sha'th says: "Abu-Ammar [Yasir 'Arafat] always keeps his travel secret and surprising. Undoubtedly, he will declare the date of his arrival a few days earlier so that all preparations are made. However, we should not forget that President 'Arafat is the president of all Palestinians. Consequently, he has responsibilities outside Palestine toward the Palestinians living abroad. He will be also responsible for the situation of PLO institutions after his return to the homeland. He has to settle many matters before he returns to Gaza and Jericho. Also, some preparations must be made in Gaza and Jericho, such as, among other things, completing the implementation of the agreement and putting the security measures into practice. I have always said that I expect 'Arafat to arrive before the end of this month. This could be the case, but if any delay takes place, it will not be for much longer." Asked by a caller from Gaza on employees' salaries and the economic situation, Sha'th says that "the Palestinian authority wants to continue to offer the required services to citizens, including education, health, sewerage system, illuminating streets, protecting beaches, and other similar matters. All this, including security, needs taxes to make them possible. Now we are fully responsible for security. This requires salaries for the police and others. We will receive international aid in the first year. This aid will enable us to offer services before we manage to collect the taxes needed for that. We will seriously discuss the possibility of increasing salaries. I asked brother Abu-Shar'iah, who is responsible for personnel affairs at the civil administration, to draw a plan for increasing the salaries of government employees so as to bring them close to the salaries paid to United National Relief and Works Agency and private sector employees." Asked by Roset Hakim whether the Palestinian police will exert efforts to capture the killers of a Hamas [Islamic Resistance Movement] activist, who was killed in Bayt Lahiya on 22 June, Sha'th says: "Definitely. We will not allow any killer, assailant, or thief to escape punishment. This is not because we want to take revenge on anybody, but to give all citizens a feeling of justice and security irrespective of their political affiliation and geographic locations." Asked by Hakim whether he is holding contacts with representatives of the Palestinian opposition to learn about their stand on the peace process and the possibility of their participation in future self-rule elections, Sha'th says: "I will be holding such contacts very soon. I started by resolving the problems facing the police and the civil authority through cooperation with my colleagues and brothers. I am visiting professional Palestinian communities--workers, merchants, and others. I know that some of my colleagues are in constant contact with the opposition. I will gladly hold contacts with them to achieve a genuine peace, national unity, democracy, and participation by all. In light of peace and the agreements that we have signed, we want to give everybody a chance to take part in building their homeland and future." A telephone call was also received from Dr. Mahmud al-Zahhar, a Hamas leader in Gaza. In a brief dialogue, Sha'th and al-Zahhar exchange greetings and hope to meet soon. Al-Zahhar says: "First, we beseech God Almighty to grant you and your brothers here success. You are all welcome to your homeland. We beseech God that your presence here will be beneficial for the homeland and will spare us harm and evil, signs of which are evident through the agents' escalation of their activity against honorable persons of various affiliations. This has resulted in the martyrdom of youth Nasir Salluha. This is extremely regrettable. We hope that the police will not take its role fully to establish justice and to put an end to those agents." Sha'th responds: "I wholeheartedly support you, brother Mahmud. We will not relinquish our responsibility. Defending you and all those affiliated to your organization and all the children of those people who struggled and paid sacrifices to achieve genuine security, effective participation, and justice is a responsibility which we are assuming without hesitation." Asked to comment on some Palestinian prisoners' intention to receive 'Arafat upon his arrival in the self-rule area with black flags, Sha'th says that Palestinian prisoners have suffered a great deal from prisons and that peace has not secured their release although they had a role in the start of the peace process. He says that Palestinian officials are sparing no effort to secure their release. He says that the Cairo agreement has created the mechanism for the release of all prisoners, noting that special arrangements and negotiations are still needed. Asked by Hasan Abu-Zayid on Jerusalem and recent statements by Faruq Qaddumi, head of the PLO Political Department, on a Palestinian-Israeli "secret file concerning Jerusalem," and whether a "new media clamor" about Jerusalem is imminent, Nabil Sha'th says: "I do not believe that what is required is a media clamor. What is required are clear bases for action regarding the issue of Jerusalem. I believe that brother Abu-al-Lutf [Faruq Qaddumi] also refers to Holst's message, which constitutes a part of the overall Oslo accords. I remind the brother listeners that among the Oslo accords were the DOP which was signed in Washington, the letters exchanged between President 'Aaraft and Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin on mutual recognition between the PLO and Israel, and this message by Foreign Minister Shim'on Peres to Holst, the late Norwegian foreign minister. What is required is for everyone of us to realize what these bases are. First, the final status of Jerusalem will be decided by the agreement that will result from the negotiations on the final status. These negotiations will begin within a period not exceeding two years after the signing of the DOP. The agreement will be implemented within a period not exceeding five years, which is the transitional period -- three years after the first two years. However, the implementation of the DOP on the final status of Jerusalem is based on the implementation of Resolutions 242 and 338. In other words, Jerusalem is considered an occupied city. It is not an annexed city, but a city like other cities in the West bank and Gaza occupied in 1967. Until we arrive at the final status, every side has its declared objectives. Our declared objective is that in the final status, we want East Jerusalem to be the capital of an independent Palestinian state. As for the relationship between east and west Jerusalem, this is a topic of negotiation. We do not want a new Berlin wall between east and west Jerusalem. This is something that will be decided in the negotiations. Until we arrive at this situation, our rights in east Jerusalem must be maintained. We must not be prevented from entering Jerusalem and the Palestinian civilian and religious institutions in the city must be defended. The Israeli Government must not take any measures preventing citizens' freedom and rights in Jerusalem. This is our position, and this is what has been achieved by Holst's message. What is required is abidance by this agreement rather to be engaged in media rows about it." Asked by Abu-Zayid on the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations that will start on 27 June, Sha'th says that the first topic on the agenda will be drawing timetables for the release of remainder of Palestinian prisoners. He says that the negotiations will deal with issues not included in the Gaza-Jericho agreement and deployment of Palestinian authority and police throughout the West Bank in preparation for Israeli withdrawal from cities and villages and in preparation for the elections which will be held when withdrawal is completed. He says that those negotiations will "most probably" be held in Gaza and Israel.

BFN At 1230 today, His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad received at the al-Rawdah Palace a Yemeni delegation comprising Salim Salih Muhammad, assistant secretary general of the Yemeni Socialist Party [YSP], Dr. 'Abd-al-'Aziz al-Dali, and Muhsin Muhammad Abu-Bakr. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Rashid Akhtarini and Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar'.

BFN Leader President Saddam Husayn, may God protect and preserve him, has chaired a Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet discussed, within the course charted by his excellency for its actions and discussions, subjects related to improving production, efficient performance, flexibility and quick response in the administrative field, and fairness and balance between duties and rights. The Cabinet discussed a plan to produce and improve seeds, executed by al-Iba' Agricultural Research Center, which this year achieved self-sufficiency in the production of potato seeds and is seeking to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of seeds for some vegetables and legumes. The Cabinet decided to support al-Iba' Center with the necessary financial funds to maintain the link between the center and potato growers. The Cabinet also discussed the situation of the cooperative movement in the country, its structures, and the proposals made to develop it. In this regard, the leader president, may God protect him, stressed the need for discussing how the cooperative societies can develop their own resources and not turn to state support except in emergency cases. He said we must distinguish between incorrect implementations and the lack of correct or fair programs. The cooperative movement, he said, must play its role among the people within the concept of cooperation. His excellency urged the ministers, saying: When you propose a law or an amendment to a law, your main concern must be how this law or amendment will achieve justice and how will it take into consideration the interests of all people in a fair way. Any law that ignores this basic aspect or includes an accumulation of forbidden things, particularly the unnecessary ones, will help create a trend to violate it. The application of a fair law, in which obligations and rights are balanced and clear, will not only achieve justice, but will also ease the pressure on courts. His excellency said: We must also take note that certain policies and laws are right in certain circumstances. But when the circumstances change, we must set a new policy, a course, and legislation must correspond to our new circumstances instead of harming the citizen and the state and not achieving the justice required by the new circumstance. His excellency added: Each minister must review the laws within the context of this course, which will make one take pride in the state and belonging to it. Proposals to consider these laws must be made. We still have work to build upon and we can do this as quickly as we can.

BFN [Telephone interview with Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin by Itay Engel and Mikhal Gazit; place not given -- live] [Engel] We would like to speak with the prime minister on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Rabin government. Good morning, Mr. Yitzhaq Rabin. [Rabin] Good morning to you and to the listeners. [Engel] Sir, two years ago you spoke about the need to change the national order of priorities. If not a top priority, at least the most talked about issue at the moment is Syria. You warned yesterday about what might befall us if a peace agreement is not reached with the Syrians. We would like to hear from you this morning about what is happening in reality rather than about what might happen. Do you foresee a development on the Syrian channel in the next few weeks? [Rabin] I believe the dialogue with Syria will continue. I am sorry, though, that it will continue indirectly, through the Americans, in a bid to reach a direct dialogue. I doubt that the Syrians are currently ready for any other form of contacts, which would be the best way to advance the political process. [Gazit] Sir, having said that, you uttered very harsh words yesterday about Syria and the possibility of war within a few years if there is no change in the situation. Should we infer from it that the Syrian channel is still stuck and going nowhere? [Rabin] The problem is not that we want war. We want peace, and in order to attain it, we are prepared to make painful compromises. At the same time, I am sorry to hear that in an address to the Zionist Executive, a Likud leader asserted that the Arab world no longer has a military option. This is an illusion. We had better learn from our bitter experience: Three months before the Six-Day War, nobody thought there would be a war in 1967; two weeks before the Yom Kippur War, nobody thought there would be a war. Those who think a military option no longer exists have no right to apply for the generous U.S. aid and should not put everything into building up the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] in order to have a strong army. Although we must first and foremost prevent a war, if it is forced on us, we must win it. The government's policy, therefore, is to search for any possible way to attain peace from a position of strength and by nurturing Israel's military might, which is a condition for its existence and the security of its population. This is also the condition for peace, because nobody will negotiate with a militarily weak Israel. That is why we act on both levels. Two years ago today, Labor emerged from the elections to the 13th Knesset as the largest party in Israel. The factions affiliated with it in the Knesset constitute a buffer against the establishment of another government, even if all the right-wing and religious parties were to unite. Moreover, we changed the national order of priorities. We stopped throwing money away on the political settlements in the territories and transferred it to education. The education budget was augmented by an amount unprecedented in the past 15 years, because education is the key to the future of our sons, the future of the young generation, and the future of the State of Israel. We invested in the transportation infrastructure in order to make up for 25 years of neglect. Israel lagged behind every modern country in terms of its transportation infrastructure. Without such an infrastructure, it will be impossible to bring the Negev and the Galilee closer to the center of the country. The problem is not bringing Ari'el closer to the center of Israel, because it is already close geographically. The issue is expanding and developing the Galilee and the Negev. We fought unemployment. When we assumed power two years ago, the rate of unemployment among Soviet immigrants stood at 29 percent, while in May 1994 it was 14 percent. General unemployment in Israel totaled 11.2 percent two years ago and 8.2 percent in May 1994 -- a 3-percent decrease. We are almost back to the level that existed prior to the wave of immigration that started in 1989. [Engel] Sir, is there anything you regret, any disappointing moments in the past two years? [Rabin] There always are unpleasant moments, but when I look at the general picture, I would say that we scored many achievements. This does not mean that we achieved everything. If there is anything I regret, it is the enormous gap between what has actually been achieved by the government and the way this is being perceived by the people, either through the media or the feeling among various sectors of the population. I think this government will bring about reforms, new approaches, and an organizational restructuring of many spheres of life in Israel. [Gazit] Sir, you may be reaping the fruit of the I-will-lead government [alluding to Rabin's victory speech in June 1992] in the political sphere, but you are paying a very high price in the domestic arena. Your party is experiencing a very serious crisis. Do you think there is room for reaching any conclusions? Should we expect a more serene and reconciled second half? [Rabin] I hope so. I am not blaming anybody, except some of our institutions, which worked in a certain way for many years; I am primarily referring to the Histadrut labor federation. By not voting for us as they did in the past, the people seemingly wanted to teach us a very painful lesson. Lessons must be learned from such a blow. It is a pity that instead of everybody learning their lesson, there is bickering. We will learn our lesson and rectify what can be rectified. [Engel] Your party colleagues talk about an erosion in your standing and a drop in the government's popularity. What is your response to this? [Rabin] I was given a mandate in the Knesset elections. I have no doubt that the results of the Labor's primaries, which determined that I should lead the list, brought about a result Labor was not able to obtain in 17 years. I will not judge our policy and its implementation according to weekly, monthly, or bimonthly public opinion polls. My criteria is what we will achieve in our term, in our full four years in power, and not the transient moods reflected in public opinion polls. The voters will test us in the next scheduled elections. We will be judged in the next Knesset elections, which will be held as scheduled. [Engel] Sir, thank you very much for this interview. [Rabin] Thank you.

BFN [Interview with King Husayn by Hisham Milhim in Washington; date not given--recorded] [Milhim] Your Majesty: Your meeting with President Bill Clinton was the first since the recent Jordanian-Israeli agreement and the first since the disagreement on resolving the inspection measures at the al-'Aqabah Port. What do you expect now from the United States regarding bilateral ties and the peace process? Can we say that there will be greater concentration now on bilateral ties? Did you discuss, in this context, the issue of Jordan getting new economic aid from Washington or exempting Jordan from repaying some of its old military and nonmilitary loans? [Husayn] As a matter of fact, we raised all of these issues with our friends in the United States during the visit. We hope they will play a great role in the coming stage to help Jordan overcome the difficult situation it is experiencing, particularly in the economic field and the debts, whether by postponing the repayment or easing the burden or writing off the debt in the future. On the bilateral level, there is a joint U.S.-Jordanian committee. We hope this committee will serve as a mechanism to promote relations in the future in all fields of importance to us and them. [Milhim] Have you found understanding in the United States of Jordan's economic situation and a willingness to support you? [Husayn] We sensed understanding of our situation and needs. At the same time, we believe there is a positive U.S. attitude now and regarding the future to support Jordan more with regard to its march to provide the needs of the human being, the most important element in its existence now and in the future, especially if a comprehensive peace is achieved, as we hope. [Milhim] In light of the recent Jordanian-Israeli agreement, did you ask President Clinton that Washington continue or develop its role in the peace process, particularly since President Clinton has pointed out the need to achieve comprehensive peace? [Husayn] There is no doubt that the U.S. role as a sponsor of the peaceful march is important. The U.S. contributions have so far made it possible for the talks to reach this point. We will begin -- and we hope this will take place next month -- a long, arduous phase of serious negotiations to tackle all the items on the agenda that was agreed upon and ratified here in Washington immediately after the Palestinian-Israeli agreement. We hope that all these issues will be addressed satisfactorily toward a comprehensive and just peace. We now feel that it is our duty to pay attention to our own concerns regarding the present and future of Jordan, because the existence of Jordan, apart from any other consideration, we believe, is the right of all its sons of all origins. Therefore, we have a national and pan-Arab mission in preserving a strong, constant Jordan in the region at present and in the future to play the role we have always played in the Middle East. [Milhim] The recent Jordanian-Israeli agreement came as a surprise to some observers. What are the factors that led to the agreement, especially the timing? Is it true that Jordan is worried that it will lag behind other tracks, especially the Palestinian track? [Husayn] The fact is that these questions about the timing are not justified. This is because after endorsing the agenda, we were supposed to begin immediately. If there was some delay, it was due to other incidents and concerns of other concerned parties in the region. When we saw a chance to begin to discuss the agenda that was signed some time ago, we welcomed this and preferred to see negotiations move to the region in particular, especially since one of the most important issues that must be discussed is Jordanian sovereignty over Jordanian territories, and returning and recognizing these territories in full. There is also the question of waters, the environment, and other issues. This requires that the meetings be held in the region itself so as to define these dimensions and address their requirements. As for Jordan's position, I once again reiterate with pride that Jordan has been, since its inception, the closest to the Palestinian cause, in terms of the people, the land, and the rights. Perhaps that has been our destiny as a family. We are proud of belonging to Jordan, since the Great Arab Revolt. We have offered a great deal and considered the cause one of destiny and future to us under all circumstances. However, Sir, in practical terms, regarding the recent years after 1967, we fought the battle along with our brothers, led by Egypt, as a reaffirmation of our Arab commitment to the Collective Defense Pact and our belonging to the Arab League. At a later stage, our brothers in Egypt chose to walk the path of peace. They were the leaders in 1967. After that, the Palestinian brothers, who are primarily concerned with this affair, decided to step forward and assume their responsibilities in looking for this right on their national soil. It was unreasonable for Jordan to lag behind or to wait for everybody else to address their own issues. Jordan, regrettably, has no support except from God Almighty in the region. Jordan has no support or backing from any superpowers, not even any countries in the region. For the sake of Palestine, the cause and the people, on the Palestinian national soil, and for the sake of the Arab nation and the defense of the depth of the Arab nation, Jordan must stay and continue. And it must be an example, not only with regard to political issues but also regarding many issues and problems which we face in our Arab nation, as well as in its democratic approach, respect for human rights, and political pluralism. At the same time, it must be a solid rock in the region. All circumstances, therefore, require that Jordan continue the quest. We are at the beginning of a long and arduous phase of negotiations. Whether we are going to succeed or not depends on the Israeli side, because we are not seeking peace at any cost. We are looking for a just, honorable, and lasting peace and for our people's right to live and dream. [Milhim] Damascus reactions to the Jordanian-Israeli agreement were critical. It was alleged that Jordan renounced coordination with Syria, especially in light of your recent visit to Damascus. Can you explain to us your concept of the nature of the understanding which you reached with President Hafiz al-Asad? What is your opinion about the Syrian attitude? [Husayn] In fact, I was surprised by the Syrian reaction. I have not heard anything from His Excellency brother Hafiz al-Asad on the personal level. We have been in continuous contact until the latest stage. I paid a visit to Damascus, we met, and we discussed all issues. Therefore, I believe the political dimension concerning the Middle East issues, as well as our decisive and pan-Arab issues, will be tackled on our level, myself and my brother the president. Regarding the coordination in general, we used this term and did our utmost to achieve it. I am not here dealing with this issue in light of the recent Syrian stand, but in light of its basis, namely, the Jordanian-Palestinian situation. Our issues and interests are interlinked. So, we should be together in confronting the dangers facing us. Coordination in the full sense of the word has not been achieved yet on any level. Every now and then we ask the brothers how far they have gone in their talks, or we tell them where we are, if they ask. Our brothers in Syria have their own definite and known problems concerning the occupied Syrian territory. We have our own problems. Coordination has not reached the level of minor details. They, in Syria, can afford to wait in light of their circumstances, situation, and potentials. However, our issue and its interlinkage with the Palestinian issue made us discuss this issue. Jordan, Syria, the Palestinian brothers, and Lebanon started from the same point in Madrid. We are seeking a comprehensive peace. This, however, does not mean we relinquished our right to address our issues. We also do not assume that Syria will relinquish its right to address its issues. Neither do we assume that Syria should relinquish its rights to deal with its problems. We coordinate, if that is the word, concerning issues that we must coordinate about; that is, issues that we and they agree to coordinate on. However, practically, coordination in the sense I meant, talked about, or searched for was really talk devoid of substance, save our endeavors to reach a comprehensive and just peace acceptable to future generations. [Milhim] Is the absence of Arab coordination caused by the requirements of sovereignty or is it caused by political differences, apprehension, or basic lack of trust between certain parties concerned? Coordination is like a group dance and it seems that some participants are accusing others of not moving to the agreed tunes. [Husayn] Let me be frank on this point. We cannot say to the Arab people that there is coordination when there is no such thing and then surprise them with what is happening. The Jordanian-Syrian coordination which was planned to be a Syrian-Jordanian meeting on the level of the heads of the governments is on another dimension. It is connected with efforts to realize some integration, dealing with the Syrian-Jordanian family relations, if we can use this term. It was hoped that issues would develop concerning Lebanon. Such a meeting was held with Egypt so that we could gather together and begin to proceed toward the conditions which we wish. This was postponed at the wish of our Syrian brothers and we hope the postponement will not be for long. [Milhim] Does this mean that the Jordanian-Syrian relations have entered a period of coolness? Do you intend to contain the situation? [Husayn] [Words indistinct] problem concerning us and I do not believe that there is a problem with the Syrian brothers. We have remained in contact and together we suffered much throughout a very long journey. Brother President al-Asad knows me very well and I know him and our relationship is built on sincerity and truthfulness. [Milhim] Recently, you also lamented lack of coordination with the PLO. How do you describe the relationship between you and the PLO now? [Husayn] A good relationship. We supported the PLO from the beginning and we addressed the Palestinian people as a whole and called on them to be cohesive and crystallize their ideas and ambitions through their cohesion, because the most dangerous thing is to break up in this critical phase. We also discuss the economic dimension. There is a Jordanian-Palestinian agreement followed by a Palestinian-Israeli agreement. Now we need a Jordanian-Palestinian- Israeli meeting to review all that happened and see where we might reach. Had there been coordination and a joint Palestinian- Jordanian stand from the beginning, we would have taken a short cut and perhaps realized more than what we have realized so far. Therefore, our position in the future will be to respond to any Palestinian appeal to us and help them in any way, one problem at a time because in the absence of real coordination, there could be integration in stands, this is the only choice. [Milhim] Your Majesty can we imagine the Jordanian-Israeli negotiations in the coming months taking an advanced phase leading to signing a peace agreement even if no progress is realized on other tracks? This is what we understand from your statements. [Husayn] It is very difficult to say how issues will develop but there is no reason why we should not have progress on all tracks so that all of us will reach the cherished goal and realize a just and comprehensive peace. [Milhim] Five years ago you began the process of democratization and the expansion of the political base which led to the formation of parties and holding elections and other steps in this regard. Looking back, how would you evaluate the past phase? What were the most significant developments and what are the disappointments? Do you think that there should be a critical evaluation of what took place in the outgoing phase? [Husayn] Critical revision is necessary all the time in the life of any people. I believe that this applies to us in Jordan, but the democratic choice and the participation of the Jordanians, regardless of their origins, in making their presence and future is an indispensable basis, in addition to the political pluralism and respect for human rights. Arab people need to feel--and I hope that the Jordanians now feel this--that they are not frustrated, that they are not shunned, that their rights and dignity are preserved, and that they practically and dynamically contribute to making their present and future. I believe that through this march, which could not resume except after the disengagement of administrative and legal connections with the West Bank, which was followed by the PLO's acceptance of Resolution 242 until we reached the present conditions--I say that through this march, which proceeded in very difficult circumstances and in the face of most dangerous challenges in the region, we have found ourselves stronger than we have ever been despite the continuous pressures and the difficulties which we are suffering. [Milhim] Your Majesty: Prior to the outbreak of war in Yemen, Jordan contributed to the attempts to arrive at a political settlement. However, the explosion took place. How do you assess the situation in Yemen and the future of Yemen? What do the events in Yemen mean with respect to the absence of an Arab authority or Arab mechanism to prevent similar explosions in Arab states? [Husayn] I believe that this situation or any similar tragic situation in the Arab homeland should be tackled within an Arab context. Therefore, we had responded to the brothers' appeal and tried the impossible for months to arrive at the accord that was signed in Amman. Representatives of the entire Yemeni people and all forces in Yemen without exception attended the signing ceremony and signed the accord. We had high hopes that that event would be a turning point. However, we were soon surprised by the consecutive explosions. At the beginning, we tried, through a Jordanian team and a fraternal Omani team both working as one team, to stop the deterioration. We were successful to a great extent. Later, the picture became broader in terms of participation by other brothers and various sides. In fact, we discovered that we could not continue our mission with respect to the military aspect of the Yemeni agreement. This is because unless there is political will, it would be difficult to continue the process of unifying the army and the Armed Forces. This was supposed to take place at the beginning of the unity. However, our brothers' efforts were negatively affected for a while after the Gulf crisis. Besides, we were all too preoccupied to perform our duty toward them in terms of providing advice to help them at that time. Therefore, we withdrew the military team, and so did Oman. Afterward, matters proceeded toward an explosion. We have a Jordanian medical team there doing its best on the humanitarian level. We still hope that those Yemeni figures who met in Amman as representatives of entire Yemen and its areas, political movements, and people will have the ability, just as they had the ability to meet in Amman, to maintain Yemeni unity and to create the logic and ability to accept even a small portion of the human and material losses on the Yemeni area, so that partition could be avoided, for, God forbid, Yemen could be partitioned even into more than south and north. We have always been supportive of a unified, modern, democratic, and strong Yemen to take its place in the Arab world. I do not know what the motives and reasons are, but, regrettably, it seems that many elements in the Arab world seek a future fragmentation, thus leading to potential dangers and disasters throughout the entire Arab world. We will not hesitate to undertake any effort for the sake of our brothers in Yemen.

BFN Foreign Minister Velayati, speaking before a gathering of ambassadors, charges d'affaires, and diplomatic representatives of foreign countries in Tehran today, said that the double-standard of some countries regarding the ominous phenomenon of terrorism is an encouragement to the continuation of organized crime. According to a report by our correspondent, the foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, referring to the recent horrific crime by the hypocrites added: This catastrophe is so profound that no free-minded human being can regard it with indifference. Velayati described the crime as similar to the one in Hebron in the occupied Palestine and said: Such terrorist acts against the great nation of Iran will never shake the determination of our people in confronting criminals. Our country's foreign minister also called on the international community to confront the ominous phenomenon of terrorism decisively and without a selective approach. He regretted some of the foreign states' support for the hypocrites' terrorist group and letting them put propaganda means at their disposal. He added: Without such support the bloody catastrophe in Mashhad would not have happened. According to the same report, after the statement made by our country's foreign minister, the Libyan ambassador in Tehran, as the doyen of ambassadors, expressed regret over that traumatic incident and considered that terrorist act as a violation of human rights.

BFN [Excerpts] Dear listeners of the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As you know, ceremonies were held today, on the orders of the exalted leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Ayatollah Khamene'i, for the martyrs of the immaculate shrine of Imam Reza on the day of Ashura at Shahid Motahhari College. Dr. Hasan Ruhani, deputy speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, delivered an address at the gathering, which we will hear together. [Begin Ruhani recording] In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. [passage omitted] Since the beginning of the glorious victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran, our honorable nation has been faced with various incidents. Our people have witnessed numerous crimes by the arrogant powers and their mercenaries. But possibly no disaster or incident has been as tragic as the incident on the evening of the day of Ashura at the immaculate shrine of the eighth imam. That is so not because a group of our pilgrims were cut to pieces and bathed in blood while worshipping and praying, since from the beginning of the revolution until now our honorable and loyal nation has offered many martyrs to our revolution. The tragedy is important from another point of view, and that is the violation of the sanctity of the shrine and the sacredness of the shrine of the innocent eighth imam -- greetings and blessings be upon him -- in the evening of the day of Ashura at the time when the people's sentiments and emotions toward the leader of martyrs are at their zenith. And that great tragedy occurred by the side of the shrine of the eighth Imam and the mosque, by his head. That tragedy does not merely concern the world Shiites and the people of Iran. That tragedy concerns all Muslims and all the freedom-loving people of the world. From the point of view of any Muslim the household of honor and purity enjoys a particular and special respect. All Islamic sects respect the family of the Prophet and the family of purity and innocence. [passage omitted] In the case of this bombing, as far as all Muslims are concerned, the sanctity of the Prophet's family, the mosque, and prayer have been violated. Innocent Muslims were killed at prayer. [passage omitted] Why did the enemy plan this great tragedy? Why is this calamity unbearable for the brave Muslim people of Iran? Regarding the first question, let us start the discussion from this point: Who has not benefitted from Islam, Shiism, genuine Islam, the Ashura of Aba Abdullah, the shrine of the eighth imam, and the school of the family of the prophet? The faces of which powers have been slapped? If today, Iran's Islamic revolution stands as a strong dam against the moves of arrogance, and if today the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the center of all Islamic movements which resist arrogance and oppression...[unfinished sentence as heard] [passage omitted] It is clear to us why the world arrogance designed and implemented the explosion at the shrine of the eighth imam, and at the time of Ashura. The bomb attack was carried out by the mercenaries who consider 20 June 1981 to be important. Their masters, who are the real plotters, the arrogant powers -- these mercenary grouplets have been nurtured in their laps, and continue their shameful life today under their protection. The arrogant powers themselves know very well from where the principal blow against them has come; it comes from the Ashura front [howze-ye Ashura], the family of the Prophet's front and by the honorable and brave Iranian nation, which moves along the path of the Prophet's family. The world arrogance seeks to take its revenge on the Iranian nation. The world arrogance seeks to deal its heaviest blow against the immaculate sentiments of the Muslim people of this land. [passage omitted] They have committed crimes which do not seem rational by any logic. If a grouplet has the slightest hope of coming to power in a place it does not commit actions which result in general hatred toward it. But a grouplet can reach a point where its only task is to be the mercenary of the world arrogance and nothing else. I ask you: Has any grouplet acted in such way -- to go toward and become part of the enemy while the nation was fighting a defensive war; to fight, and even worse, to spy for the enemy in order to kill one's own people? When Iraqi pilots were captured during the war they would be asked in their debriefings: Why did you have to bomb residential centers and not the city outskirts? You would have carried out your mission and would not have killed so many people. The pilots would say: Our problem is the Mojahedin-e Khalq [MKO]; we would have bombed the outskirts, but as soon as we bombed, the MKO informed Baghdad of the whereabouts of the attack. If we did not attack residential areas our lives would be in danger. Is there a comparison to this in history? Which mercenary has ever spied in such manner against its own people and against innocent women and children in cities and villages? Do you know of a similar case? This grouplet has reached a dead end. It has to accept the truth, which it will not do. It never did. [passage omitted] [end recording]

BFN In the Kashmir Valley, the two Britishers -- Kim Housego and Mr. David Mackie -- kidnapped by the militants have been released after 17 days of captivity. The two were released unconditionally today in the jungles of Pahalgam. Later, they were brought to Srinagar where they were handed over to the first secretary of the British High Commission in India. The two Britishers were kidnapped on the 7th of this month from Kharo in Pahalgam by a militant outfit, Harkatul Ansar. Talking to AIR [All India Radio] correspondent in Srinagar after their release, Kim Housego and David Mackie said they did not know the exact location where they were kept. They were taken from place to place during their 17-day ordeal. The British foreign secretary, Mr. Douglas Hurd, has welcomed the release of the two Britons. In a statement in London, he thanked the Government of India and others who helped their release.

BFN President D.B. Wijetunga yesterday appointed Gamini Dissanayake as the minister of mahaweli development and Ronnie de Mel as the minister of ports and shipping. Yesterday's changes included the creation of two new ministries -- the Ministry of Peoplization of Public Enterprises and the Ministry of National Reconciliation. Mr. Joseph Michael Perera, who was previously the minister of fisheries, was appointed minister of peoplization of public enterprises; Anura Bandranaike as the minister of national reconciliation in addition to his previous portfolio of higher education. Mr. Gamini Athukorale retains two out of three of his portfolios mainly forestry and irrigation while mahaweli development was transferred to Mr. Dissanayake. Alick Aluvihare, who held the portfolio of ports and shipping, declined to accept the new ministry and was dropped from the cabinet.

BFN [Interview with Foreign Minister Faris Buwayz by Kamal Tarabayh on 23 June; place not given; from "The Political Week" program -- recorded] [Excerpts] [passage omitted] [Tarabayh] What is the latest about the Middle East peace process on the Lebanese-Israeli track? [Buwayz] I am sure you are aware that Lebanon entered these negotiations on two principles. The first concerns Lebanon; that is, Israeli occupation of the Lebanese territory in the south and western al-Biqa'. Lebanon continues to believe that Resolution 425 constitutes the accurate, clear, and just mechanism to remove this occupation. This is a basic condition. Secondly, Lebanon is concerned about the dispute in general. Lebanon is an Arab country, one of the ancient Arab decisionmaking states and one of the founding members of the Arab League. It hosts a large number of Palestinian people. It is concerned with any peace in the region and with the fate of these Palestinians. Therefore, Lebanon deals with this issue in general in solidarity with the other Arab states. It will not sign an agreement in isolation of the other concerned states and before these states have regained their usurped rights. So far, Israel wants to combine these two cases and we cannot yet say that Israel has agreed to the principle of leaving the occupied Lebanese territory. We presented a clear mechanism. We said that Israel should abide by full withdrawal behind the internationally recognized borders. For this reason, we will accept the formation of a joint military committee to discuss the tabulation and programming of this withdrawal in addition to how peace and stability can be secured in the south. Lebanon will then begin talks in solidarity with its brothers on the level of this future peace. [passage omitted] [Tarabayh] Mr. Minister, frankly speaking, you are aware that the West, especially the United States, is asking the Lebanese state to spread its control on the entire southern region; that is, stopping the resistance operations so that Israel could stop its attacks on the south. Are you adhering to the principled stand of the Lebanese government; that is, continuing the resistance until the end of the occupation? [Buwayz] You said at the beginning that the world is demanding that Lebanon impose its control over its entire territory. That is what we wish and that is what we are demanding from the Western world. However, the reality is different. We believe that nobody in this world would like to die for nothing, nobody likes to die unless he believes in a sublime objective. We believe that the resistance is the result and not the cause of the occupation because it began after the occupation. A solution for this problem lies in reassuring Lebanon that Israel will withdraw from its territory to the internationally recognized borders. I believe that other solutions, be they military or security solutions, have proved after many years that they are futile and will only result in more violence in southern Lebanon. I really would like to ask about the results of the Israeli attacks on the south over the past 10 years. Have these attacks with all their technology, sophistication, and power, been able to cancel the will of the Lebanese people to regain their south? I think the solution is a political one and lies in a clear Israeli commitment to withdraw from southern Lebanese. [Tarabayh] If full Israeli withdrawal from the south is realized, will Hizballah undertake to hand in their weapons and renounce fighting? [Buwayz] In any case, there is an undertaking by the Lebanese state that when Israel withdraws, this Lebanese state will be committed--and it now has all the resources, and the required security and stability--to implementing a full security plan in the southern region. I believe that this has been a constant policy of the successive governments during the era of President al-Hirawi. These governments have presented this undertaking to more than one team. Lebanon does not love violence and trouble. It does not seek more than its natural and legitimate rights. When this is realized. the Lebanese state, which is now strong by its armed forces, will be committed to spreading its full control over the entire south and laying down the basis of peace and stability. [passage omitted] [Tarabayh] What is Lebanon's attitude on the various tracks of negotiations and the Arab coordination? [Buwayz] We have all wished this peace to be a comprehensive peace. We cannot view the comprehensiveness of this solution and this peace the way things are being done; that is, by separate means. Therefore, Lebanon, which believes that this peace has to be either comprehensive or not to be at all, based on experience and prior consideration of things, cannot but call on everybody to effect cohesion in the peace process. Moreover, we believe that this peace is an Arab-Israeli peace decision. Who represents the Arabs? They are represented by all their states, trends, and forces. Therefore, we believe that separate solutions will empty the meaning of a comprehensive solution for the Arab-Israeli question. So far, we believe that an Arab peace decision cannot be concluded except through a unified Arab decision. It does not come through separate paths. As for what was realized on the Jordanian level in terms of achievements, so far I really do not believe that there are achievements. I do not know if you are aware what these achievements are.

BFN Riyadh, 20 June, SPA -- The assistant secretary general for political affairs at the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC], ambassador 'Abd-al-Aziz Bu'ali, has stressed the anxiousness of their majesties and highnesses the leaders of the GCC countries to back any joint Arab action and to sanction Arab unity in any part of the Arab homeland, proceeding from their belief that any cooperation gives strength to the Arab nation and consequently the Muslim nation. At a press conference held today at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh, he said: "When Yemen's unity was established in May 1990 the GCC countries supported and sanctioned this unity which came about with mutual consent". He also talked about the great efforts made by the GCC to stop the conflict between the brethren in Yemen and find a suitable ground to solve the conflict through negotiations and away from bloodshed, massacres and destruction. He reviewed the efforts made by the servant of the two holy places, King Fahd Bin-'Abd-al-'Aziz Al Sa'ud, His Highness Shaykh Zayid Bin-Sultan Al Nuhayyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, and their brothers the GCC leaders to contain this crisis. He then deplored the worsening of the conflict between the two sides which led to the destructive war going on in Yemen now. He stressed that the fundamental view of the GCC states now was to insist on a cease-fire. In reply to a question on the nature of measures which the GCC states could take if the fighting continued between the two sides, Ambassador Bu'ali said he hoped that fighting would end between the two sides, otherwise other steps would have to be taken either by the GCC states or the Security Council. He added that the goal which the GCC states were pursuing was to stop the bloodshed and the destruction. He further said: What matters to us now is to stop the fighting and prevent the flames of war from spreading here and there, and as for the rest -- everything will be examined accordingly and we will deal with the developments in the future. In reply to a question on the GCC center for commercial arbitration, he indicated that the center was set up to arbitrate disputes which might arise between a trader and companies or between other traders involved in similar commercial activities with the GCC states abroad [as received]. Finally, he reviewed the commercial projects which would be executed in the framework of cooperation among the GCC states.

BFN Brother Lieutenant General 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih, chairman of the Presidential Council, yesterday met with the brother ulema, men of religion, social figures; representatives of political parties and popular and youth organizations, and military men in al-Dali' District, who expressed to the brother president their happiness over their meeting with him, as he is a national symbol who has epitomized concern about the homeland and its unity, who has proved his love for the people, and who backs their causes and goals. They indicated that the residents of the al-Dali' District, who have offered convoys of martyrs and heroic strugglers to obtain freedom and achieve independence, are willing to make dear sacrifices to safeguard and strengthen Yemeni unity. They will also, they noted, lend their wholehearted support for unity and legitimacy in continuation of the struggles waged by the residents of the al-Dali' District throughout their national struggle. The al-Dali' District representatives reaffirmed their readiness to make dear sacrifices to safeguard unity and confront its enemies, whoever they may be. They noted that our Yemeni people cannot survive without unity, which is our people's fate and destiny. Similarly, there can be no future for our Yemeni people without unity. They asserted that the traitorous and agent rebels only represent their treacherous psyches. Their objectives will never be achieved, they said. Our people, and their Armed Forces will repulse their schemes, which are hostile to the people and their unity. The al-Dali' District representatives affirmed that unity ended the fragmentation nightmare, as well as the tyrannical party rule. They explained that the attempts to rehabilitate fragmentation, regardless of the form this might take, and of the person who might attempt this, is a betrayal of the people's aspirations and struggles, and also of the sacrifices made by their righteous martyrs. They added that the sons of the 26 September revolution and the 14 October revolution, and the strugglers of the liberation war will be loyal to the principles upheld by our people and their Armed Forces, chief among which are the revolution and unity. They also noted the deceptive propaganda promoted by the rebellious secessionists and the erroneous misrepresentation of facts to citizens to delude the public. They mentioned the torture and oppression being perpetrated by the traitorous rebels against the innocent residents of Aden, who are being used as human shields, who are being forced to bear arms, and who are also being forcibly sent to death. They urged their misled brothers and sons not to allow themselves to be taken in by the propaganda of the rebellious secessionists, and to quickly rejoin the forces of unity and legitimacy, where they normally belong. By so doing, they will take advantage of the general amnesty. Moreover, they will also help end the bloodletting in Yemen and defeat the schemes that aim to end unity and destroy the homeland. The Presidential Council chairman then spoke, welcoming the brother ulema, men of religion, social figures, and party leaders of al-Dali' District. He pointed out that the brotherly meeting came after a tragedy befell the homeland as a result of the conspiracies and after the agents rebelling against legitimacy decided to ignite sedition due to their conspiratorial system, which they have inherited and on which they have been brought up in return for a handful of desecrated money. These sides, he said, worked to escalate the military situation in Abyan, 'Imaran, Dhamar, Aden, and al-Dali' as part of a hellish plan to disrupt the homeland. The brother president said: We talked about that plan, which began after the traitor and secessionist agent, al-Bid, returned from abroad and after he received the price of secession and the blood of the sons of the homeland. Traitor al-Bid, he added, actually began his plan through the resounding speeches he delivered in al-Dali' District to ignite sedition, whose price he had received. The brother president said: Al-Bid and his supporters, like the traitors al-'Attas, Bin-Husaynun, al-Sayli, and al-Jifri, have deposited the money they received at European banks. These people have received the price of the Yemeni's people's blood and ignited sedition in the homeland to disrupt it. He pointed out that these traitors tried exercising a media disinformation campaign to win the feelings of the masses, only for a short time though, because the people discovered their nature and that of the slogans the traitor al-Bid used to repeat, like the civilized project, which means to these traitorous agents destruction, death, secession, and stirring up sectarian differences in the name of Qahtani, 'Adnani, Zaidite, Shafi'ite, southerner, northerner, and other sectarian differences. The brother president said the traitor al-Bid has been lying to the people because he is skilled at lying, he is psychologically ill, he suffers from an inferiority complex, and he is known for his conspiracies against Qahtan al-Sha'bi, Faysal 'Abd-al-Latif al-Sha'bi, the diplomats, 'Abd-al-Fattah Isma'il, 'Ali 'Antar, 'Ali Hadi Sha'i, Salih Muslih, and 'Ali Nasir Muhammad. If he finds no one against whom he can conspire, he conspires against himself. The brother president said: This is not a vilification, but it is the truth. Our Yemeni people are paying the price in blood and in destruction for what the terrorist rebels have spread in the homeland. The brother president also said that during the crisis, he informed several people in the Districts of al-Dali', Radfan, and Yafi' that al-Bid would carry out his secessionist plan, that their sons would become fuel for that plan as they are fighters, and that al-Bid would be the first to escape. We, he added, also advised Haytham when he was still defense minister not to be drawn into the secessionist plan and to support unity, but, regrettably, he was drawn into that plan in return for money. These people did not remember the martyrs' of the revolution and martyr strugglers 'Ali 'Antar, Salih Muslih, Sha'i' Hadi, 'Abd-al-Fattah Isma'il, and others, who were staunch advocates of unity. The brother president added: The traitorous agent secessionists created sedition in the homeland. We have not sought to see a single drop of blood shed in Yemen, neither by those who are supporting unity and legitimacy, nor by those opposed to them, who, in the final analysis, are our sons. To avert this, we have attempted dialogue. We have gone to Jordan and signed a pledge and accord document there to end the crisis and spare our country all problems. Nonetheless, the rebels were bent on causing a flare-up in the situation in implementation of their secessionist plan, which is eventually targeted against the Hadramaut Governorate. The brother president went on to say: The al-Dali' residents have always been at the forefront of strugglers, who upheld the slogan of unity, because they believe that their pride and honor are ensured when there is unity. The blood being shed right now is meant to safeguard unity and legitimacy. And here our people have lost men and property. Would the result then be fragmentation? Would the result be the division of the country into two Yemens just to gratify the desires of a few people who have received a price for the crisis, infighting, and secession, and who will eventually flee the homeland to use their money after having caused fires in the homeland? The brother president said: We thank the brother residents of the al-Dali' District. We highly appreciate their cooperation with the forces of unity and legitimacy. We also thank the fighters hailing from the al-Dali' District, who are currently waging an honorable battle in defense of unity, and who are making sacrifices to safeguard unity, as they made sacrifices to vindicate the revolution and achieve independence in the past. All, people and parties, are currently melting in the crucible of the homeland and forming a broad front in the face of the traitorous and rebellious secessionists. The brother president added: Today, we reiterate the call for the brothers who have been misled into fighting on the side of falsehood to take advantage of the opportunity granted them by the general amnesty to rid themselves of the coma they are suffering due to media deception and propaganda so that they may rejoin the ranks of the strugglers vindicating unity and legitimacy, where they actually belong. They should not agree to become tools of destruction manipulated by the traitors, agents, and mercenaries, who have sold themselves to the enemies of unity in return for a handful of filthy money. The brother president stressed that the military personnel and civilians who choose to rejoin the ranks of unity and legitimacy will obtain all their rights, on an equal footing with their colleagues at all departments. They will be welcomed and accorded due attention. This would be an honor for them. Additionally, this would halt the bloodletting and vindicate their people's will, which has always been in favor of unity, because it is the epitome of their pride and dignity. The brother president indicated that a government committee has been formed to account for the losses in human lives and property, and to take the necessary measures to rebuild what has been destroyed due to this sedition caused by the rebels. He added: We have instructed that all people be dealt with on an equal footing, regardless of whether they supported the state and legitimacy or were misled. This is because they all are our sons. The brother president affirmed that the traitorous rebels have conspired against the Yemeni Socialist Party to liquidate it and marginalize its role. And here, the picture is unfolding before your very eyes. And now you see the traitor al-Jifri, and the sultans, whose ouster was sought by the 26 September and 14 October armies and strugglers of the liberation war, returning to implement a plan to tear the homeland apart. He added: This will never happen, for the Yemeni people, their Armed Forces, and their security troops will lie in wait for these traitors and mercenaries, regardless of the sacrifices entailed. Concluding his speech, the brother president said: We welcome you once again, and clasp your hands as unity-oriented strugglers. You must do your best to explain the facts and repulse the traitorous secessionists. As for the future, God willing, it will bring prosperity to our Yemeni homeland under the canopy of unity and democracy.

BFN Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 25 (AFP) -- Israel and the PLO will resume talks on Tuesday [28 June] in the occupied territories, PLO chief negotiator Nabil Sha'th said Saturday. He said the talks had originally been planned for Monday but were put back "for technical reasons." Negotiators would not meet in Egypt, as suggested on Thursday by Israeli Foreign Minister Shim'on Peres, but the talks "will be in the occupied territories," he said, although the place had not yet been announced. Sha'th said he would meet with Dani Rothschild, head of the Israeli military administration, instead of General Amnon Shahaq who led the Israeli delegation at previous autonomy talks. "Shahaq is not any more the head of the Israeli delegation," he said, although there was no official army confirmation of the move. He said the two delegations would first discuss the agenda for negotiations. They would then talk about the release of prisoners, extending Palestinian self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and completing matters which remained unresolved before the May 4 autonomy accord was signed. Certain issues such as the exact size of the self-rule enclave of Jericho were put to one side so the signing ceremony could go ahead in Cairo, launching autonomy in the West Bank town and the Gaza Strip.

BFN Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 25 (AFP) -- Israel and the PLO still have 26 disputed points to hammer out in May's Cairo self-rule accord, PLO chief negotiator Nabil Sha'th said on Saturday [25 June]. "There are about 26 questions that have been postponed at the Cairo agreement," Sha'th told reporters here, blaming Israel for delays in negotiations. The disputed points in the Israeli-PLO accord mainly centre on the borders of the self-rule enclaves of Jericho and the Gaza Strip, "which Yasir 'Arafat amended on the map on the day of the signing," Sha'th said. He said Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation would resume talks on the extension of self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Tuesday, "probably in the occupied territories." He accused Israel of delaying the talks since May 18. "Now we are late in starting to talk about the second phase by two months," he said. "We are ready to start talks, at the head of which is the question of a timetable for the release of prisoners." He added: "The date of the Israeli withdrawal from all West Bank towns and villages is not tied to the Gaza-Jericho (self-rule) experiment but to the agreement, to nine months from the signing of the agreement. "We cannot wait five years to see if Gaza-Jericho is successful or not." Certain issues such as the exact size of the self-rule enclave of Jericho were put to one side before the May 4 autonomy accord so the signing ceremony could go ahead in Cairo, launching autonomy in the West Bank town and the Gaza Strip.

BFN Cairo, 22 Jun (MENA) -- Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid has renewed his call to the Yemeni belligerents to abide by the UN Security Council's cease-fire resolution to safeguard the lives of the Yemeni people and to enter into a constructive dialogue to promote security and stability for the fraternal Yemeni people. He expressed the Arab League's readiness to do its utmost to achieve this goal. In an interview with the weekly magazine AL-MUSAWWAR published today, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said that the fighting between brothers in Yemen has led to divisions and exacerbated the crisis. He expressed the hope that the two sides in Yemen will resume their dialogue as soon as possible. Asked whether South Yemen has submitted an application to the Arab League to become an independent member, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said: Yes, it did, but no action has been taken. The application is held in the General Secretariat until the Arab League Council holds its next meeting. Asked about the internationalization of the Yemeni crisis and the fact that some states prefer to refer Arab problems to the United Nations, the Arab League secretary general pointed out that North Yemen was the one that first objected to Arab League mediation, because, as the Yemeni officials said, this is an internal matter. He said that North Yemen objected not only to Arab League mediation but also to UN mediation. Regarding the Libyan-Western crisis and whether Libya has accepted the Arab League's proposal to conduct the trial of the suspects at the International Court of Justice in The Hague according to Scottish law and with Scottish judges, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid expressed his thanks to the Libyan leadership for accepting this delicate and sensitive political and legal situation. He noted in this regard that the recent Nonaligned Movement foreign ministers' conference in Cairo supported this initiative. He said that contacts have been held with UN Security Council member states and the European Union in this regard, and the atmosphere is completely suitable for discussing the means to achieve a peaceful settlement to this problem. He added that this will prevent an escalation of the Libyan-Western crisis in August, sparing the area further tension. He noted that a number of European countries who have interests in Libya do not want an escalation of the crisis and are ready to listen to Libya's views on the issue. Regarding the embargo on Iraq, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid expressed hopes that the embargo will be lifted and that the Iraqi people will enjoy freedom, security, and stability. He said that everything is in the hands of the Iraqi Government. It can ask the UN Security Council to lift the embargo after it implements the UN resolutions, including those concerning recognition of Kuwait's sovereignty, the border demarcation, compensation, and the prisoners. Regarding Israeli operations in Lebanon, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said that what Israel has done and is doing against Lebanon is contrary to peace. He affirmed that Lebanon has the right to defend its territory and to demand the withdrawal of the Israeli forces. He added that if Israel really wants peace in the area, it must stop its actions and embark on serious and effective negotiations to avoid operations by the Lebanese resistance, which is defending itself and trying to end the occupation. This, he said, is a legitimate right that applies to Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinians, just as it applied in the past to Egypt before the liberation of its national territory.

BFN Cairo, 26 Jun (MENA) -- Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid has called on the Yemeni leaders to resolve the situation and stop the fighting immediately. He deeply regretted the violation of the cease-fire for the sixth time today and reiterated the need to implement Security Council Resolution 924 and restore the constructive dialogue between the two sides. In statements he made today, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said that the Yemeni crisis has in fact entered a stage of internationalization, with the Security Council's intervention. He noted that the Arab League had tried to resolve the crisis, but its mission was unsuccessful. He ruled out the possibility of sending an Arab League delegation on a new mediation mission to resolve the Yemeni crisis. But he referred to possible Arab League participation as part of a UN delegation undertaking to arrange a cease-fire there. Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid went on to say that the Arab League's Secretariat General is at present coordinating with the United Nations in the search for a solution to the crisis. He added that the Arab League does not aim to compete with any other party or to exclude anyone from the solution mechanism, but its main objective is to reach a cease-fire and search for a settlement through a constructive and objective dialogue between the Yemeni parties. On the question of the Arab League's recognition of the south Yemeni state, he said: We in the Arab League are bound by rules and laws that stem from the Charter and its council's authority. He added: The Arab League accepted the unity of the two Yemeni sectors when the north and south were joined into one state that became the Yemeni people's legitimate representative. He said that any change in this status requires referral to the League's Charter and its council's authority. He expressed his belief that the question of recognition is not the only issue being raised now. He added that the main issue is the cease-fire and the restoration of a dialogue between the Yemeni parties. He added that it is premature to raise the question of recognizing south Yemen at the Arab League level. Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid went on to say that the Arab League member states are sovereign. If one of these countries recognizes south Yemen unilaterally without the Arab League's involvement, the League would have no authority over it. He stressed that the Arab League is constantly coordinating with the representatives accredited to it and with the United Nations through the League's New York offfice, which is constantly sending reports on the latest Yemeni crisis developments in the United Nations. Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said he expects the Security Council to hold another meeting to emphasize the cease-fire resolution. But he ruled out a Security Council resolution imposing international sanctions on any party that violates it. He admitted that it is difficult for the Arab League to adopt a resolution on dispatching international observers to supervise the cease-fire in Yemen, not only because Sanaa is opposed to it, but also because there are technical, administrative, and logistical difficulties that impede the international observers' work in Yemen.

BFN Kuwait, 27 Jun (MENA) -- Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid has described the situation in Yemen as dangerous. He said the main reason for the fighting between the two parts is that Yemeni unity was not established on a sound basis, the armed forces continued to be split into two, and there were two different currencies. In a statement to the Kuwaiti newspaper AL-WATAN today he regretted the failure of the UN secretary general's envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's mission and appealed to leaders of the two sides to end the fighting and immediately start negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations or any other party they agree upon to stem the bloodshed in the country. 'Abd-al-Majid emphasized that the Arab League's primary goal is to stop the bloody fighting between the two sides. He noted that the issue of recognizing south Yemen is left for the future, that the League's documents indicate that the Yemeni Arab Republic is a unified state, and that any change in status should be decided at the League Council in light of the northern and southern parties' views. Concluding his statement, 'Abd-al-Majid said unity can never be imposed by force.

BFN Cairo, 23 Jun (MENA) -- Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid today received Russian Ambassador Vladimir Polyakov. The ambassador said later that on the instructions of the Russian leadership he had requested a meeting with the League's secretary general to exchange views on the latest developments in Yemen. He pointed out that Russia and the League are cooperating and coordinating their stance on resolving the Yemeni crisis, noting that this cooperation takes a diplomatic and political form. The Russian ambassador explained that when the war broke out, his country appealed to the warring parties in Yemen to stop fighting and initiate a dialogue to solve their problems. Polyakov pointed out that Russia's recognition of south Yemen will depend on the findings included in UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's report to UN Secretary General Dr. Butrus Butrus-Ghali on the crisis. He denied reports claiming that Russia is supplying south Yemen with weapons and assistance in view of the close ties linking Moscow with south Yemen in the past. He said Russia halted all weapons supplies to the Yemeni parties when the Yemeni crisis began and before fighting broke out.

BFN Cairo, 25 Jun (MENA) -- MENA has learned that the meeting of the Damascus Declaration countries' foreign ministers, which was to be held in Kuwait next Tuesday [28 June] has been postponed to a later date.

BFN Kuwait, 26 Jun (MENA) -- Responsible sources in the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry have stated that the reason for postponing the meeting of the Damascus Declaration countries' foreign ministers, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday [28 June], is these countries' desire to wait for the outcome of the UN Security Council decision on Yemen, in addition to the foreign ministers' commitments to unforeseen activities. Ambassador Khalid al-Jarallah, director of the Gulf Cooperation Council's affairs at the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry, said that consultations are now under way between the Damascus Declaration countries' foreign ministers to set a new date for the meeting, adding that there is a proposal to hold it next week. In an exclusive statement to MENA's correspondent in Kuwait, he said that a number of issues will top the agenda of the meeting, the most important of which are the situation in Yemen in light of the expected Security Council resolution, Iraqi intransigence in implementing the UN resolutions, the Middle East peace process and its developments, and other issues of concern to the member countries.

BFN Kuwait, 27 Jun (MENA) -- A responsible Kuwaiti source has denied that a disagreement among the Damascus Declaration countries' foreign ministers resulted in postponing a meeting scheduled to be held in Kuwait tomorrow, Tuesday [28 June]. In an exclusive statement to MENA the source said that officials in Egypt and Saudi Arabia have proposed two dates and that consultation is now under way to choose a suitable date for the ninth meeting of the Declaration countries' foreign ministers in Kuwait. The source affirmed that there is no disagreement on the agenda's topics, be they on the Yemen issue, Iraq's intransigence and rejection of international resolutions, or the Middle East peace process in addition to economic issues concerning the Declaration's eight member states. The source said there are small differences in the views of the Declaration countries foreign ministers on the Yemen issue.

BFN [By Nadim Kawash] Abu Dhabi, June 26 (AFP) -- The GATT deal to remove trade barriers will prompt Arab farmers to upgrade production to face competition, but it will also raise the region's already large food import bill, Arab officials and experts said on Sunday [26 June]. Although they form less than five percent of the world population, the Arab League's 22 members account for nearly 12 percent of total world farm imports, according to official Arab figures. The agricultural imports averaged 23 billion dollars a year over the past decade, while exports did not exceed five billion dollars, said Ma'mun Hasan, director of the Kuwait-based Arab Corporation for Investment Guarantee (ACIG). "When subsidies on farm output are removed, in line with the recent accord by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, world food prices will naturally rise," he told the United Arab Emirates daily AL-FAJR. "This will have two effects. It will force Arab states to pay more for food while it will also encourage farmers to upgrade output to face competition and get higher prices for their products." Several Arab states are now members of the Geneva-based GATT, which has turned into a new group called the World Trade Organisation. The deal signed in Morocco two months ago called for removing trade barriers among its nearly 120 members and lifting subsidies on national products. Experts said Saudi Arabia would suffer more than other Arab states from the agreement, as it spends billions of dollars on agricultural subsidies, mainly for wheat. Other Gulf states also subsidise vegetable and fruit in a bid to achieve self-sufficiency. Outside the Gulf, political instability, lack of investment and poor infrastructure are blamed for the deterioration of the agricultural sector in Arab countries. "Development of the farming sector in Sudan could solve the Arab food problems, as it has vast arable areas," a Gulf-based expert said. "But Sudan has no funds, its infrastructure is primitive and the country is threatened with disintegration because of the civil war. Only a crazy investor will put his funds into the farming sector now." The situation in other fertile Arab countries is not much better. Iraq is facing international sanctions and an uncertain political situation, and Algeria is hit by Moslem militant unrest. Somalia, also a member of the Arab League, is torn by civil war. The four countries account for more than 70 percent of the total arable area in the Arab world, estimated at 198 million hectares. So far only 27 percent of the land has been exploited due to lack of investment. The rapid growth in Arab population has combined with such problems to aggravate the region's food gap, the difference between farm imports and exports. According to the Abu Dhabi-based Arab Monetary Fund [AMF], the cumulative Arab food import bill totalled around 210 billion dollars between 1980 and 1990, while exports stood at only 40 billion dollars. A breakdown showed the growth in imports covered all farm products except fruit and vegetables, though they are still imported by some members. From around 18.6 million tonnes in 1980, Arab cereal imports surged to 34.3 million tonnes in 1992. Wheat imports jumped from 12.4 million tonnes to 21.1 million tonnes, the AMF said in a study. Dairy products also soared, from nearly one million tonnes to 9.1 million tonnes, while tea, coffee and tobacco rose from 461,000 tonnes to 530,000 tonnes and meat from 666,000 tonnes to 794,000 tonnes. Investment in the Arab farm sector did not exceed 7.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product annually over the past decade, while loans extended to agriculture stood at only 3.8 billion dollars between 1973 and 1992.

BFN [Editorial Report] The following is a comprehensive review of all items in the 21 June issue of the Arabic-language newspaper Cairo 'AQIDATI that pertain to political Islamic issues. CONTENTS: 1. A Muslim Must Not Accuse Others of Apostasy 2. Ulema Committee Meets To Respond to Extremist Thoughts 3. Awqaf Minister Berates Officials for Ignoring Instructions 4. Ulema To Go To Russian Republic To Teach Islam 5. International Islamic Conference in Alexandria in August 6. Islamic Writer Urges Muslims To Seek West's Knowledge 7. International Islamic Conference in Cairo in July 8. Columnist Criticizes West's Stance on Bosnia A MUSLIM MUST NOT ACCUSE OTHERS OF APOSTASY An approximately 2,000 word unattributed report on pages 1, 8, and 9 of 'AQIDATI notes that the al-Azhar Fatwa Committee ulema have declared that Islam prohibits a Muslim from accusing another Muslim of apostasy without genuine and concrete knowledge. Even if an individual Muslim finds out that another Muslim is a renegade, he "must not mete out punishment," because this is a task that must be verified and carried out by officials in charge of society. Only competent officials have the means to ascertain that a certain individual is a renegade and mete out a sanction, the article states. A Muslim who violates this rule is culpable and is working against true Islamic teaching. ULEMA COMMITTEE MEETS TO RESPOND TO EXTREMIST THOUGHTS A 120-word unattributed report on page 2 says that the ulema committee that has been formed to respond to the thoughts and claims of extremists held its first meeting on 15 June, where it reviewed the books from which the extremists derive their thoughts. Several named professors and ulema attended the meeting, which was chaired by Awqaf Ministry Under Secretary Dr. 'Abd-al-Rashid Salim. Salim said that at the end of the meetings the ministry will compile the ideas crystallized by the ulema and publish them in booklets for distribution to the public, the report concludes. AWQAF MINISTER BERATES OFFICIALS FOR IGNORING INSTRUCTIONS A 100-unattributed report on page 2 notes that Aqaf Minister Dr. Muhammad 'Ali Mahjub has addressed severe criticism to the Awqaf departmental chiefs throughout Egypt. He stressed that they do not follow up the progress of the work in their departments, particularly regarding preaching, nor do they comply with the themes of the Friday sermons approved by the ministry. According to the report, Mahjub described his instructions to the chiefs as mere ink on paper. The report says that these chiefs are expected to be replaced. UELMA TO GO TO RUSSIAN REPUBLIC TO TEACH ISLAM A 70-word report on page 2 states that the Awqaf Ministry has decided to send a number of ulema to the Checheno-Ingush Republic to promote Islam. Awqaf Ministry Diector General 'Ulaywa said that the goal is to increase the amount of religious information for Muslims, teach them Arabic, and project the genuine picture of Islam. INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC CONFERENCE IN ALEXANDRIA IN AUGUST A 100-word report by Majdi Za'tar on page 3 of 'AQIDATI says that the largest international Islamic gathering organized by the Egyptian Awqaf Ministry will meet in Alexandria in mid-August under al-Azhar Mosque Rector Shaykh Jad-al-Haqq. Awqaf Minister Dr. Mahjub said that more than 50 Islamic affairs ministers and representatives of 100 Arab and European countries will attend the conference. Za'tar concludes that the conference will discuss the Islamic call and cooperation with other religions. ISLAMIC WRITER URGES MUSLIMS TO SEEK WEST'S KNOWLEDGE In an 800-word article on page 7, Islamic writer Dr. Muhammad 'Amarah exhorts Muslims to seek knowledge and learning so that our nation can rise and revive the Islamic civilization. He argues that it is wrong to blindly imitate and be subservient to the West, but we should seek the West's useful and positive knowledge while not forgetting our roots and spiritual values. Thus we will not be blind "imitators or subservient to the West" and, at the same time, we will not "isolate or close ourselves" to the scientific progress of the West, 'Amarah concludes. INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC CONFERENCE IN CAIRO IN JULY A 2,000 word report by Muhammad al-Abnudi and Musa Hal on page 10 of 'AQIDATI's 21 June issue notes that an international conference for the Islamic call will be held in Cairo in mid-July. The report says that this is the first conference to be devoted to the Islamic call and ways of promoting it. Awqaf Minister Dr. Muhammad 'Ali Mahjub said that the conference will discuss ten issues. The reporters then interview several ulema from the al-Azhar and the Awqaf Ministry, who spell out their views on the issues that the conference should debate. COLUMNIST CRITICIZES WEST'S STANCE ON BOSNIA In a 200-word article entitled "Peace in Bosnia" on page 20, columnist 'Adil Dayf maintains that the way the European countries and the United States continue to deal with the Bosnian crisis shows that they are trying "to impose a de facto solution" on the Bosnian people. This is "a gross injustice" to the Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he says, particularly after they have lost so many of their sons along with large tracts of their territory as a result of aggression by the Serbs and Croats. Peace in Bosnia, Dayf concludes, requires the deterrence of the aggressors, return of the territory they usurped, and the lifting the ban on arms for the Muslims.

BFN [Editorial Report] The following is a comprehensive review of all items in the 21 June issue of the Arabic-language newspaper Cairo AL-SHA'B that pertain to political Islamic issues. CONTENTS: 1. Lawyers Announce General Strike 2 Detainee Explains Prison Conditions 3. Sudan's al-Turabi Interviewed 4. Brotherhood Leader Denounces Campaign 5. Writer Explains Anti-Brotherhood Campaign LAWYERS ANNOUNCE GENERAL STRIKE Qutb al-'Arabi and Khalid Yunis write on pages 1 and 7 an approximately 1,200-word report on the Egyptian lawyers' protests at what they see as the government's harassment of lawyers. The report notes that on 20 June the Lawyers Association's Council met and decided to declare a general strike on 28 and 29 June in protest of the continued detention of lawyers and the arrest of five new lawyers on 14 June. 'Abd-al-'Aziz Muhammad, head of the Cairo Lawyers Association, has announced that he will continue his hunger strike until all detained lawyers are released and the public prosecutor announces the results of the investigations into the death of 'Abd-al-Harith Madani, the lawyer who died while in police custody. Muhammad, who is a diabetic, said that should he die as a result of his hunger strike, the president of the Republic and the government would be liable before the law. DETAINEE EXPLAINS PRISON CONDITIONS On page 2 under the headline "A Bloody Letter From Inside the Abu-Za'bal Prison," the paper publishes a letter received from engineer 'Abd-al-Rahim 'Abd-al-Salam from Samalut, al-Minya Governorate. In introducing the approximately 2,000-word letter, the paper notes that it receives dozens of letters, phone calls, and complaints every day from relatives of people detained at the Abu- Za'bal Prison in which they describe the tragic conditions experienced by more than 2,500 detainees inside the prison, which the paper describes as similar to what existed in the Middle Ages. 'Abd-al-Salam gives his account of his four-month stay at the Abu-Za'bal prison and describes in detail the inhuman conditions and the torture that inmates suffer inside the prison. 'Abd-al-Salam does not specify the charges for which he was locked up. A drawing published above the message shows a prisoner hanging upside down by a rope and being lashed by a policeman with a whip. Addressing the prisoner, the policeman says: "If you don't repent, we will make you repent." SUDAN'S AL-TURABI INTERVIEWED On page 4 the paper publishes an approximately 2,500-word dispatch by European affairs correspondent Ayman 'Ali that includes an interview Sudanese National Front leader Hasan al-Turabi gave to Britain's Channel 4 on 5 June. In the interview, al-Turabi refutes the Western charges against Islam and the Islamic movement and explains Sudan's Islamic experiment. BROTHERHOOD LEADER DENOUNCES CAMPAIGN In an approximately 1,500-word article on page 5, Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Guide Mustafa Mashhur notes that Prophet Muhammad's hegira, or migration, from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 offers some lessons to Muslims today. He explains that the first lesson to be learned from the Prophet's experience is his patience and endurance in the face of "harassment and torture" by infidels. This shows that the faithful must never give up their belief regardless of the "pressure" they may come under, he adds. Mashhur adds: "Every Muslim must feel that it is his duty to propagate this religion among humanity and that he must follow the model of the Prophet, may God's peace be upon him, and his companions in patience, perseverance, and endurance." He notes that "victory" will be the reward for this patience and endurance. Another lesson, he writes, is the attention that the Prophet has paid to the mosque in its capacity as an "Islamic institution" in which Muslims practice their rites and discuss their affairs. He adds: "It is unfortunate to see the scheming against this establishment nowadays." The mosques and the appointment of the mosque imams, he adds, have become the prerogatives of the Ministry of Awqaf and no activity is practiced inside the mosques, which are shut off immediately after prayers. Turning to the current campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood, Mashhur writes: "The current campaign against the Brotherhood is part of the campaign against Islam and the principles of Islam that is conducted and planned by active enemies and that is performed by local followers. They mix terrorism and extremism with Islam, the religion of peace and security. We even find some people who criticize the women's veil and reject God's orders in this respect. While the media organs prevent veiled broadcasters from appearing on the screen, they allow cheap obscenity involving women in advertisements and low-quality movies." He notes that the Muslim brothers are falsely accused of adopting violence and seeking to overthrow the regime, charges that are published in the national press which is subsidized by the people's money. He adds: "We tell all these people and those who collaborate with acts of injustice that nobody will come to your aid when God calls you to account for every word said or act done to support the oppressor." He consoles the oppressed people by telling them that the Prophet's life gives a vivid example of how the faithful, who were few in number, have triumphed over all their enemies. He urges them to be patient, to persevere, and to pray to God for victory. WRITER EXPLAINS ANTI-BROTHERHOOD CAMPAIGN Labor Party official Naji al-Shihabi writes an approximately 1,000-word article entitled "The Campaign Against the Brotherhood and a New Era" on page 11. He notes that security documents published in the magazine AL-MUSAWWAR accuse the Muslim Brotherhood of seeking to establish a political party, as if it is an unforgiven crime. The Brotherhood, he adds, has been operating since 1928 and accordingly it has a right to establish a party to reach power through the ballot box; that is, by the public will. He explains that describing the Muslim Brotherhood as an illegitimate group is absurd, since legitimacy comes from the people whom this group serves. The people, he adds, voted for this group when it joined the Labor Party in the 1987 elections for the People's Assembly. Explaining the reasons for the government's campaign against the Brotherhood, al-Shihabi adds: "We believe that the recent campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood group is due to its rise as a political group possessing enough elements of strength that have enabled it to virtually control the Professional Associations, with all the human and financial resources available to these associations." He adds that observers and analysts believe that such a performance could enable the Brotherhood to reach power through a "peaceful popular will," something that has frightened the regime.

BFN [Report by correspondent Hasan Abu-Zayid on the first session of the Palestinian National Authority held 26 June in Gaza] The PNA [Palestinian National Authority] met at the Government departments complex in Gaza City today to discuss a number of issues, notably funding sources for the PNA and the status of aid from donor nations. The man in charge of the planing portfolio in the PNA is Dr. Nabil Sha'th: [Begin Sha'th recording] The PNA held its first session today, with the participation of all its members who are now present in Gaza and Jericho. It was an important session that laid the groundwork for the organizational structures. We agreed to adopt a spirit of teamwork and on the need for each department to have its own organization and budget. We will be holding weekly sessions in Jericho and Gaza alternately. We will next meet in Jericho next Sunday [3 July], God willing. We also agreed to meet again after lunch for another look at certain important matters, including the detainees and prisoners, as well as mundane, everyday issues in Gaza and Jericho. The PNA then met with a World Bank team to assure themselves that the money flows from the donor nations via the World Bank channels will be enough to meet the current expenses of all the departments and municipal projects, including one to clean up Gaza. The World Bank team answered all the questions that were put to them. They have now returned to Jerusalem. I will have my first meeting with General Danny Rothschild next Tuesday at Eretz [crossing point from Gaza to Israel] to work out the mechanism and agenda and methodology [preceding word in English] for future negotiations and committee meetings. It will be a preparatory session. Before my meeting with Gen. Rothschild, I will confer with Minister Yosi Sarid also at Eretz. I will likely travel to Cairo Thursday [30 June] for a scheduled meeting with Belgium's foreign minister and the donor nations. On 4 July, the Palestinian Police Support Group is due to convene its first meeting. It will bring together representatives of all the donor nations. [end recording] Reacting to the findings of the Shamgar Commission [the inquiry that investigated the 25 February massacre of Muslim worshipers in Hebron by Dr. Baruch Goldstein], Dr. Nabil Sha'th said: [Begin Sha'th recording] The matter is now on brother Abu-'Ammar's [Yasir 'Arafat] desk. I think the entire PLO Executive Committee membership will also look at the findings. [end recording]

BFN This afternoon, Dr. Nabil Sha'th said he has sent the Shamgar Commission report to 'Arafat and members of the PLO Executive Committee in Tunis. The PLO leadership's reaction to the report will be issued after the report is studied. Our correspondent Moti Amir reports that several members of the Palestinian Authority have already rejected the conclusions of the Shamgar Commission. Dr. Sa'ib 'Urayqat said the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre was not perpetuated by one individual but rather stemmed from the settlement policy. He maintains, therefore, that the Israeli Government should bear the responsibility. 'Urayqat warned that the presence of the settlers in the territories is a time bomb which can go off any minute.

BFN Brother President Yasir 'Arafat, president of the state of Palestine and chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, yesterday evening [25 June] received Yahya al-'Arashi, the Yemeni minister for civil service and administrative reform, the personal envoy of Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih. The minister briefed President 'Arafat on the current developments in Yemen at all levels, especially the moves being made by the Yemeni leadership on the political and diplomatic levels to halt the fighting on the basis of the maintenance of Yemeni unity. Brother President 'Arafat stressed to the Yemeni minister that the Palestinian people and leadership supported the Yemeni people and their leadership, and that on our part we were fully prepared to exert every effort to halt the fighting and to support everything that will benefit the interests of Yemen. The meeting was attended by brothers 'Abbas Zaki and Sakhr Habash, members of the Fatah Central Committee, and Muhammad Ahmad Haydar, the Yemeni ambassador in Tunis [name and title as received].

BFN Brother Abu-'Ammar [Yasir 'Arafat], president of the state of Palestine and PLO Executive Committee chairman, has demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and deployment of international observers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip before 4 July in accordance with the agreement signed by the PLO and Israel on 4 May. At a meeting last night with ambassadors of the European Union states in Tunis, brother President Abu-'Ammar called for lifting the restrictions imposed by the Israeli forces on the movement of Palestinian officials on the crossings that link the West Bank with the Jericho area and Gaza. Informed Palestinian sources said brother President Abu-'Ammar emphasized the importance of realizing these demands before his return to the Palestinian self-rule areas, and the importance of expediting the assistance promised by the donor countries for reconstruction and construction in these areas. He said he cannot return to Gaza and Jericho before receiving this assistance. The source said the ambassadors of the European Union promised, at the meeting which was held at their request, to convey the demands of brother President Abu-'Ammar regarding assistance to their governments.

BFN [Unattributed report: "Severe Crisis Erupts Among Traditional Fatah Leaders"] Tunis, AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT -- While eyes are focused on knowing when Palestinian President Yasir 'Arafat is going to leave Tunis for Gaza and Jericho to assume the self-rule authority there, well-informed Palestinian sources have told AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT that a severe crisis has erupted among the main Fatah leaders: Yasir 'Arafat, Mahmud 'Abbas [Abu-Mazin], Muhammad Ghunaym (Abu-Mahir), and Faruq Qaddumi [Abu-al-Lutf]. The sources said that Abu-Mahir, head of the Mobilization and Organization Department [MOD] and member of the Central Committee, has decided to quit political action and that he intends to reside in Amman or Damascus or remain in Tunis. According to the sources, the Palestinian president, who has close social links with Abu-Mahir, tried early in the week to persuade him not to resign, but his attempts failed, although 'Arafat personally visited the MOD head's office last Sunday and had lunch with Abu-Mahir the day before yesterday. Other information indicates that Abu-Mazin too has expressed to the Palestinian president his wish to quit organizational and political action -- which some people have interpreted as resignation from Fatah. Meanwhile the new appointments made by 'Arafat have provoked angry reactions among numerous Palestinian leaders, especially Abu-Mahir, Abu-Mazin, and Abu-al-Lutf. Some circles say that they now regard themselves as merely formal leaders in the movement and that the ship's helm is now steered by hidden hands.

BFN [Excerpt] It was announced in Washington today that the United States has decided to grant the Palestinian representation in Washington the status of an official foreign mission. A Palestinian source said that Washington informed the PLO of its decision during a meeting held at the U.S. State Department between the PLO representative in Washington, Dr. Hasan 'Abd al-Rahman and (Eric Muswell), head of the foreign representation department at the State Department. [passage omitted]

BFN [Interview with Faysal al-Husayni, "Jerusalem minister in the Palestinian National Authority," by Mahmud Abu-'Id in Jerusalem; date not given] [Excerpts] [Abu-'Id] What is the aim of your upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia? [Al-Husayni] Actually it will be my third visit to Saudi Arabia. But it is the second with regard to the Jerusalem issue. The main aim is to discuss the city's position in the current political process, in addition to the Saudi political and moral role. [passage omitted] [Abu-'Id] You talk about practical measures in the face of Israel's escalation with regard to Jerusalem. What measures do you believe should be taken? [Al-Husayni] Israel has recently stepped up its measures against Jerusalem, closing and besieging it, hence forcing its residents to depart. It has prevented them and continues to prevent them from building [their homes]. This is in addition to the demolition of hundreds of houses and buildings on the pretext that these buildings were built without licenses. But on the other hand it has stepped up the building of Jewish settlements inside and around the eastern part of the city. Israel's aim behind all these measures is to destroy the infrastructure and economic structure and prevent Jerusalem from communicating with West Bank cities and the Gaza Strip. These practices require from us a resolute position in order to confront the challenges. I believe that this can only be done through practical organization. [passage omitted] [Abu-'Id] What is your opinion of the Israeli practices aimed at preventing the setting up of self-rule institutions in Jerusalem? [Al-Husayni] The Palestinian institutions present in Jerusalem should not be hampered. According to the message we have received (from Israeli Foreign Minister Shim'on Peres and the Norwegian foreign minister), these institutions should be encouraged. As for the institutions set up after this message to play a role alongside the Palestinian National Authority under the recent accord, it is natural for them to be in the self-rule areas. In practice, there are no self-rule institutions in Jerusalem. The media clamor aroused by Israel regarding Jerusalem institutions reflects some Israeli concerns that this Palestinian presence, which has begun to develop its mechanisms, is alarming them. [Abu-'Id] Have Israeli authorities asked you personally to move to Jericho to live? [Al-Husayni] Actually no one has asked me to live there. They said that, if I want to be a National Authority member, I should move my offices to Jericho. What is meant is the office, not the accommodation. [Abu-'Id] And are you prepared to take such a step? [Al-Husayni] No. From the outset I have stressed my agreement to join the National Authority, provided this is not going to keep me away from Jerusalem. And as Jerusalem requires a lot of time, I prefer to be responsible for issues related to Jerusalem. [Abu-'Id] Will Jerusalem be subject to political bargaining? [Al-Husayni] East Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state.

BFN [Report by political correspondent Aluf Ben] [Excerpts] Israel will allow Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem to be elected to the autonomy council in the elections to be held in the territories at the end of the interim arrangement, if they hold dual residency: in Jerusalem and in the West Bank. This proposal was raised in internal deliberations held recently in Jerusalem in anticipation of the next phase of the talks with the PLO. [passage omitted] Meanwhile, Israel has informed the PLO that it will not allow members of the temporary Palestinian Authority, operating in the self-rule areas in Gaza and Jericho, to serve in the same capacity in Jerusalem. This restriction will also apply to Faysal al-Husayni. [passage omitted] Security sources told the cabinet yesterday that the number of terror incidents in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the incidence of rioting in the West continues to drop. The sources noted that the number of summer visits to the territories is expected to increase by 70 percent over last year. According to them, over 10,000 visitors might arrive every day, and there will apparently be a great deal of pressure at the Allenby Bridge crossing.

BFN Delegations from the Alliance of Palestinian Forces and other Palestinian popular organizations staged a sit-in at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] in Damascus today to show solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli occupation jails. The delegations presented memorandums to the ICRC representative in Damascus addressed to the ICRC in Geneva and the UN secretary general asking them to intervene for the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees and to ensure their right to express their views on all that concerns their cause, people, and homeland.

BFN [Telephone interview with Radwan Abu-'Ayyash, chairman of the Palestinian Radio and Television Corporation, in Jerusalem, by Fayiz al-Miliji in Cairo; date not given; from the "Dialogue From Afar" program -- recorded] [Al-Miliji] Now that the transmission of the Palestinian television has started in the Jericho area, we want to know what are the problems facing you? Also, will there be a similar radio broadcast? [Abu-'Ayyash] There are many problems are facing the radio and television transmission process in Palestine. As for the radio, we are currently connecting the transformers and transmitters in Ramallah, which were owned by the Palestinians before 1967, with the two studios constructed in Jericho and Gaza Strip. We need a few days to complete the connection. We implore Almighty God to help us to transmit to the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as some parts of the towns in the fraternal neighboring countries. [Al-Miliji] What areas which will be covered by the transmission? [Abu-'Ayyash] With God's help and care, the transmission will cover the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the first stage, and after a few months we will be able to reach some neighboring areas such as the Jordan Valley; the pre-1948 territories, Israel; and certain parts of Sinai. However, this transmission will not be able to reach Egypt, Syria, Jordan, or Lebanon. [Al-Miliji] Does this transmission involve both radio and television? [Abu-'Ayyash] I am indeed talking about the radio transmission, which will operate on a medium-wave AM frequency of 594 [kiloHertz]. This band will cover this area. [Al-Miliji] What about the television transmission? [Abu-'Ayyash] We have started experimental television transmissions in the Jericho area. Work is underway to connect it with the Gaza region. The television transmission will be completed in 10 days, God willing. We will be able to cover Gaza and Jericho after the completion of the structure of the television network in the West Bank towns and Gaza Strip. At a later stage this television transmission will be able to cover a wider area, including the entire West Bank and major parts of Israel and the Jordan Valley, the Lebanese borders in the north, and the 'Aqaba and Eilat in the south. [Al-Miliji] Can you tell us about your cooperation with some foreign and some Arab countries in this field? [Abu-'Ayyash] As for the Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan are the only two countries that have extended help to the Palestinian radio and television project, which represents a national plan within the infrastructure of the future Palestinian state. Fraternal Jordan has trained 25 male and female students in this field. They graduated after a six-week course. We will send 80 candidates to Egypt for the same intensive course. We hope that the Islamic Bank will release the necessary funds for accomodations. The Egyptian Information Ministry has donated 100,000 Egyptian pounds to finance the building of studios and the hiring of instructors needed for this course. [Al-Miliji] How many people will be coming to Cairo? [Abu-'Ayyash] It is hoped that 70 to 80 people will go to Cairo for training in various radio and television fields. This includes studio technicians, because Egypt is known for its experience in this field. Qatar, Tunisia, and Algeria have promised to extend assistance in this regard. We have not received any other offers. Although we applied to the Arab Radio Association for assistance last summer, regrettably we have not received a sufficient response, making it difficult to speed up the project. This is in addition to other problems. Furthermore, dear brother, Europe has not yet released the funds it has promised us for this project. [Al-Miliji] Mr. Abu-'Ayyash, let us briefly discuss media issues and their relationship to political issues. Let us begin with the statements by Israeli leaders, led by Rabin, on Jerusalem, particularly Rabin's statement that President 'Arafat can visit the holy places as a Muslim? [Abu-'Ayyash] Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin from time to time opens the issue of Jerusalem. He is well aware that the issue of Jerusalem has been put off and is a subject for negotiations at any time and place. He is also aware that Muslims have lived in Jerusalem for thousands of years, and that Jerusalem is not Israel's property and can never be so under any circumstances. Such statements complicate matters and do not express a genuine intention to achieve a permanent, comprehensive, and just solution in this area. I say--as Muslims, Christians, and Jews say--that peace begins and ends in Jerusalem. No one can have a mandate over Jerusalem other than those from the three religions who live there. Therefore, it is an issue for negotiations. As for the visit by President Abu-'Ammar [Yasir 'Arafat] to Jerusalem, he cannot visit Jerusalem as a Muslim but, God willing, he will come to Jerusalem, because it is part of the territory occupied in 1967, and what applies to Jericho will definitely apply to Jerusalem, as stipulated by UN Security Council Resolution 242, which is the basis of the settlement. [Al-Miliji] The United States has raised the level of Palestinian representation in Washington to that of a foreign mission. How do you view this step and its significance? [Abu-'Ayyash] This was really an important and significant step. Palestinian leadership circles have worked for such a decision for a long time. This is also the result of the role other Arab forces, particularly fraternal Egypt, have played to promote the process of peace based on justice. Such a step was natural, particularly after Israel, through the signing of the agreement, recognized the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. In my view, this U.S. step is important and useful and will promote the peace process and encourage the forces that believe in peace to achieve a just peaceful solution in all the area and on all tracks.

BFN A recent opinion poll shows that the Palestinians of the occupied territories have been regaining their high morale since the fall of 1993. The poll, conducted by the Nabulus Palestinian Studies and Research Center on 31 May 1994, also shows that Fatah's popularity is growing. According to the poll results, published on 14 June 1994, 66.5 percent of the respondents are "optimistic" or "relatively optimistic" about the future, against 21.5 percent who are pessimistic and 12 percent who expressed no opinion. According to an earlier poll by the same center conducted in February 1994, the ratio of optimists was only 39 percent, against 37 percent who were pessimistic about the future. The new poll shows that a 57-percent majority of Palestinians approve of the autonomy agreement signed by Israel and the PLO in Cairo on 4 May and that Fatah's popularity is on the rise. Thirteen and a half percent said the agreement is "excellent," 26 percent termed it "a good agreement," and 17.5 percent believe it is "fair." Forty percent criticized the agreement, with 17.5 percent saying it is "bad" and 22.5 percent calling it "not favorable". Three percent had no opinion. The Fatah Movement, the main PLO faction, got the support of 44.5 percent of the respondents, who said they would back it in elections for a representative council. This represents a 7 percent rise over its popularity according to an earlier poll in April. In contrast, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), the major opponent of the peace process, has lost ground and obtained only 12.5 percent of the votes. In the April poll it enjoyed the support of 16 percent of the interviewees. A 2,000-member cross section of the population of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip took part in the poll. At the same time, an Israeli opinion poll published on 13 June 1994 showed a contrary trend among Israelis, where popular support for the Palestinian autonomy agreement fell from 62 percent in September 1993 to 54 percent now. The poll, conducted by the Israeli Applied Social Research Institute, shows that only 41 percent of Israelis favor the geographical extension of the autonomy, in comparison to 50 percent in September, immediately after the signing of the Palestinian-Israeli Declaration of Principles.

BFN The head of government, Mokdad Sifi, returned to the homeland today after a 48-hour visit to France. In a statement to APS, the head of government said that he was very happy with the result of his visits to Brussels and Paris. He said that he had gained European support and backing for the policy which is being pursued by the Algerian authorities in the political and economic fields.

BFN A new meeting has brought together the government and the central trade union leadership. The meeting is continuing with negotiations attended by Prime Minister Mokdad Sifi and seven ministers concerned with social affairs, as well as Abdelhak Benhamouda, the secretary general of the trade union central leadership. A report from Reeza Guteri: [Guteri] The government's meeting with the trade union leadership this morning opened a new round of talks, and includes an agenda containing a number of demands. The trade union leadership presented a platform of demands that includes a wage increase in the public service and economic sectors and a reconsideration of the amounts allocated for the protection of low wage earners. This is in addition to other demands related to improving the social services designated for workers in the health, transportation, and social housing sectors. Other issues were put forward such as raising family allowances, the reorganization of the national economy, and the reform of public service laws. All of these points are under discussion today during the negotiations, which have been described as difficult, between the government and the Algerian General Workers Union [UGTA].

BFN A fresh round of talks was held today in the capital between the government and the general trade union. The government delegation to these talks was led by the head of government Mr. Mokdad Sifi and included a number of ministers in addition to Mr. Abdelhak Benhamouda who represented the general trade union. The meeting was concluded this evening with the release of a press statement. The main points of the statement are within this report from Nabilah Khrefiyah: [Khrefiyah] The press statement says that the meeting falls within the framework of social consultations between the government and the Algerian General Workers Union [UGTA]. At this occasion, Prime Minister Mokdad Sifi recalled the difficult economic situation the country is passing through and renewed the government's total preparedness to discuss with the general union all the measures that will actually tackle the workers' preoccupations. On his part, UGTA Secretary General Abdelhak Benhamouda assessed the prevailing conditions at the various levels of activity and put forward the major preoccupations of the workers, in particular the purchasing power of the workers, the applied wage systems, the cleaning-up and reorganization of the national economy, the adjustment of vocational training to the actual work, and social housing. Following a fruitful discussion with full openness, which made it possible to arrive at an agreement of views on the evaluation of the economic and social situation through which the country was passing, it was agreed on the following: - Raising the family allowance estimated at present at 200 Algerian dinars per month per child to 300 dinars from the beginning of October 1994. - Raising the scholarship grant from 250 Algerian dinars to 400 Algerian dinars to every [passage indistinct] from the beginning of October 1994. - Installing a joint working group from the government and the UGTA with the task of deepening consideration and formulating proposals about the following topics: A. Purchasing power. B. Administrative reform. C. General law of public service. D. Career maintenance and development. E. Reorganization and revitalization of the public sector. F. The legal codification of labor relations, and G. Social security.

BFN The security services announced in a statement that they had killed eight terrorists between 23 and 25 June in Relizane, Laghouat, and Batna provinces. They also recovered weapons, including machine guns, revolvers, and hunting rifles.

BFN [Excerpt] Thirty-nine new governors were appointed yesterday during a ceremony at the Interior and Local Communities Ministry attended by Abderrahmane Meziane Cherif, minister of interior, environment and administrative reform. Twelve governors have been replaced and 27 others have been promoted. Nine governors retain their posts. [passage omitted]

BFN [Excerpt] Tripoli, 26 Jun--Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and his accompanying delegation arrived this afternoon in Surt on a visit to the Great Jamahiriyah. The brother leader of the revolution headed those receiving President Mubarak. The brother leader embraced President Mubarak [words indistinct] at the stairs of the airplane, expressing the spirit of brotherliness that linked between the one Arab people in the Great Jamahiriyah and Egypt. [passage omitted]

BFN [Interview with Egyptian President Husni Mubarak by unidentified correspondent in Surt on 26 June -- recorded] [Correspondent] What is the occasion of this visit? [Mubarak] It is not really a visit. It is a meeting with my brother and in the same country. I mean when I move from Cairo to Surt or Tubruq I consider myself moving in the same country. In fact I think that the meeting with the brother Colonel is something that will make both peoples happy because we are consulting each other, exchanging views, investigating any problems and helping development in both countries. All these things are for the benefit of the peoples. Our visits are always valuable working visits. The meetings with the brother Colonel are always for exchanging political views, exchanging economic views or for discussing projects for the benefit of both countries. [Correspondent] Does the presence of some ministers with you here in Libya have some definite significance. [Mubarak] When I come to Libya do you want me to come without ministers? Everyone of them has work here because there are existing links. For instance, there are agreements to establish a railway link across Libya to Egypt. There are operational joint companies. There are many things and a lot of work between us and Libya. [Correspondent] Are there any new developments in the Arab and international arenas which you are going to discuss today. [Mubarak] Naturally we will talk about all the problems in the Arab arena. We will talk about Yemen, perhaps we will talk about Somalia. We will talk about everything that concerns the Arab World because it concerns us. [Correspondent] What is President Mubarak's comment on the new developments of the so-called Lockerbie case, particularly the developments... [Mubarak] Let us not talk about Lockerbie on TV. Let me talk about such things with the brother Colonel. [Correspondent] But there are new developments which exonerate the Libyan citizens. [Mubarak] I do not want to talk about this issue now. Let me talk about this with the brother Colonel. In the media you always publish something and then he comes up with a reply and we get into bickering. Leave us alone. With the brother Colonel I will discuss these issues. [Correspondent] Thank you Mr. president.

BFN [Summary From Poor Reception] Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi and Egyptian President Husni Mubarak held another round of talks last night which was attended by Libya's secretary of the people's bureau for foreign liaison and international cooperation and a number of unspecified Egyptian officials. "Bilateral ties, Arab and international issues of mutual interest were discussed during the talks." Both men confirmed the need to "protect and develop Arab and bilateral interests in a way which would serve the future of the Arab nation." Mubarak, who arrived on Sunday in the town of Sirte at the head of a large delegation consisting of four cabinet ministers, his top political adviser, and head of his office at the presidency, had earlier held a round of tete-a-tete talks with al-Qadhdhafi. Al- Qadhdhafi held a dinner in Mubarak's honor.

BFN Libyan revolution leader Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi hosted a banquet last night in honor of President Husni Mubarak and his delegation. It was attended by the Libyan prime minister, senior Libyan officials, secretaries of the General People's Congresses, Egypt's ambassador to the Libyan Jamahiriyah, and the Libyan ambassador in Egypt. Talks between President Husni Mubarak and Libyan revolution leader Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi opened in the Libyan city of Surt last night. President Mubarak and Colonel al-Qadhdhafi held a bilateral session of talks followed by an expanded session attended by members of the delegation accompanying President Mubarak, the secretary of the Libyan General People's Committee, ministers, Egypt's ambassador to the Jamahiriyah, and Libya's ambassador to Egypt. Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif said the meeting between President Mubarak and Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi dealt with several Arab, regional, and world issues. The delegates exchanged views on the Yemeni crisis, developments in Somalia, and the Middle East issue. The meeting also dealt with the general world situation and its political and economic impact on Arab and regional issues. Al-Sharif added that the two leaders' talks covered the outcome of the African summit held in the Tunisian capital recently and the meetings and discussion held on the sidelines of the summit. The information minister said the delegates reviewed bilateral relations and assessed the implementation of previous resolutions passed by the Egyptian-Libyan Higher Joint Committee. Within this context the delegates discussed implementing a project to build 170 km of railroad between Musa'id and Tobruk supervised by a joint working group from the Egyptian railroad and Libyan technicians using both countries' local resources. Also discussed was a project to lay an oil pipeline between Libya and Egypt and an agreement to conduct a joint study of the project and set up an Egyptian-Libyan company to execute it. The information minister added that the delegates reviewed the electrical grid project between the two countries and measures taken in this regard as well as bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including cultural and media cooperation. President Mubarak and his delegation arrived in the Libyan city of Surt last night. They were received by Colonel Mu'ammar al- Qadhdhafi and top Libyan officials.

BFN Luo Gan, state councillor [State Council secretary general] in the People's Republic of China, and an accompanying delegation arrived in Tripoli today on a visit to the Great Jamahiriyah. He was met by the secretary of the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation. . Luo Gan made a statement to JANA in which he expressed his pleasure at visiting the Great Jamahiriyah. He said that his visit is in the framework of strengthening and consolidating cooperation between the Great Jamahiriyah and China. He said that a review will be made of bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern. He stressed that the visit will contribute to the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries.

BFN Arab Libya-Chinese talks were held this evening in Tripoli attended by brother secretary of the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation and Luo Gan, a State Council member in the People's Republic of china. During this meeting, bilateral relations and their strengthening were discussed, as well as international developments and their impact on international peace and security. Talks also focused on the need to restructure the United Nations to ensure the right of all nations to serve peace and progress in the world. The Chinese delegation affirmed their country's categorical rejection of imposing sanctions in international politics and called for the settlement of problems among states by dialogue.

BFN Brother Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi, leader of the 1 September Libyan Revolution, has received a message from brother Lieutenant General 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih, chairman of the Presidential Council, on the latest developments in Yemen, fraternal bilateral ties, and the efforts currently under way to contain Yemeni developments in a manner that safeguards unity, as well as the national gains achieved thus far; namely, democracy and constitutional institutions. Brother Yahya Husayn al-'Arashi, minister of civil service and administrative reform and envoy of the Presidential Council chairman, relayed the message when Col. al-Qadhdhafi received him today. During the meeting, the brother minister expressed the appreciation of both the brother president and our Yemeni people for the support of the Libyan Jamahiriyah--leadership and people--for Yemeni unity.

BFN Sudanese Foreign Minister Husayn Sulayman Abu-Salih has declared that the government supports Yemeni unity, and calls for an end to fighting between brothers to preserve the gains and resources of the brotherly Yemeni people. He pointed out the need for dialogue to preserve Yemeni unity. In an interview with AL-SUDAN AL-HADITH, published today, Dr. Abu-Salih added that Sudan is endeavoring to achieve Arab and Islamic solidarity and transcend differences, while directing its attention against designs aimed at destroying Arab unity. He explained that Sudan had taken some earnest steps in this respect, through dialogue and adherence to initiatives directed at improving relations among Arab states, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab Maghreb states. The foreign minister declared that a number of western states have begun to make contacts with Sudan to restore their previous relations. He pointed to the change in relations with the U.S. Government after the visit of Madeline Albright. He added that those changes came as a result of the realization by those states of Sudan's firm stands toward respecting the sovereignty of states, and noninterference in their internal affairs.

BFN Khartoum, 26 Jun (SUNA) -- A batch of Sudanese nationals arrived at Port Sudan from Yemen Sunday [26 June]. It was the third batch of Sudanese citizens to be evacuated from Yemen. The new arrivals were brought from the Yemeni port of al-Hudaydah aboard a ship owned by Ba'ubud Commercial Company.

BFN Khartoum, 24 Jun (SUNA) -- Dr. Husayn Sulayman Abu-Salih, the foreign minister, has said that Sudan's foreign relations with African, Asian, and neighboring states are stable and are developing based on common interests and the strengthening of economic and technical cooperation. In an interview published by the Jordanian newspaper AL DUSTUR at the end of the 30th summit of African heads of state which was quoted by the Sudanese AL INQADH AL-WATANI newspaper, Abu-Salih added that Sudan's relations with some Western states were better than its relations with Iran. He accused Britain of conveying misleading information on Sudan to the United States, which portrayed the people's defense camps as places for training foreigners in Sudan. He said we still challenge any quarter to prove that a single foreigner has completed his training in Sudan.

BFN London, 25 Jun (MENA)--The Sudanese opposition al-Ummah Party has accused the Sudanese security authorities of harassing party leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi who was arrested last Monday. A statement by the party said al-Mahdi and two of his aides, who are detained in a Khartoum prison, have suffered various harassment acts. Their families are not allowed to visit them and they have been denied clean clothes and food from outside the prison. The statement added that the Sudanese security authorities have barred the lawyers who offered to defend al-Mahdi from contacting him and obtaining an indictment against al-Mahdi and his colleagues. The statement appealed to human rights organizations and fraternal and friendly forces to continue pressuring the Sudanese Government to guarantee the safety of and release al-Mahdi and his aides immediately.

BFN [Studio interview with 'Ali Reza Rahmani, "member of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization," by unidentified correspondent; date not given--recorded] [Close-up shot of Rahmani talking to camera, interspersed with shots of bombed shrine at Mashhad and funeral procession of those killed; interviewer not shown] [Rahmani] In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. My name is 'Ali Reza Rahmani, alias Hamid Reza'i. I was a member of one of the operational teams of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization [MKO]. I was sent into the country in order to place a bomb in Mashhad. I have been in prison for the last 20 months. Although I had given all the information I had, I was not prepared to take part in a television interview. However, following the recent crime carried out by the grouplet in the shrine of the eighth imam, I announced my readiness to take part in a television interview. I have two motives for this interview: First, to expose the antihuman nature of this evil grouplet; and second, to give a message to people like myself who have become puppets in the hands of this grouplet. [video of bombed shrine] After I left this country I was arrested by Iraqi intelligence and taken to prison. After interrogation in the Iraqi intelligence prisons, I announced that I entered Iraq from Iran in order to join the organization [MKO] and I provided them with the specific code. After giving them the specific code and other codes, the intelligence officers arranged a meeting between me and the leadership of the organization, who were in touch with Iraqi intelligence. I met Mehdi Bara'i and Fereshteh Yeganeh. At this meeting I gave the code and specifications I had, and managed to gain their trust. It became clear that I was one of the organization's supporters inside the country. After I was fully recognized, Mehdi Bara'i and Fereshteh Yeganeh sent me to the MKO camp, called Ashraf, which is near Baghdad. We were housed inside U-shaped buildings inside the camp. We were separated from other members of the organization. During this time, we received training in the use of colts, grenades, bombs, and destruction, and in weapons' recognition. Those directly responsible for this training were Fereshteh Yeganeh, Nasrin Berenji, Mehdi Madavi, and Sa'id. The single and group combat training took three months. At the end of the training period they put on certain ceremonies for us, called arming ceremonies. During these ceremonies, Pari Yusofi, representing the MKO leadership, read a message. The text of the message was: You are the best group of home headquarters [setad-e dakheleh] inside the country. You will be our vanguards inside the country. We hope that you will carry out your operations successfully. Yours, your brother Mas'ud. At the end of the ceremonies, the next day, we were divided into 16 groups. Each group consisted of two people. Each group was prepared for operations inside the country. We were the third group, which was dispatched into the country. The group I was in comprised of myself and Mohammad Javad, and because of the sensitivity of the task....[pauses] I mentioned that I was dispatched on a mission in Mashhad. Because of the sensitivity and worry that the organization had concerning that mission they separated us from the rest, and all the programs and explanations that we had were carried out separately and in total secrecy. My immediate briefing officer was Mehdi Bara'i, Fereshteh Yeganeh, Nasrin Berenji, and Sa'id. Fahimeh Arvani had direct supervision. For seven days we were in a building that was separate from the rest. During those seven days we learned more about the methods of bomb placement, methods for placing bombs, methods of reconnoitering the area and finding out about routes and traffic. And, in general, the buildings I was supposed to bomb were the municipality in Mashhad, the Justice Department in Mashhad, and the area near the Imam's courtyard in the immaculate shrine. Those were demonstrated to me on models. The places I had to bomb were all pointed out to me. I was briefed by maps. At that time I used to think that for the sake of the success of the organization any tasks must be carried out. Essentially I never thought that by placing a bomb in the municipality or the shrine or the Justice Department that some innocent people would be killed. After the briefings -- which I received from Mehdi Bara'i and Sa'id -- ended, Maryam Rajavi met me directly. At that meeting she once again reminded me of Mas'ud's message, and wished me success in my missions. She told me: When you complete your mission and return we will put resources and complete welfare facilities at your disposal here. We will even send you outside the country -- outside Iraq -- to study if you wish. And a series of empty promises. That night, after the end of the ceremony and the talks, we were briefed by 'Ali Shiraz about the route that we were to take into the country. 'Ali Shiraz was the head of the dispatch team responsible for dispatching forces into the country. On the map placed on the table he clearly briefed us on the route we were to take. Later, Mehdi Bara'i gave me three packages of cooking oil, which contained explosives and bombs, and said they are to be taken for operations at designated places. They gave me cyanide tablets and said I should not be arrested alive and that I should commit suicide if I felt in danger. They also gave me false identity cards to help me on the trip. We started off the following morning and were accompanied by 'Ali Shiraz, 'Ali Abolfathi, Hassan, and Sa'id. Coordination had been made with Iraqi posts along the way and we travelled from Baghdad to an area near the Qasr-Shirin border with no difficulty. We even changed cars at the Iraqi posts and received equipment. Finally we reached the Qalavand post, which is next to Naftshar on the Iraq border. With the cooperation of Iraqi officers there we used long-distance binoculars in the observation post to study the route we were to take. The dangerous points and Iranian posts were studied and noted. We were again and finally briefed by 'Ali Shiraz about the map. At night, Mohammad Javad, 'Ali Abolfathi, and Hassan and I started off on the designated route. We entered our own country, with the aim of placing our bombs in the designated areas once we reached our objectives, and we would carry out our mission in the best possible way and please our masters. I was arrested before I could reach Tehran. And in prison I learned that my team mate, Mohammad Javad, had been killed by his own bomb in Naser-Khosrow Street [in Tehran], while he was preparing it. Out of eight teams dispatched to the country, 14 persons were arrested, one was killed, and one escaped. [Correspondent] Mr. Rahmani, the question here is, why did you choose Mashhad to carry out the operation? [Rahmani] At the time, in 1371 [year starting 21 March 1992] Mashhad witnessed a lot of unrest. That was why the organization paid particular attention to Mashhad. As they said themselves, another commotion; uproar had to be created in Mashhad again. That was why they offered Mashhad to me. They offered areas to me; after 20 months in prison I now realize just how many innocent people would have been killed if I had exploded a bomb in the municipality or the Justice Department. [video shows crowds shown chanting: "Death to the MKO;" "Death to the Shameless MKO;" "Death to America." Crowd begins to repeat chants after a chant leader: "This is proof of America's crime;" "The Plot of the Shameless MKO;" "Where have these petals come from; they have come from the immaculate shrine of Imam Reza."] [Correspondent] You pointed out that you were to place the bomb in holy Mashhad and at the holy shrine of His Eminence Imam Reza, peace be upon him. Why was this place chosen? [Rahmani] Basically the aim of the organization in sending me to Mashhad and placing bombs in places I mentioned was because the places were crowded. The main aim of the organization was to explode the bomb in crowded places. It was emphasised to me to place the bomb in the municipality when the mayor was present, when the municipality would be the most crowded. As an answer to your question: The organization chose them simply because they were crowded. [Correspondent] As you say yourself, the municipality and the holy shrine of His Eminence Imam Reza are crowded places. What was your motive? [Rahmani] The atmosphere and the misguidance was such that I imagined everything was possible. Even killing and massacring people seemed normal to me. I was prepared to do anything to better present myself to my responsible officers and masters. I thought that the organization was all important. It was my father, mother and sister. There was misguided propaganda. They even told me that if I was arrested I would have boiling water poured over my body and I would be flogged. However, since the time of my arrest not the slightest disrespect has been shown toward me. I was under the influence of emotions and did not know what I was doing. Finally, I ask for the forgiveness of the martyrdom-rearing nation and the leader of the Islamic revolution. I can only say that I am sorry.

BFN Tehran, June 25 (AFP) -- Iraq was behind the bloody bomb attack in a holy shrine in Iran which killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens, the semi-official TEHRAN TIMES charged Saturday [25 June]. "It is unimaginable (to think) that the terrorists group could have undertaken such a heinous act without first having cleared it through the Iraqi intelligence authorities," the English-language newspaper said. It was referring to the main armed rebel group, the People's Mojahedin, accused by Iran of Monday's [20 June] attack in the shrine of Imam Reza in the northeastern city of Mashhad. The Mojahedin have strongly denied any involvement. The daily accused Baghdad of "commissioning" the Iraq-based Mojahedin to "plant the bomb in the holiest site in Iran." The Mojahedin "could have obtained such a bomb only from the Iraqi security forces," it said, referring to the 4.5 kilogram (10 pound) device. The Interior Ministry said 24 were killed and 70 injured, while the official IRNA news agency said 26 had died and 170 others wounded. Iran on Thursday [23 June] indefinitely postponed a visit to Iraq by a Foreign Ministry delegation in protest at Baghdad's support for the Mojahedin. The visit was to continue discussions on normalising ties five years after the end of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Talks resumed last October after they were broken in the wake of the Gulf war. Tehran has also accused Baghdad of encouraging the Mojahedin to carry out sabotage activities inside Iran and the Iraqi intelligence service of being directly involved in bomb attacks here. Iranian Intelligence Minister 'Ali Fallahian said earlier this month that two high-ranking Iraqi officers were arrested for smuggling explosives to Iran and planning bomb attacks.

BFN An element of the terrorist monafeqin [hypocrites -- pejorative reference to Mojahedin-e Khalq] involved in the bombing of the holy shrine of the [Imam] Reza, may peace be upon him, has been identified, announced the Ministry of Intelligence. The spokesman for the ministry distributed the picture of the individual and called on the Iranian public to help arrest him, IRNA reported. The individual, Mahdi Nahvi, was identified after another monafeqin element was arrested while trying to place a bomb at the Makki Sunni mosque in Zahedan last Thursday [23 June]. The spokesman called on the Iranian people to inform the ministry's information headquarters -- telephone number 113 for provincial centers and 233031 in Tehran -- should they come into contact with him or have any form of information on him.

BFN One of the agents of the monafeqin [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization; MKO] who intended to plant a bomb in the Makki mosque in Zahedan has been arrested. The Information Ministry announced: On Thursday [23 June], an individual named Bahram Abbas-Zadeh, a member of the monafeqin organization, who intended to plant a bomb at the Makki mosque in Zahedan for the mosque's Friday prayers has been arrested. According to that report, information has been received from him concerning one of the agents involved in the bombing of the immaculate shrine of Imam Reza, peace be upon him. Further news on that will be reported.

BFN Tehran, June 27, IRNA -- The terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) claimed responsibility for a bomb blast at a military center in northern Iran on June 15, reported the Iraq-based MKO radio station Monday [27 June]. Officials have not so far confirmed the claim but an informed source said that the MKO has made the claim in order to project the country as insecure. The MKO also followed the same objective in the Mashhad bomb blast, he said. Twenty-six pilgrims were martyred and 170 others injured when a bomb went off at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (as) [peace be upon him] on June 20. He said that by spreading rumors about attacks on military centres, the terrorist MKO try to pretend that their terrorist attacks are focussed on military centres and not social meetings. The claim is made at a time when security forces have collected documents and evidences on the involvement of the MKO in the bomb blast at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (as). The Information Ministry has published a facial sketch of Mahdi Nahvi, a member of the terrorist MKO who was involved in Mashhad bomb blast and called on the nation to introduce him to security forces.

BFN ["Exclusive" to AL-MUHARRIR] Beirut/Amman--Is it possible for the mullahs to play the role of the shah in some Gulf states and the Arabian peninsula, or will such an influential role, if it occurs, lead to nothing other than unrest in the region? Arab political circles in some Arab countries began to discuss these questions after they received secret diplomatic reports from Tehran that a new plan was under way to rebuild Shiite organizations in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain and to increase financial and political support for extremist Islamic organizations in Palestine and Lebanon. The information AL-MUHARRIR has received indicates that Tehran has allocated large amounts of money to cover the activities of its satellite organizations. Figures in this regard show that millions of dollars have been allocated to rebuild and breathe a new life into Shiite organizations in the Arabian Gulf region. The main organizations and the amounts of money they will receive are as follows: - The Islamic Front for the Liberation of Iraq, which will receive $100,000 per month. - The Iraqi al-Da'wah Party, which will receive $150,000 per month. - The Popular Front for the Liberation of the Arabian Peninsula, an anti-Saudi organization, which will receive $150,000 per month. - The Islamic Movement for the Liberation of Bahrain, which will receive $70,000 per month. It is worth mentioning that these four organizations have offices in Tehran. Diplomatic reports say that by supporting these organizations, Iran is seeking to stir up unrest in Gulf countries to restore Iranian influence, which prevailed during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign and which diminished gradually after the mullahs controlled the government and after the end of the Iraq-Iran war. Reports also say that pro-Iranian organizations carried out bombing operations in Kuwait years before the entry of the Iraqi forces in it. They add that Iran was responsible for some bombing operations and shootouts that occurred in Kuwait after the return of al-Sabah family to power. The same diplomatic reports say that the Iranian leadership has drawn up a new plan to support the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, led by Dr. Fathi al-Shaqaqi, and to provide necessary amounts of money to the movement to enable it to build bases in the occupied territories. Ahmad Jibril, secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, presented al-Shaqaqi to the Iranian officials. Since then, the latter has been receiving $100,000 per month to cover the costs of his organization in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, in addition to other amounts of money being paid to the occupied territories' branch through special channels.

BFN [Commentary prepared by the News Research and Commentaries Group] The unprecedented drop in the value of the U.S. dollar against the Japanese yen has been coupled with great concern in the West's monetary circles, so much so that the Japanese foreign minister called on the United States to end the joint trade talks by reaching a rapid conclusion and to thus mitigate the monetary crisis in the West. Meanwhile, the frightful drop in the value of the dollar against the Japanese yen compelled U.S. President Bill Clinton to call on the Treasury Department to take immediate steps to strengthen the dollar. It should be noted that on Thursday [23 June] the U.S. dollar sold at less than 100 Japanese yen, which is the lowest exchange rate since World War II. The value of the dollar against the German mark also dropped to less than 1.60 German marks to the dollar. International economic experts believe that until 1985, when the (Plaza) Accord was implemented to reduce America's trade deficit with Japan and Germany and the drop in the value of the dollar against European currencies and the Japanese yen were taken into consideration, the U.S. dollar was equal to 260 Japanese yen. This exchange rate has now dropped by more than 60 percent. The policy of dropping the value of the dollar, which was initially started in order to reduce America's trade deficit with Japan and Germany, gave rise to hopes that Japan's imports would increase while its exports would drop. However, although this had negative impacts on Japan, it was unable to correct the Tokyo-Washington trade deficit, which is expected to reach $70 billion this year. Yesterday the central banks of Europe, Japan, and the United States intervened in the foreign exchange markets in order to strengthen the U.S. dollar; by purchasing dollars, they tried to prevent a further drop in its current value. However, Western monetary experts are worried that the drop in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to less than 100 Japanese yen will further accelerate the drop in the value of the U.S. currency. Also, Wall Street monetary sources believe that although increased bank interest rates in the United States may strengthen the dollar, it will result in a drop in the price of shares and bond rates and that the experience of past economic crises in the United States may be repeated. The question now is what impact the drop in the dollar against European currencies and the yen will have on the countries exporting raw materials, especially oil. Since oil is mostly paid for in dollars, and the oil-exporting countries import more from Europe and Japan than from the United States, the drop in the value of the dollar against the yen and the German mark will actually have a negative impact on the regional countries' petrodollar purchasing powers. That is why reducing oil incomes' dependence on the dollar and diversifying the foreign currencies earned from oil exports is being carefully considered by the economic experts of the OPEC member countries.

BFN Tehran, June 25 (AFP) -- A Russian special presidential envoy discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Iranian officials here Saturday [25 June], Russian sources said. Vladimir Kazimirov, who heads Russia's efforts to mediate between Azerbaijan and Armenia, met Morteza Bank, an Iranian foreign ministry expert on the Caucasus region, and was "satisfied" with Iran's response to a peace plan proposed by Russia last month, the sources said. Armenia has accepted the plan to end the six-year conflict, but Azerbaijan has rejected it. Iran, which made several unsuccessful attempts to broker an end to the conflict in the past, said it would work with Russia to restore peace in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nearly 20,000 people have died in fighting since the Christian Armenian majority in the enclave declared secession from Moslem Azerbaijan in 1988. Azerbaijani President Geydar Aliyev is due to visit Iran on Wednesday [29 June]. Tehran and Moscow were likely to continue talks on the conflict in Moscow, the Russian sources said.

BFN Bushehr, June 16, IRNA -- Preparations have been made to complete Iran's nuclear power plant in Bushehr in cooperation with Russian experts, deputy chief of the plant Mr. Khabir has said. He said that Russian experts were finishing their technical studies on the power plant and it was predicted to become operational by the end of the second five-year development plan. Russian experts will also set up a gas power station adjacent to the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, he said, but did not mention the capacity of the proposed plant or when the project would begin. Khabir said that once operational, the nuclear power plant of Bushehr would provide the country with one seventh of its needed electricity. Construction work on Bushehr's nuclear power plant started in 1974 under a German mark 7.8 billion contract with two German companies. By the end of 1978, 80 percent of the first reactor and 60 percent of the second reactor of the plant were built. During the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war, Iraqi planes bombed the power plant 10 times, killing 12 staff members of the plant and inflicting heavy losses on it.

BFN According to an agreement by Iran, Afghanistan, and the United Nations, 840,000 Afghan refugees will be repatriated to their homeland by the end of this year. Mr. Hoseyni, general manager for foreign nationals in the Interior Ministry, said in an interview with our correspondent that there is no deadline for the repatriation. Mr. Hoseyni said: [Begin recording] [Hoseyni] At the moment 1,800,000 Afghan refugees live in our country. Of those, 540,000 have been given a temporary six-month residential permit. They are refugees who have lived in Iran without any identification documents. The six-month permit has been given to them to enable them to leave the country. In fact, 22 June is the expiration date of the six-month period. This group of Afghan refugees will be leaving the country gradually under the supervision of the United Nation and a representative of the Islamic government of Afghanistan. This has resulted from the agreement reached in the Iran, Afghanistan, and the United Nations tripartite commission. The second group are those refugees who have been living legally in our country for many years. In cooperation with the United Nations, we have planned to repatriate 300,000 of this group this year. The repatriation is totally voluntary, and the refugee can either go back home or stay. We have made plans for 300,000 in the current year. Therefore, if the two plans are carried out in full, we can repatriate 840,000 Afghan refugees by the end of the current year. [Unidentified correspondent] Is there a deadline for the Afghan refugees, especially the first group? [Hoseyni] No deadline exists because the repatriation of 540,000 refugees after 22 June may be carried out over several months. Therefore the Islamic Republic of Iran has not set any deadlines for the repatriation of Afghan refugees. [end recording]

BFN [From the Foreign Policy Desk] The sensitivity of Iran's position and the miscellaneous plots that are planned against the internal and foreign security of our country demand a serious approach and the need to take greater security measures. The revelation of Britain's espionage plot against our embassy in London once again highlighted this point for our officials, that we should take security measures seriously. The sensitivity of the situation and stances of the Islamic Republic of Iran necessitates a closer look at our security measures abroad. A newspaper published in Turkey claims that the building of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Embassy in Moscow is being constructed by a Turkish company. According to a report in the newspaper VAKET published in Istanbul, the Iranian Embassy is being constructed by the Alarco company, the proprietors of which are Turkish Jewish investors. According to a report in the Alarco news bulletin, the building of the Iranian Embassy complex will be handed over to the Iranian officials on 1 September. If the claims of the Islamist newspaper VAKET are true, the relevant officials should view this matter in a more serious and precise manner. We wish to draw the attention of our relevant issues to this point, that the British Embassy was renovated in Iran a while ago, but even the cement, gravel, and all other materials for the purpose were transported from London to Tehran in sealed containers. However, our embassy in London was renovated by British contractors and listening and espionage devices were planted in it. If the report of the Turkish newspaper is true, it will have unpleasant repercussions especially since the Turkish Jews have undertaken this task!

BFN Rival groups in Afghanistan resumed fierce battles in Kabul this morning. Our correspondent Darestani reports from Kabul: [Darestani] Forces of the two conflicting sides in Afghanistan started severe battles in the southern areas of Kabul city this morning. In the battles, which are continuing, the two sides fired rockets and mortars at each other's positions, and fighter jets of President Borhanoddin Rabbani's government bombed the joint positions of Prime Minister Golboddin Hekmatyar and General Dostam in the south and southeast Kabul several times. Severe street clashes have taken place along several lines of contact of the conflicting forces in the southern part of Kabul city and the forces loyal to the president are especially trying to infiltrate the positions of the other side. Although hospital sources in Kabul have not published the causality figures of this battle, prolonged honking by cars carrying the wounded to the hospitals speak of the high number of casualties. The severe clashes in Kabul are taking place at a time when, according to the decisions reached by the leaders of jehadi parties in Jalalabad and Islamabad, only four days are left before the expiration of Borhanoddin Rabbani's presidential term. His opponents--namely Prime Minister Golboddin Hekmatyar, National Salvation Front leader Sebghatollah Mojaddedi, who was also the first president of the mojahedin government, as well as representatives of General Dostam--have gathered in Jalalabad to discuss the formation and institution of a government based outside Kabul. This is the Voice and Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kabul.

BFN The warring forces in Afghanistan continued attacking one another's positions with mortar and long-range weaponry today, leaving 37 people killed or injured. Let me draw your attention to our correspondent's report: The rival groups in Afghanistan engaged in fighting in Kabul and its environs today, bringing one another's positions under rocket and heavy weaponry fire. In the course of the fighting the forces allied to Borhanoddin Rabbani, the Afghan president, subjected the positions of Hekmatyar's forces and the bases of the forces of General Dostam to severe shelling. The forces opposed to Rabbani, for their part, subjected parts of the northwest of the capital of Afghanistan to rocket attacks. According to a spokesman affiliated to the Afghan president, seven people were killed and more than 30 injured as a result of the opposition's rocket attacks and shelling. Government sources also reported air attacks by forces affiliated to the Afghan president on the positions held by General Dostam's forces on the Bala Hesar hill and its environs, and they claimed that they had captured some fortifications in that area; the opposition has rejected this claim. Meanwhile, reports from Herat, in western Afghanistan, state that aircraft under the command of General Dostam subjected the region to heavy bombardment. General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for southwestern Afghanistan, said that during this attack, residential parts of Herat were attacked, leaving 10 people dead and about 110 injured. These clashes are occuring at a time when Rabbani's term as president is due to end in two days' time.

BFN Dear listeners of Radio Afghanistan, as you heard during tonight's newscast, our correspondent went to Bala Hesar while the clearing up operation was under way there. He interviewed a number of brave mojahedin regarding the clearing up operation in Bala Hesar. May we draw your attention to this interview: [Begin recording] [Correspondent] Dear listeners, may peace and blessing of God be upon you. Today is Saturday, 25 June. At this moment I am in Bala Hesar [words indistinct]. Bala Hesar was (?seized) today at 1600. I will ask a responsible person in this area to give us the detail of the operation. Esteemed commander, tell us what happened [words indistinct] [Unidentified commander] In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. The brothers began the attack at 0300 from the top and the bottom of the hill in the direction of Bala Hesar, and by 0430 we (?had brought under our control) the bottom and upper roads and control points [words indistinct] [passage indistinct]. [Correspondent] Please introduce yourself to the listeners of Radio Afghanistan. [Ghayur] I am Colonel Ghayur, commander of Battalion 112 Jehadi of the Islamic State. The attack on Bala Hesar began today at 0400 and by 1500 all units with full coordination and under a single command, had conquered Bala Hesar, and now our units are stationed along the front line in the vicinity] of the Lowgar gas station, and they are advancing toward Tappeh-ye Maranjan. All units enjoy high morale and the enemy is fleeing and on the verge of collapse. [end recording]

BFN [Excerpts] The fortified and strategic fort of Bala Hesar was completely conquered yesterday afternoon by the mojahedin and forces of the Islamic army. Sources of the country's armed forces reported to the Bakhtar Information Agency that Bala Hesar fort was (?captured) as a result of [words indistinct] of the mojahedin and the Islamic army forces. [Passage indistinct] The forces of the mojahedin and the Islamic army aborted the offensive of the militia in the first hours and started an attack against their fortifications and positions. With the help of God much success was achieved by the mojahedin. The mojahedin were able by the conquest of Chman-e Hozori, Kasa Burj hill, and security posts around Bala Hesar and finally of the Bala Hesar fort, yesterday afternoon, the Golboddin-Dostam militia suffered a heavy defeat [sentence as heard]. Bala Hesar fort was the Golboddin-Dostam militia's very strong position. From the heights of this fort, militia fired several times into the residential areas of Kabul, foreign embassies, and installations of public utility. As a result of the complete conquest of the Bala Hesar fort, militia have suffered heavy losses. Corpses of the Dostam-Golboddin militia litter the fort's surroundings. The forces of mojahedin and the Islamic army were able to inflict losses on the militia as a result of heavy weapons fire. In the course of the attack much damage was inflicted on the militia. The precise number will be announced later. According to a report by Bakhtar Information Agency correspondents, mojahedin of the Harakat-e Eslami organisation have captured large areas, including Darolaman Palace, Doghabad, Pilawari, and a section of Khairabad hills, in the west of Kabul, from the Golboddin militia. And in the direction of Bala Hesar's southwest, the Islamic army forces captured the strategic hill of Kasa Burj and many fortified positions of the Golboddin-Dostam militia in Maiwand Wat and in Shor Bazar. The received reports say that in the course of those heavy battles dozens of the militia were either killed or captured. The captured people include two prominent militia generals who joined the mojahedin. [passage omitted] The air force of the Islamic state crushed the militia's positions and destroyed much of their heavy weapons. [Words indistinct] as a result 11 residents of Kabul City were martyred and (?178) others were injured. Rockets damaged the Turkish Embassy and the former telecommunications building. [passage omitted]

BFN [By Terence White] KABUL, June 26 (AFP) -- Forces loyal to Afghan President Borhanoddin Rabbani on Sunday [26 June] stormed and took over the final Kabul strongholds held by Prime Minister Golboddin Hekmatyar's militia. Hekmatyar's military presence in Kabul was crushed around 8:00am (0330 GMT) when pro-Rabbani troops stormed Maranjan Hill, opposite the ancient fortress of Bala Hesar, an AFP correspondent said. The fortress in eastern Kabul was captured from Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Eslami faction on Saturday afternoon. The pro-Rabbani troops are led by Commander Ahmad Shah Mas'ud, a former Afghan defence minister who already controls much of central Kabul. Bala Hesar and Maranjan hills were the two main strongholds in the capital of Hekmatyar and his military ally General Abdol Rashid Dostam. Most of the shells that have rained down on Kabul over the past six months have been fired from there. Sources said Hezb-e Eslami and their Uzbek allies under General Dostam were pushed out of the Old Microrayan housing complex below Maranjan an hour later, under pressure from advancing infantry backed by tanks and armoured personnel carriers. One group of Pro-Rabbani troops on Maranjan told AFP they had captured around 60 Uzbek prisoners. Mortar shells crashed into Maranjan as pro-Rabbani tanks and men poured up the hill. "Let everyone understand the Islamic State of Afghanistan is not weak," jubilant fighters yelled. Tanks and guerrillas fired down onto the far eastern outreaches of Kabul where they could see fleeing Uzbeks and Hezb-e Eslami fighters. General Baba Jan told AFP the president's forces would march on neighbouring Bagrami next as part of an attempt to take Hekmatyar's headquarters at Charasiab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) further east.

BFN [By Terence White] KABUL, June 26 (AFP) -- Afghan President Borhanoddin Rabbani's forces inflicted a massive military defeat on Prime Minister Golboddin Hekmatyar Sunday [26 June], overrunning his strategic strongholds in eastern Kabul and taking 700 prisoners, a battle commander said. In the fiercest Kabul fighting for several months, the pro-Rabbani troops also captured 20 tanks and large quantities of munitions, senior military commander Gadoh (eds: one name) said, adding "We are now waiting orders for our next move." In a devastating military blow to the coalition rival force of Hekmatyar and ex-communist Uzbek General Abdol Rashid Dostam, pro-Rabbani troops seized the strategic bases of Bala Hesar and Maranjan Hill in two days of fighting ending Sunday morning. The pro-Rabbani forces -- a mixed ethnic bag of Tajiks, Pushtuns and Uzbeks from many different units -- are now consolidating on the new eastern Kabul frontlines. The Karte Naw district below Maranjan Hill is still occupied by Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Eslami faction, but they face pro-Rabbani troops in the next-door Shah Shahid district which extends to the main gate of Bala Hesar, where the corpses of two Dostam soldiers still lay in the road. The frontline on the main road running due east of Bala Hesar is about 2 to 3 kilometres distant, according to pro-Rabbani soldiers stationed in Dostam's former fortress. "This fighting has shown the might of the state and we are fully confident that we can capture any position we want," said commander Gul Haider. The main target for Rabbani's troops is now Hekmatyar's Charasiab headquarters, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) southeast of Bala Hesar. To get there they have to first capture a strategic hill called Bini Hissar, from which sporadic small-arms fire harrasses the occupants of Bala Hesar. Otherwise Kabul was very calm Sunday afternoon, the only activity being several large trucks visiting Maranjan Hill to collect the large stocks of ammunition left behind in underground bunkers by retreating Dostam troops, mujahedeen said. The Hekmatyar-Dostam coalition force, which has been fighting Rabbani non-stop since it launched a failed coup attempt against the president in January, now faces a severe test of endurance. With the loss of Bala Hesar and Maranjan, Hekmatyar, who has been demanding Rabbani's resignation by the end of June, may now have lost the clout to back his call. Hekmatyar's military presence in Kabul ceased around 8.00 a.m. (0330 GMT) when pro-Rabbani troops stormed Maranjan Hill, an AFP correspondent said. An hour later under pressure from the advancing infantry backed up by tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) Hezb-e Eslami and their Uzbek allies were pushed out of the old Microrayan housing complex below Maranjan. An AFP correspondent crossed the Kabul River and joined the second wave of advancing pro-Rabbani troops racing under mortar fire up Maranjan Hill, the entrance to which was covered by an archway supporting a colour portrait of Dostam. The group that claimed to be the first on Maranjan told AFP it had captured around 60 Uzbek prisoners. One APC was seen with its turret blown off and one Russain T-62 battle tank was captured intact. Incoming mortar shells crashed into Maranjan as more pro-Rabbani tanks and men poured over the hill, although pockets of resistance were observed in Old Microrayan for a short time. Inside the blue-domed mausoleum of former Afghan king Nadir Shah on Maranjan Hill, tanks and guerrillas fired down onto the far eastern outreaches of Kabul, where they could see fleeing Uzbeks and Hezb-e Eslami fighters. More than a hint of hashish was in the air, which enhanced a comical drama as great lumps of ceiling fell on the machine gunners inside every time the tanks fired.

BFN Islamabad, June 26, IRNA -- Afghan Vice-President Molawi Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi has called for mediation of foreign peace missions to end the current infighting in Afghanistan. According to a press release, the leader of Afghanistan's Harakat-e Enqelab-e Eslami [Islamic Revolution Movement of Afghanistan], also warned that if the current situation prevailed, the country would never see peace and tranquility again and would eventually fall into the hands of colonialism. He accused foreign powers of involvement in the Afghan crisis and of pushing the country towards destruction in order to achieve their own goals. The Afghan vice president urged leaders of all Afghan mujahideen groups to sit at the negotiating table and resolve their dispute through peaceful means.

BFN Peshawar June 25 -- In a sudden move, the head of his own faction of Hezb-e Eslami Afghanistan Maulvi Mohammad Yunes Khales has announced his candidature for the presidentship of Afghanistan. This has been done at a time when Borhanoddin Rabbani had categorically refused to quit the presidency while his chief adversary Golboddin Hekmatyar, was desperately engaged in evolving some strategy to pull down the sitting President. The timing for the announcement were coincided with the efforts to hold a meeting of the Afghan leadership in Jalalabad to reach a consensus on the interim set-up in Kabul to replace President Rabbani and prepare the ground for a permanent settlement. The proposed meeting had already run into difficulties as only three leaders including former president Sibghatollah Mojaddedi, Prime Minister Hekmatyar and Karim Khalidi of the Hezb e Wahdat (Shiite) had so far reached the venue while Yunes Khales had refused to associate himself with any of their plans. Similarly, Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, Rasool Sayyaf and Syed Ahmad Gillani, too had neither showed up in Jalalabad nor were traceable. Sources in Nangarhar capital said the leaders already present there were hectically [word as published] trying to contact the missing leadership in order to give the Jalalabad summit a representative look. However, the sources added it was not an easy task to persuade the absentees to join in unless some of their preconditions had been included in the agenda. The sources without elaborating, added that the conditions virtually amounted to securing certain guarantees. Besides, the missing leaders have not been so enthusiastic about the summit in Jalalabad as they believed that in view of the rigid stand taken by President Rabbani and his allies, it could hardly serve any purpose. These view were also shared by some other major groups including leading commanders. Meanwhile, Maulvi Yunes Khales, while announcing his candidature, claimed in a statement that he had been persuaded by the commanders, Ulema and the elders to run for the Presidency. He said "I consider it my duty as a Mujahid and religious scholar to accept this responsibility." He regretted that no stable and Islamic government had been established so far in the free Afghanistan. On the contrary he believed the anti-Islamic forces had become more powerful. In this connection, all the attempts initiated to set things right and restore reconciliation and peace, had failed and even the leadership council had failed to resolve the crisis. He said now that the Afghan government was about to come to an end, he was duty bound to come to the rescue of the country. He also announced a five-point charter for running the affairs of the country. In a related development, the seminar of Afghan Leaders, Ulema, scholars and commanders initiated by Herat Governor, Ismail Khan, which was earlier postponed is now being held Sunday (June 26). The response to the seminar, too has been much below expectations with the Coordination Council having already decided to abstain. In all probability, the seminar, convened to discuss the Afghan situation in detail and suggest measures to end the deadlock, would hardly affect the overall scenario obtaining in the country for the last more than a year.

BFN The Sri Lankan President, Mr. D.B. Wijetunga, has dissolved the country's parliament and called for general elections on the 16th of August -- six months ahead of schedule. A presidential proclamation in Colombo said the parliament stands dissolved from midnight tonight and the election process will be set in motion from next week. The presidential election will follow some time in October-November. Our Colombo correspondent reports that the present parliament elected in 1989 was scheduled to continue till February next year. The main opposition, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, has described the president's decision to advance parliamentary elections as political hari-kari, but said it was fully prepared to face the electorate.

BFN Parliament has been dissolved. The proclamation dissolving parliament at midnight yesterday was gazetted by President D.B. Wijetunga. Nomination for elections to the next parliament have been set for the period from July 4 to 11. Elections will be held on August 16. The new parliament is scheduled to meet on August 25. Addressing the nation today, President D.B. Wijetunga said the decision to dissolve parliament and to hold general elections was made by me after careful consideration. He said he was convinced that morality was an essential requisite for politics, as much as for every other aspect of public life. I also hold, the president said, that a genuine democratic political system of the highest quality is equally essential. He rejected both covert and espousal of immoral and antisocial and violent means to acquire power or remain in power. It is this conviction that encouraged him to unhesitatingly go before the people. President Wijetunga said that his sole determination was to provide leadership through exemplary political conduct so that the secretive and corrupt forces that are today interested in capturing power could be defeated and proper behavior and discipline could be inculcated throughout our social fabric. You will agree with me, the president said, that the policies pursued by my government are the most suited for this purpose and the best guarantee to achieve the success we desire. He recalled that in his address to the nation when he assumed office in May last year, he stated that he could not act as a politician but as a statesman in charge of his duties having the best interest of the people at heart. He said he took over the presidency at a crucial time and was able to bring about a considerable degree of political and social stability before the country. In keeping with the economic and political philosophy of the government, we freed the stranglehold of respective policies and embarked on totalling the new economic program. President Wijetunga explained in detail the policies implemented and the achievements. He referred to the Janasaviya [welfare program] as a major thrust in poverty alleviation. He also recalled the invitation extended to the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] to cease hostilities and discuss a negotiated political settlement and join in the political framework of the country. However, he said that these measures did not bring about concrete results. The government succeeded to a great extent in ridding the Eastern Province of militancy. The fact that elections to local authorities in this province were able to be conducted successfully shows ample proof of this.

BFN Cairo, 25 Jun (MENA)--The National Dialogue General Congress held its first session this evening. It elected People's Assembly Speaker Dr. Ahmad Fathi Surur as chairman of the Political Committee, Consultative Council member Dr. Hamid al-Sayih as chairman of the Economic Committee, and Consultative Council Speaker Dr. Mustafa Kamal Hilmi as chairman of the Social and Cultural Committee. The National Dialogue General Congress has approved the formation of the three committees and their agendas.

BFN [Excerpts] Cairo, 25 Jun (MENA)--The procedural session of the National Dialogue General Congress opened at the Consultative Council this evening under the chairmanship of the Congress' general moderator, Dr. Mustafa Khalil, and in the presence of the General Congress members. At the beginning of the session member Ahmad Taha raised the issue of the absence of the New Wafd and the Nasirite Arab Democratic parties. He asked the Congress to reissue calls to party members to participate in the Congress and to other nationalist forces to work for the complete success of the Congress. Dr. Nabih al-'Alqami answered Taha saying: We have an agenda devised by the Preparatory Committee including various views. He asked the Congress' general moderator to approve the agenda in order to begin the Congress' works. [passage omitted] Lutfi al-Khuli spoke again about existing political parties, so that (?we) can confront everyone with their responsibility, whether or not we agree with a certain party. He added that we must learn about each party's ideology, which should be put forth for discussion. He was referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, the communists, and those who have no legitimate representation. He explained the importance of inviting all trends to the Congress so that they can interact with us to build the future Egypt and stand up against all current trends of violence. Dr. Mustafa Khalil said he welcomes all political parties, noting his consent to opening the door for the return of the Wafd and Nasirite parties to participate in the conference. On the representation of the communists and Muslim Brothers, he said the Congress had taken the representation of various intellectual trends into consideration. He noted that the Muslim Brothers have not yet formed a political party and that its members represent all the existing political trends and legitimate parties. [passage omitted]

BFN Cairo, 25 Jun (MENA)--President Husni Mubarak has once again urged the Yemeni president to stop the fighting and pull back troops to allow dialogue to take its course. President Mubarak said: On our part, we are fully prepared to mediate to bring viewpoints closer to each other. He warned that the end will be bad, saying: I have warned that if fighting breaks out in Yemen, it will continue for years and the potentials and resources of the state will be consumed. The resources of the country will be squandered on procuring weapons for war and destruction, instead of being devoted to providing the basic minimum for a decent life for the Yemeni people. This speech came in a meeting President Husni Mubarak held at noon today with university youths attending the annual Hulwan summer camp. Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif said that President Mubarak was keen on starting a dialogue with his sons, the university youths. He was also eager to inform the youths of the various dimensions and aspects of issues of national interest to Egypt, be they internal or external matters. Mubarak was asked about the crisis in Yemen, which is ongoing despite the advice given to the Yemeni brothers to stop the bloodshed and fighting and to learn about the dimensions of the crisis, particularly since Yemen seems to be following in the footsteps of Iraq. Mubarak answered: During the Gulf crisis, I advised Iraqi President Saddam Husayn through scores of letters. I did so separate from any personal feelings and with great honesty so that we can avert any results from dangerous problems, as well as avoid inter-Arab differences. President Mubarak added: In the Yemeni crisis, I have repeatedly advised from the outset to stop the fighting. But there was no commitment. He noted that there is a difference between what happened in the Gulf and what is happening in the Yemeni crisis. President Mubarak affirmed that Egypt is not opposed to Yemen's unity. But, as a general principle, we do not believe that unity can be imposed through military force, because it then becomes occupation. We also believe that unity has to be established through agreement and consent and has to be requested by the people. The president clarified that if this process of unity is not accurately worked out, it will backfire and the effects will be extremely negative. The information minister said in his statement that President Mubarak explained the various viewpoints of the brothers in Yemen, both in the north and the south. He clarified the differences that caused the crisis. President Mubarak also explained that he cautioned against the crisis before it even started through meetings with the Yemeni leaders and during Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih's visit to Egypt. He affirmed to the Yemeni leaders the importance of containing the situation and not turning to weapons. But the crisis worsened and the fighting continued. He said it is an accursed war; blood is being shed and the infrastructure is collapsing. President Mubarak renewed his call to the Yemeni president on the need to stop the fighting and pull back forces in order to let dialogue take its course. President Mubarak said: I have begged the Yemeni parties to stop the fighting--and I hope they listen to me because I have no objective but to establish stability in Yemen, which is a fraternal Arab Islamic country. I tell all the parties: Enough of the collapse that has taken place. He added that the Yemeni people are in the custody of their leaders and the leaders have to look after this charge. We will continue, together with all our brethren, to exert every effort for the sake of the Yemeni people and their stability. Answering a question on his views on the national dialogue, its effects, and the extent of its continuation, President Mubarak said: The objective of the national dialogue is for all sections of the society and the legal forces to participate in it. The dialogue should not be restricted to the political parties alone. He added: Therefore, the National Dialogue Preparatory Committee, as well as the General Congress, consists of representatives from over 20 institutions including associations, unions, and universities; intellectuals, artists, literates, journalists, and experts in various fields are also taking part. They represent the cream of society participating in this Congress, particularly since the world around us is changing and challenges are imposing themselves on various local, regional, and international levels. President Mubarak pointed out that there are radical economic changes taking place. He said: This prompted me to call for a dialogue so that all the Egyptians can participate in discussing their issues, setting priorities regarding national action, and polishing their ideas on how to develop the Egyptian march economically, politically, socially, and culturally. President Mubarak said that the participants in this dialogue will discuss various issues since they are specialists and experts and the parties most concerned with this issue. They will propose ways to address our problems, because we have major issues to address, such as unemployment, increasing production and exports, dealing with international economic agreements, creating jobs for workers, and enhancing overall and continuous development. He stated that all these issues comprise Egypt's economic and social stability, which is the basis for achieving political progress. President Mubarak said: I wanted to make sure the dialogue would not be confined to political parties alone, but open to all the society's institutions. He noted that the recommendations would receive proper attention and all new ideas would be welcomed as long as they were in line with the people's interests. He underlined that the dialogue would not be confined to a certain issue but would address all issues that concern the public. He stated that he has given the Dialogue Preparatory Committee complete freedom to define priorities. He said that despite our efforts, certain parties are not going to participate in the dialogue. They declined to take part and wanted to put preconditions or impose priorities. Regarding calls from certain parties for setting priorities for discussion during the National Dialogue General Congress, President Mubarak said: Since the president of the republic, who called for the dialogue, did not set any priorities or impose views regarding certain priorities, I expected everyone to let the discussions come up with priorities for the agenda of the dialogue. He stressed that we would hold on to any benefit gained through the national dialogue, because all our efforts are aimed at serving the interests of Egypt and its people--whether through the national dialogue or in all work sectors. He stated that the committees that will stem from the National Dialogue General Congress are expected to complete their work within two weeks and that the National Dialogue General Congress will complete the discussions of the recommendations after these committees end their work. Responding to a question on the security situation and the extent the security forces control the real roots of terrorism, President Mubarak said that all the people have denounced the acts of terror that occurred in Egypt; that Egyptians did not expect any Egyptian to emerge from among them to kill his brothers. He said: Our people cherish their noble feelings, values, and adherence to principles. He said that an intellectual dialogue began with these extremists in 1982. He expressed his regret that these extremists thought the dialogue was a sign of weakness by the state and raised their arms in the face of the people. He said: I maintained my patience for a long time but I shoulder a responsibility toward the people; I have to safeguard their lives, property, security, and stability. He added: When my patience ran out because all peaceful overtures since 1982 were to no avail--I have always respected the law--I decided that the defendants should be referred to investigations and the judiciary. President Mubarak said that those who violate Egypt's security exploit the lengthy legal procedures and commit more acts of violence. They threaten the lives of people, destroy the national economy, and affect the livelihood and job opportunities in the field of tourism and investment, and distort Egypt's image. He said: For this reason it was inevitable that a firm stand must be taken to confront them, and to refer the defendants to the military judiciary so that the trials may be more expeditious within the framework of fully respecting the law and constitution. He stated that the military judiciary is part of the Egyptian judiciary according to the constitution and it fully complies with the law. Trial before the military judiciary does not mean denying any rights of citizens. Mubarak expressed astonishment at the reports that some people in a certain country are discussing conditions in Egypt and debating its stability. He said: I say to those people that Egypt is stable and secure with a civilization going back 5,000 years. He remarked that the world's first administration and government were established in Egypt on the banks of the Nile and that the country is stable now and will remain stable forever. He announced: The sons of Egypt who at first fell victim to terrorism have begun to wake up and return to the right path. He declared that the haters' attempts to undermine Egypt's role will fail. President Mubarak asserted that he is shouldering the responsibility entrusted to him by the nation and that when certain matters reach a certain point and threaten to harm the people, then one cannot remain silent about them. In response to questions about publications spreading rumors or encouraging terrorism, the president advised the young people: Do not listen to rumors. You must learn to distinguish between true and false reports. We have nothing to hide because truth always prevails. Rumors and lies eventually collapse. Concerning Egyptian-Sudanese relations and the recent series of measures adopted by the Sudanese regime, including the closure of [Egyptian] universities and most recently the seizure of Egyptian-owned irrigation installations in Sudan, President Mubarak explained that the relationship with Sudan has a special delicate status and for this reason, he avoids going into the details of any disputes with it. He noted Egyptian support for the Sudanese regime since it came to power despite the subsequent attempts to undermine Egypt's stability--a reference to the Hala'ib dispute. He said that the two countries' ties are historical and more than three million Sudanese citizens live in Egypt as the Egyptians' honored brothers. Recalling what he said during his meeting with the Sudanese leader, he declared that Egypt has not fired a single bullet at a Sudanese citizen and that the reports about Egyptian military concentrations on the border with Sudan are not true. He asked: Why should we mass troops when we know we will not fight our brothers? President Mubarak explained that the Egyptian forces stationed in the Hala'ib area do not exceed 2,000 officers and soldiers and that they do not have heavy weapons as the Sudanese regime used to believe. He said that Egyptian and Sudanese officers and troops on the border between the two countries are friendly with each other and understand each other. Commenting on the Sudanese regime's recent claim that Egypt incited Sudanese al-Ummah Party leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, President Mubarak said Egypt is governed by principle and will not conspire against the existing Sudanese regime or any other regime. He pointed out that Egypt will not incite any Sudanese national against his own country and it has no connection with any claims about al- Ummah leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi. President Mubarak affirmed: We do not fight Sudan. We wish to safeguard the Sudanese people. We will not fire a bullet against any Sudanese person. We welcome the Sudanese among us and on our territory. We wish to help Sudan but at the same time we cannot let anyone impose his view on us in matters connected with our sovereignty and stability. Regarding the Middle East peace process, the information minister reported that President Mubarak said that [former] President al-Sadat had a lot of foresight and had it not been for his peace initiative, this region would not have witnessed the current major peace developments. President Mubarak said that the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East conflict and pointed out that after Egypt regained its lost territory, it continued and is continuing now to do its utmost for the sake of peace and the restoration of Arab territories and legitimate Arab rights. The president noted that the Palestinian-Israeli Agreement was the first and most difficult step. He said it gave the Palestinians the opportunity to return to their own land for the first time. He stressed that Egypt assists the Palestinians but does not dictate any options to them. He remarked that Egypt utilizes its international relations for the good of the Palestinian cause and other Arab causes to enable the concerned parties to reach a just and comprehensive solution that will preserve their legitimate rights. He declared that Egypt, as the largest Arab country, is seeking a real, not illusory, peace and that peace strategy must have its own credible components. President Mubarak said the progress on the Palestinian- Israeli track is still difficult and that the forthcoming phases are the most difficult because they will deal with the settlements and with Jerusalem. He added that the Jerusalem question is viewed in a Christian and Islamic framework and that it is not only an Arab or an Islamic issue but has several dimensions. Al-Sharif said that President Mubarak also discussed the developments on the Syrian-Israeli and Jordanian-Israeli tracks. Replying to a question on the talk about establishing a Middle Eastern market, the president explained that the issue is still in the stage of proposals, interpretations, and analysis and that we should put things in context without oneupmanship. He noted that there are centers for research, analysis, and discussion all of which are good signs but that the issue is still in the form of mere proposals and interpretations. Al-Sharif said that President Mubarak answered a question on the Social Development Fund and its role. The president said that the Fund has played its role according to the resources available and that any obstacles to its performance, such as the interest rate and so forth are being removed. Replying to another question on developments in Rwanda, President Mubarak said it is an African issue and some proposals were discussed at the recent African summit but (?implementing) these proposals would require a huge expense. He added that France has begun to play a role to help achieve peace and that Egypt is helping with observers in the United Nations. President Mubarak affirmed that Egypt does not help one party at the expense of another and is not biased to any side and said: We have suspended an arms accord that was signed before the conflict broke out between the two sides. The president commented on the UN secretary general's role in the Bosnia-Herzegovina crisis and in handling various issues. He said we should not burden the secretary general beyond his capabilities and jurisdictions for he does not issue resolutions but implements the Security Council and UN resolutions and he has no funds or troops at his disposal. Answering a question on economic reform, President Mubarak explained the inevitable situation that required the initiation of the economic reform process and said that a complete collapse would have occurred had there been no economic reform. He added that had economic reform not been initiated, Egypt would have been in a hard situation in which the provision of bread or minimal level of services would have been difficult. He noted that the economy had neared a collapse because of problems that accumulated over successive years and that the international community had stopped dealing with Egypt because its economy could not meet any commitments or repay debts. He added: We needed loans to procure basic commodities to secure living provisions and we also had to establish an infrastructure to attract investment. Replying to another question on wage increases, President Mubarak pointed out that economic issues are interlinked and that revenues are linked with expenditure and wages. He added that any wage increase is linked with a genuine increased production and that printing (?bank notes) means more inflation and more price hikes. Therefore, he said, economic performance must be controlled to maintain an acceptable and reasonable balance between wages and prices. He added: We must bear in mind that Egypt's population has increased by approximately 15 million people during the period of the economic reform plan and that salaries and pensions also increased by various rates over the past five years. He noted that despite all the burdens on the citizen, economic reform made a great progress and that no matter how hard the burden is, it is still better than the collapse that we would have encountered. Asked about the amount of Egypt's debts, President Mubarak pointed out that these debts had reached 45 billion dollars as borrowing had been necessary to rebuild the infrastructure. He added that 50 percent of the debts, an amount equivalent to what has been spent on the infrastructure, has been forgiven. He added: Now that the debts have come within the normal and reasonable limits, we are in a better position and Egypt can fulfill its debt obligations. He noted that the availability of reserves at the Egyptian banks does not mean that this money belongs to the government. These reserves, he adds, belong to the people and are held as deposits with the banks. They provide the Egyptian economy with the necessary liquidity to fulfill its obligations in meeting the basic requirements, he added. He noted that the whole world is facing a wave of similar problems, such as debts, unemployment, rise in commodity prices, and the lack of balance between wages and prices. He added: We must never forget that in the sixties Egypt's population was 16 million and now we are close to 60 million. This means extra burdens to the economy and to the development and service sectors, he noted, adding that we always need the money to be able to carry out development plans and provide a reasonable minimum standard of living. Minister al-Sharif pointed out that President Mubarak had begun his meeting with the university students with a speech in which he stressed that they represent the hope of the future, adding that the work of the present generation is for the sake of the coming generations. Mubarak was asked about the future of development in Upper Egypt following the establishment of the Southern Valley University, which represents a qualitative cultural leap for Upper Egypt. Mubarak emphasized that the development plan makes no difference between Upper and Lower Egypt. We must encourage the wealthy and the investors from Upper Egypt to establish small or large industrial or agricultural projects there, he added. He noted that if the experiment proves to be successful and if investments increase, we hope there will be no need to obtain an approval from the Investment Authority to establish any project, regardless of its magnitude. He noted that small investors have been encouraged to establish projects in the governorates where they live, adding that attention is given to Upper Egyptian governorates to raise the standards of living there and create jobs in productive projects. This is because the government no longer can hire new employees now that the salaries of the civil servants cost the treasury approximately 16 billion Egyptian pounds per year and the government's resources are limited, he added. Before meeting with the university students, Mubarak met with university presidents and students to listen to a number of suggestions on developing university education and research centers and on the university's role in serving the society. Education Minister Dr. Husayn Kamil Baha'-al-Din spoke during the meeting and noted that President Mubarak, who opened the National Dialogue Congress today, wanted to meet with the university youth to involve them in this dialogue. He noted that the university students are proud of President Mubarak's efforts to develop Egypt and its universities. During the two-hour meeting, the students cheered and applauded President Mubarak several times during his speech. Dr. Baha'-al-Din pointed out that the group of students who met with President Mubarak today comprised approximately 650 students from various Egyptian universities. He added that each group stays at the camp for one week during which the students play sports, receive cultural and religious orientation courses, and meet with a number of officials. He noted that similar camps free of charge exist for university students in Alexandria, the Suez Canal area, Asyut, and al-Minya.

BFN Cairo, 26 Jun (MENA)--President Muhammad Husni Mubarak left Cairo for the Libyan Jamahiriyah this afternoon. He will meet with brother Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi. The two leaders will discuss the developments of the Libyan-Western crisis, "the Lockerbie crisis," in light of Libya's recent offer to put the two Libyan suspects on trial before a tribunal consisting entirely of Scottish judges that would meet at the International Court of Justice. President Mubarak and Col. al-Qadhdhafi will review the developments of the Middle East peace process and current consultations over ways of boosting the negotiations on the other Arab-Israeli negotiating tracks. They will also discuss inter-African conflicts and some important international issues that have implications for the Arab region. President Mubarak is accompanied on this two-day visit by Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa; Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif; Engineer Sulayman Mutawalli, minister of transport and communications; Dr. 'Atif 'Ubayd, public business sector minister and minister of state for administrative development and environmental affairs; Dr. Zakariya 'Azmi, director of the presidential office; and Dr. Usamah al-Baz, foreign ministry first under secretary and director of the president's office for political affairs.

BFN Cairo, 25 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa today stated that Egypt is holding contacts with UN Secretary General Dr. Butrus Butrus-Ghali and OAU Secretary General Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim on the situation in Rwanda. He said that he met today with the French ambassador in Cairo, because France came up with the initiative of sending troops and observers on a humanitarian mission to Rwanda. Regarding the meetings of the Damascus Declaration countries' foreign ministers in Kuwait on Tuesday, 28 June, 'Amr Musa said that all the countries in the Damascus Declaration support a cease-fire in Yemen. Egypt will declare its stand on the matter from this perspective. He added that some working papers will be presented to bolster cooperation among the countries of the Declaration. He affirmed that the Damascus Declaration is in better condition now than it was before. All the member countries now want to activate and revitalize this Declaration; to increase coordination and bolster cooperation among the countries, especially since this grouping consists of eight countries that are members of the Arab League. These countries meet within the framework of the Arab League's charter and the charter of Arab economic cooperation. He clarified that it is important and necessary for such a grouping to discuss all the problems in the region and the Arab world and to attempt to find a common approach on how to deal with these problems. 'Amr Musa said: We agree with the need to stop the fighting in Yemen and to start a dialogue. On the possibility of further measures being taken by the Security Council with regard to the Yemen problem, Musa said that the issue depends on the secretary general's report, which he will submit to the Council. The secretary general's report will be based on the report he receives from his special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in light of the discussions he recently held in Cairo. The foreign minister affirmed that the continued fighting in Yemen, despite the Security Council's calls to stop it, constitutes a problem. This is what makes the intervention of the Security Council probable. On the possibility of convening a mini-Arab summit to discuss the situation in Yemen, the foreign minister said this has not been proposed so far. Answering a question on protecting the lives of Egyptians in Yemen, 'Amr Musa said that protecting Egyptians in Yemen and elsewhere is one of the major duties the Foreign Ministry is shouldering. He added that the Foreign Ministry works in coordination with the cabinet to secure the return of Egyptians from Yemen because the issue pertains to the whole country. Answering a question on whether Egypt had received a Palestinian or Israeli proposal to host the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in Cairo, 'Amr Musa said that Egypt had not yet received such a request. He said it is ready to host the negotiations should the two sides ask it to do so.

BFN Cairo, 26 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa has described as a very good and positive step Sanaa's decision to observe a cease-fire as of midnight last night. It is important to respect the cease-fire in a strict way because it represents the right step toward resolving the crisis, Musa said. Commenting on the postponement of the Damascus Declaration meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday [28 June], Musa said that the postponement occurred due to certain obligations of some foreign ministers of the Damascus Declaration's signatory countries.

BFN Cairo, 26 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa has received a message from his Saudi counterpart, Prince Sa'ud al-Faysal, concerning current regional affairs. 'Abd-al-Rahman Mansuri, under secretary at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, delivered the message to Minister Musa today. Commenting on Sanaa's announcement of a cease-fire in Yemen, Mansuri said: We hope that the cease-fire in Yemen will hold. Saudi Arabia wants to see the internecine bloodletting end.

BFN [Excerpt] Cairo, 24 Jun (MENA)--The Interior Ministry's official spokesman has stressed that there are no conditions for releasing repentant terrorists because there are no conditions attached to the security safeguards. Detainees are released after changing their deviated ideas, and after being closely observed. In statements made today following the release of 22 repentant extremists, the spokesman said that meetings and debates are being held with them in the presence of al-Azhar scholars and then they are secretly monitored after their release. He added that the Interior Ministry solves the extremists' financial or moral problems with the other executive groups through the Interior Ministry's "post-release care" program. He stressed that the intellectual combating of terrorism is a unique and new experience that many societies before us have followed and it is constantly being developed in light of the new security changes. The official spokesman went on to say that whenever a number of prisoners repent, they are then released; but stressed that this does not mean that the Interior Ministry has huge numbers of prisoners to whom the emergency laws are applied, adding that the majority of those in prisons are held for crimes they committed. He said that the remaining extremists who declare their repentance will be released during the next four months. He added: We regard the extremist as a sick person and we try to treat him by arresting him therefore discontinuing his activities and restraining him. The law will be applied to anyone who commits a crime or abets it. Regarding repentant Hasan al-Hillawi who played a major role in making the terrorist groups' members repent, the spokesman said that the ministry is studying the possibility of reducing his seven-year prison sentence. Reviewing the Interior Ministry's security strategy of dealing with terrorism and extremism, the spokesman said that there is a short-term plan that involves upgrading the Interior Ministry's facilities and equipment, by training policemen, and modernizing transport and communications. He noted that there is a medium-term strategy that the Interior Ministry is currently implementing and is based on involving all executive and popular organs in confronting the causes of extremism. He added that among the organs that have already started their action are the Education Ministry, the Youth Organization, and the Awqaf Ministry. He noted that there is a long-term strategy that involves developing all the facilities that serve the people, such as the police stations and centers, the passport and civil records departments, and the traffic department. [passage omitted]

BFN Cairo, June 25 (AFP) -- Thirty-three lawyers have gone on a hunger strike in solidarity with one of their senior colleagues, who is demanding publication of a report into the death of a lawyer in police custody, one of the strikers said Saturday [25 June]. 'Abd-al-'Aziz Muhammad, head of the Bar Association, began his hunger strike to demand publication of the document a week ago. He has been in hospital since Monday [20 June] after his condition deteriorated. Hunger striker Halah 'Abd-al-'Aziz told AFP: "Eighteen lawyers, including three women, have been on hunger strike since Wednesday [22 June] or Thursday [23 June], in the Bar Association headquarters in Cairo, and 15 others joined the movement Friday [24 June] at Ismailiya and Port Said," on the Suez Canal. She said the lawyers, from diverse political groups, will continue their hunger strike "until death, or until the satisfaction of the demands" put by Muhammad. Muhammad has called on the government to release an official report into the death in April of 'Abd-al-Harith Madani, an Islamic lawyer. Madani died in police custody. Authorities say an asthma attack was to blame, but the Bar Association charged that he died under torture. Muhammad is also demanding the release of 24 lawyers arrested in May during a rally to protest Madani's death. Egyptian newspapers have reported that the Bar Association head had recently discovered the contents of an official report into Madani's death, which noted "injury marks on Madani's body." "That casts doubt on the causes of death of the lawyer, which could have a criminal origin," 'Aziz said. The 40,000-member Bar Association, controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, has come under fire recently from the Egyptian authorities.

BFN Cairo, 26 Jun (MENA)--Counselor 'Abd-al-Sami' Sharaf-al-Din, attorney general at the State Security Prosecution Office, has decided to renew for 15 more days the remand of Ahmad Nasir, former member of the Lawyers Association Council, and lawyers Jamal 'Abd- al-'Aziz, Muhammad 'Abd-al-Mun'im, Ahmad 'Abbas Hanafi, and Sayyid Fathi Ibrahim to complete the investigations currently under way by the prosecutors. The lawyers have been arrested by security authorities and referred to the State Security Prosecution Office on charges of distributing leaflets inciting demonstrations, assembly, and disturbance of public security.

BFN [Unattributed report: "A Correction and an Apology"] AL-WAFD published the day before yesterday, Sunday [19 June], a report on the arrests of the first secretary from the Russian Embassy in Cairo, the director of the Russian Language Institute, an Egyptian woman, and her son who were photographing some bridges in Banha. It was confirmed that the report on the arrest of the two Russian officials and their Egyptian companions was not true. What happened was that the two Russian officials were the guests of the Egyptian family. The first secretary took some photographs of nature scenes on the Nile River banks. A citizen, who did not know their identity, remonstrated him and took him to the security officer guarding the Banha Bridge because he thought that the two Russians were violating the law. When the officer ascertained their identity, he apologized profusely for the error. The Russian diplomat gave the film to the officer who promised to return it after checking that it did not contain any photographs that violate security. AL-WAFD apologizes to Yuriy Kuder Vicev, first secretary in the Federal Russian embassy; Dr. Evgeny Zelenev, director of the Russian Language Institute in the Russian Cultural Center; Mrs. Widad Ahmad Wahdan; and her son Ayman. AL-WAFD stresses that the publication of the report was not meant to be an affront to the Russian diplomats or to bilateral relations.

BFN At 1230 today, His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad received at the al-Rawdah Palace a Yemeni delegation comprising Salim Salih Muhammad, assistant secretary general of the Yemeni Socialist Party, Dr. 'Abd-al-'Aziz al-Dali, and Muhsin Muhammad Abu-Bakr. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Rashid Akhtarini and Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar'. The talks addressed developments in Yemen. His excellency the president was briefed by the Yemeni delegation on the current state of affairs in Yemen, and also on the proposals it is carrying for addressing the situation there. His excellency the president said that Syria strongly regrets the the course taken by events in Yemen, particularly the infighting and bloodletting, as well as the failure to heed cease-fire calls. His excellency the president reiterated that Yemeni and Arab interests require a cease-fire and start of dialogue. He renewed his call for all fraternal Yemenis to observe a cease-fire, end fighting, and opt for dialogue. Salim Salih Muhammad and his delegation left Damascus this afternoon. He was bidden farewell at Damascus International Airport by Rashid Akhtarini, deputy prime minister for services affairs. In a statement to a correspondent of the Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, Salim Salih Muhammad expressed his thanks and appreciation for His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad for the attention that he accords to the fratricidal fighting on Yemeni territory. He added: As usual, we have come to brief our fraternal Syrians on the latest developments in Yemen. His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad has made a habit of according Yemeni developments due attention. His excellency the president, Salim Salih Muhammad added, affirmed the importance of halting the bloodshed in Yemen. Salim Salih Muhammad also underlined the need to observe an immediate cease-fire in Yemen and return to dialogue, because war is destructive, not to mention that it cannot promote the interests of the Yemeni people.

BFN His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad today held a telephone conversation all from Mr. 'Ali Salim al-Bid, secretary general of the Yemeni Socialist Party. They discussed the situation in Yemen. His excellency the president reiterated his position on the urgency of a cease-fire and a return to dialogue.

BFN Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar' yesterday evening received a delegation from the U.S. national interests council, led by (Landrome Polling). Al-Shar' briefed the delegation on the latest developments of the peace process. He also lauded the council's position which enlightens the U.S. public opinion regarding the just Arab demands to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East in implementation of both the UN resolutions and the land-for-peace principle.

BFN Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar' this afternoon received 'Abd-al-Rahman Mansuri, under secretary at the Saudi Foreign Ministry for political affairs. The meeting was attended by Assistant Foreign Minister Yusuf Shakkur and the Saudi ambassador in Damascus. During the meeting, the foreign minister received a message from Prince Sa'ud al-Faysal, the Saudi foreign minister, on regional developments and the postponement until next week of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Damascus Declaration's signatory states, which was originally scheduled to be held in Kuwait 28-29 June.

BFN Northern Iraq, June 25 (INA)--Developments of the Barzani-Talabani cliques fighting in northern Iraq warn of a bloody civil war to erupt in the short run. Nashirvan Mustafa, an aide of Jalal Talabani uncovered that eight brigades affiliated to the Kurdistani National Union were preparing to thrust the Barzani headquarters in the resort of Salah-al-Din. Bitter differences roused between the two parties over the pro-Barzani clique reluctance to share by halves the Talabanis a sum of ID 750 million [Iraqi dinars] taken as customs tax from the individuals, cars and trucks passing through the Kurdistani area crossing the Iraqi-Turkish borders, Mustafa clarified.

BFN Three of the Iraqi regime's helicopters raided the villages of Qara Wais and Shadala in the (Jabari) area in the Chamchamal district last night. Fields and a tractor were burned and a number of farmers in the area were injured.

BFN According to yesterday's issue of the newspaper AL-MU'TAMAR [Congress], three explosions have occurred in Baghdad, burning a poster showing Saddam Husayn, causing severe damage to a ruling party office, and damaging an office belonging to the Iraqi National Assembly in the city's al-Thawrah suburb. Iraqi opposition sources told AL-MU'TAMAR that the bombings were carried out by opposition fighters. The sources added that the regime's security forces were unable to harm these fighters. The security situation in Baghdad and its suburbs is disorganized to an unprecedented degree.

BFN ["Above the Red Line" column by Fawzi Ibrahim: "The Central Bank and a Balanced Behavior of the Exchange Rate"] In their daily transactions, money brokers and traders have resorted to a serious course of action that greatly harms the national economy since the monetary authorities have fixed the exchange rate of foreign currencies, particularly the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar. The dollar's exchange rate was set at 445 dinars against the dollar at licensed currency shops and companies and at 425 dinars at government and private banks. Thus, all transactions are carried out on the basis of this rate of exchange. But, what actually takes place has nothing to do with this exchange rate as the money brokers and traders continue to devise ways and methods to harm the national economy. The money brokers are adopting rates of exchange that exceed the fixed rates by 10 to 25 percent. This shows how harmful this is to national economy. The monetary authorities will be unable to readjust the declared rates of exchange with the actual rate the money dealers adopt. To be able to carry out such a readjustment, the monetary authorities are called upon to either float or rectify the rate of exchange. Such a step will enable the rate of exchange to be controlled. This will also ensure that many of those who were dealing with money brokers in the licensed or unlicensed currency shops and companies will now deal with the government and private banks. It is impossible to have different rates of exchange. The best rate of exchange is always offered by the private sector banks. This will make many of those who deal with currency or those who transfer their foreign currency savings go to private currency shops instead of the banks as the difference will be great and may reach 50 dinar for every dollar. Such a decision will further stabilize the money market and will benefit the national economy instead of benefiting the many clandestine and unlicensed currency shops and companies whose number exceeds by far that of licensed ones. At the same time, such a decision will make it possible to account for the transactions in the money markets for budget and taxation purposes, it will check any sharp drop of the rate of exchange in the parallel markets, and it will establish a sound behavior pattern for the rate of exchange that will be in line with the economic circumstances. Restrictions and too many regulations sometimes have a negative impact on the national economy. This is what actually takes place in the money market, in addition to the factors from outside. Many hostile parties outside Iraq resort to means and methods to influence the money brokers and traders. This actually took place. Some Kurdish agents resorted to tempting means to influence the exchange rate. Unfortunately, some of the money brokers and speculators fell under the spell of these gangs, which are hostile to the homeland and the people and which seek to harm the economy. They have renounced their patriotism and ethics and have become hirelings who implement enemy schemes to harm the national economy and exhaust its resources to have the Iraqi people suffer from the embargo and dampen their morale. The executive authorities cannot remain a bystander and apply a laissez-faire doctrine. No one accepts such a doctrine.

BFN Chamber of Deputies Speaker Nabih Birri received a south Yemeni delegation at his residence in al-Barbur this afternoon. The delegation is led by Yemeni Socialist Party Assistant Secretary General Salim Salih Muhammad. They discussed developments in Yemen. Salim Salih Muhammad said his meeting with the Chamber of Deputies speaker complemented earlier meetings the delegation had with the president and the prime minister. He added: We briefed him on the latest developments in Yemen and the ongoing fighting. We asked for Lebanese assistance to enable us to resume dialogue. We had a useful discussion and reached the conclusion that Lebanon's 16-year war experience proved that none of the parties involved could abolish the other parties and so dialogue proved indispensable. In Yemen we must learn a lesson from this experience, regardless of the ferocity of the fighting and one party's attempt to prevail over the other with guns and tanks. Nevertheless, this party will not be able to cancel the other party's political and natural rights. We need to draw lessons from the experience of other Arab countries that suffered civil wars. We must immediately accept a cease-fire, implement the relevant UN Security Council resolution, and start negotiations. Asked if on this visit to Lebanon he was carrying specific proposals or requests, he answered: We have made some proposals. Lebanon is an Arab League and United Nations member and has its own political and cultural role. Fraternal Lebanon can provide effective help in the difficult circumstances that Yemen is facing. Lebanon can join its Arab brothers who are following up the events in Yemen to help us emerge out of our difficulties.

BFN Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri has affirmed that liberating our country from the Israeli occupation continues to be our firm objective. It is also one of the first objectives of the Arab movements. He said: We cling to liberation, which also means that we cling to the ancient principles of our nation and the goals for which we have struggled. Prime Minister al-Hariri noted that the recent government action regarding the nationality law constitutes a pillar for national accord, justice, and the restoral of the government to its citizens. He affirmed that the crucial stage we are in requires us to rise to the level of national duty. Prime Minister al-Hariri made these statements during a dinner party held this evening at the Summerland Hotel at the beginning of celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the Arab Cultural Club. A number of ministers, deputies, and political and cultural figures attended the celebration.

BFN Defense Minister Muhsin Dallul has affirmed that Lebanon is determined not to take unilateral action or allow itself to be isolated in the negotiations. It is treason for anyone to confront the Resistance, because it the highest duty of all. Minister Dallul made these statements during a celebration held today in Saghbin. Minister Dallul said: [Begin recording] [Dallul] Lebanon is determined not to take unilateral action or to allow itself to be isolated. We entered negotiations after reaching understanding with Arab sides. Unfortunately, there are those who have abandoned this course or decided to leave these negotiations in return for trivial and insignificant things. However, we shall continue our coordination, understanding, and solidarity with sister Syria until the very end. No one can isolate us, nor will anyone be able to take unilateral action against us. [Correspondent] Are there any new developments regarding the relationship between the authorities or the Lebanese Army and the Resistance men, or is the relationship firm and will it continue as it was? [Dallul] We have repeatedly said and I will stress again today: Resistance is the right and duty of every citizen who is capable of resisting, because it is our right to confront the Israeli occupation with all means available to us. There is territory occupied by the enemy and there are people, our people, who are under this occupation. It is our duty to struggle with all available means to end this occupation and regain this honorable and sacred land, because it is a cherished part of Lebanon. It is an act of treason for anyone to confront the Resistance, because it is the highest duty of all. [Correspondent] Therefore, the Resistance operations will not stop until the last inch of Lebanese territories is liberated? [Dallul] The Resistance knows its duties very well and no one can dictate any conditions or stands to it. We, as an authority and government, believe that it is the duty of the citizens--as happens all over the world, and as was the situation in Europe when the German army occupied it and the popular resistance started--to resist. It is the duty of the sons of all people who are under occupation to resist with all the means at their disposal. [end recording]

BFN An Israeli commando unit blew up two fishing boats in al-Sarafand harbor at dawn today. They were owned by fishermen Muhammad 'Abbas 'Atwah and Salim 'Ali Hanana. Seven months ago an Israeli unit blew up another boat owned by 'Atwah. Elsewhere, Israeli troops stationed in Qal'at al-Shaqif fired several shells at the al-Litani River basin. Overnight, an RPG shell and bursts of 12.7-mm machine-gun fire targeted a UN Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] helicopter as it landed near Tallat al-Khazzan, which is opposite the enemy positions in Kafra. The helicopter was flying a patient to al-Naqurah. The shelling missed the helicopter.