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BFN Cairo, 18 Jun (MENA)--President Muhammad Husni Mubarak today received Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy of the UN secretary general who is investigating the Yemeni crisis. Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa attended the session. Following the meeting, Minister Musa said that Egypt's position, as has been stated by President Mubarak, is that an immediate cease-fire should be observed in Yemen, because continued fighting is detrimental to that country and its unity. Minister Musa said that a cease-fire would give dialogue a chance to begin and a solution to be found. The longer the fighting continues, the slimmer the chances of preserving Yemen's unity and interests. It is in the interest of all Arabs to see an end to the fighting in Yemen. This is a message that has been relayed to all the warring parties and expressed repeatedly by President Mubarak, Minister Musa stated. For his part, Brahimi said that he was honored by his meeting with President Mubarak, noting that the meeting is part of the consultations he is holding with various Arab officials concerning the Yemeni crisis. He added that his visit to Egypt is the last stop on a tour that took him to a number of Gulf countries. The UN envoy said he appreciates the time President Mubarak spent with him discussing the Yemeni crisis. Brahimi said that President Mubarak told him Egypt takes an interest in the crisis out of concern for regional stability. Brahimi said that President Mubarak expressed a view shared by many Arabs and Yemenis, namely, that the fighting in Yemen should stop and that disputes should be worked out through dialogue rather than violent means. This is all I can say for now, Brahimi noted.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met today with a group of senior south Yemeni officials led by 'Abdallah al-Asnaj, foreign minister of the self-declared government in Aden. Brahimi said the meeting is part of the efforts being made to establish a cease-fire and set up the necessary mechanism for its verification. Al-Asnaj said that Egypt's position is continuing to be that of a big brother concerned about the stability of the Arab region and eager to protect pan-Arab security. He noted that President Husni Mubarak has repeatedly tried to achieve peace and end the fighting in Yemen. Al-Asnaj said: We are responding, but Sanaa is not, to the voice of reason and the virtuous call made by President Mubarak, underlined by Shaykh Zayid Bin-Sultan of the United Arab Emirates, and expressed by the Saudi Government. He added: If a delegation from Sanaa comes here committed to the requirements of peace, Security Council Resolution 924, and the call of conscience that prohibits a Muslim from killing his Muslim brother, it will find a full response from us. Al-Asnaj expressed hope that the Sanaa delegation will arrive and be able to make a decision that will be binding on officials in Sanaa. He said that the Aden delegation will maintain its contacts with Brahimi. We are anxious to assist his mission and make it successful, he said. He said the "Democratic Republic of Yemen" will remain in constant touch with the envoy of the UN secretary general to advise him on developments. He added: It was natural for us to come to Cairo to continue the talks to restore peace in Yemen and to observe Security Council Resolution 924, which calls on the concerned parties to stop firing immediately. We have expressed readiness to implement the resolution as soon as possible, but the government in Sanaa keeps evading the resolution and refrains from complying with it. Al-Asnaj said Sanaa has to abide by the requirements of the Security Council resolution, respond to the world community's will, and end the ongoing aggression against defenseless Yemenis. He noted that more than a month ago Sanaa said that it was a few kilometers away from Aden and that it would enter the city. He said that Sanaa will find in Aden strong resistance, valiance, and steadfastness because the entire south rejects invasion and occupation and views Sanaa troops as an occupation force that lacks any legitimate justification for its genocidal war. He said that Aden's separation announcement reflected the people's right to self-determination. If Arab political recognition has not yet been announced, he said, it is because the fraternal countries are evaluating the situation. I do not think this will take long, he said. Meanwhile, Lakhdar Brahimi said that if a delegation from Sanaa arrives in Cairo today, he will meet with it separately. A meeting between the northern and southern delegations, he said, will depend on the results of the talks with each side individually.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--Anis Hasan Yahya, speaker of the provisional parliament recently established in Aden, today commended the efforts that Egypt, under President Husni Mubarak's leadership, is making to resolve the Yemeni crisis. He said that during his meeting with Egyptian officials he felt that they were anxious for a cease-fire in Yemen to safeguard the country's future. He remarked that the war has created new, undeniable facts influencing Yemeni unity and tragic conditions that do not serve the country's interests. The south Yemeni official added: Nevertheless, we are still taking the Yemeni people's united interests into account. We are advocating a different form of unity and will leave its discussion to the negotiators. Yahya continued: At any rate, we are seeking to prevent further destruction in Yemen. He affirmed that the problems that will surface after the war ends will be bigger than the war itself. Noting the adverse effects that the war has had on the south Yemenis' normally calm disposition, he said it is necessary to restore that disposition.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa today received a visiting south Yemen delegation led by Salim Salih Muhammad, member of the Yemeni Presidential Council and assistant secretary general of the Yemeni Socialist Party. Muhammad said that during the meeting they discussed implementation of Security Council Resolution 924 and Egypt's role, particularly before the crisis erupted and during the fighting, and all of President Mubarak's appeals and stances. He noted that they also reviewed the efforts being made by Lakhdar Brahimi, envoy of the UN secretary general, especially his meeting today with a south Yemen representative on the committee that will discuss a cease-fire. He said: We agreed on this proposal, which the representative of the UN secretary general has submitted and we are ready for this meeting. He noted that a delegation representing the other party is expected in Cairo from Sanaa. He said that the representative of the UN secretary general is exerting efforts to bring about a cease-fire, noting that this is the most urgent issue at present. He pointed out that if a cease-fire is reached, the discussion between the two parties will focus on forming a delegation to debate the other issues. He said that a meeting between the southern and northern delegations hinges on a cease-fire and Sanaa's compliance with Security Council Resolution 924. He said that Sanaa is trying to circumvent the issue and mark time. He said: We will turn to the Security Council to pass a new resolution deterring any party from violating Resolution 924, adding that right now this is what is required. Muhammad said that we will decide whether or not to go the Security Council in light of the contacts being made by UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. Muhammad said that fierce fighting continues and is focusing on encircling the Aden Governorate, and on finding loopholes to make the public feel that Aden is coming under an offensive. He noted that courageous resistance is confronting the attackers and things are beginning to change, particularly in the governorates of Shabwah and Lahij. He said that popular resistance has begun in these governorates. He noted that Aden has a cause adding: We are a recognized entity and are facing an invasion and occupation and our homes are being destroyed. He said: We have a right to request aid to defend our lives and future. He pointed out that the countries that supply south Yemen with arms are countries that support right and respect neighborliness, peace, and stability in the region. He said that these are Arab and friendly countries. He stressed that the war will yield other results and that negotiations will determine the Yemeni future, noting that the future will not be the same as it was before the war. He emphasized that unity cannot be imposed by force, noting that when we established unity it was agreed upon voluntarily. He said that regrettably this unity was destroyed from within by forces that do not want unity and who believe that unity is blood and violating the rights of others. He said that a unity that is not based on sound and principled foundations cannot survive because rockets and guns have destroyed this fragile unity.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa said after his meeting with the Yemeni delegation that Lakhdar Brahimi, special representative of the UN secretary general, is currently making contacts with the parties involved in the Yemeni dispute and that these contacts will continue all day. He added that today's meeting was held to exchange views and listen to the Yemenis' viewpoint. He pointed out that the Egyptian contacts are independent of those being made by Brahimi and that they aim to spare Yemen the misfortunes of a continued war and help establish a cease-fire and begin a dialogue. Musa said that a north Yemeni delegation will arrive in Cairo today. Touching on his meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton's envoy, he said that it concerned the envoy's special mission in Sudan. He added that views were exchanged on the situation there. Musa explained that Egypt's stance is clear and that it emphasizes the need to preserve Sudan's territorial integrity, despite our political differences with that country. However, preserving Sudan's territorial integrity is an important matter that is part of mutual respect and safeguarding the rights of all the Sudanese people, he added.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--Yemeni Foreign Minister Muhammad Salim Basindwah stopped at the Cairo airport this afternoon en route from Sanaa to London. It should be noted that London is the first leg of a European tour by the Yemeni minister.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--A Yemeni delegation led by 'Ali Mansur Rashid, member of the standing committee of the General People's Congress, arrived in Cairo from Sanaa this afternoon. In his arrival statement, the Yemeni official said that this visit is within the framework of efforts to implement Security Council Resolution 924. He said: We are happy to visit Cairo, which is the haven of all Arabs. He noted that he is carrying a message from the Yemeni Government to Lakhdar Brahimi, envoy of the UN secretary general to Yemen, who is currently in Cairo. Rashid pointed out that the situation is creating optimism and that they have come as representatives of two sides of the coalition parties in the Republic of Yemen, in addition to the Yemeni Socialist Party. [as received] Rashid said that the delegations will discuss reviving and forming a military committee to monitor the cease-fire, noting that the delay in forming the committee is due to the south's intransigence. Concerning the possibility of requesting Arab forces to help monitor the cease-fire, he said that the situation has not yet reached that point and that it is still confined to the framework of the Yemeni state. He added that it has not ruled out the possibility of the parties' seeking the help of Arab forces.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--'Abd-al-'Aziz 'Abd-al-Ghani, member of the Yemeni Presidential Council, arrived in Cairo this evening on a visit to Egypt. In an arrival statement, the Yemeni official expressed his pleasure at visiting Cairo, adding that he is carrying a message for President Husni Mubarak from Lieutenant General 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih, chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Council. The message deals with the current situation in Yemen and relations between the two fraternal countries. The Yemeni official was received upon arrival by Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif, Assistant Foreign Minister Badr Hammam, and members of the Yemeni Embassy in Cairo.

BFN 'Abdallah al-Asnaj, appointed foreign minister of the self-declared Democratic Republic of Yemen, has stated that the South Yemen delegation will leave Cairo today to resume its tour of the Arab Maghreb states after it became apparent that Lakhdar Brahimi's meeting with the Sanaa delegation produced no positive results. Al-Asnaj praised President Husni Mubarak's efforts to end the tragic war in Yemen.

BFN Cairo, June 20 (AFP)--A UN special envoy on Monday [20 June] announced the end of his mediation effort here between the warring Yemeni sides after failing to broker a ceasefire in their civil war. Former Algerian foreign minister Lakhdar Brahimi told AFP "there will be no meetings today with the Yemeni parties" after a fruitless day of discussions on Sunday. Brahimi said he would meet Arab League secretary general 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid before leaving on Tuesday for New York, when he will report back to UN Secretary General Butrus Butrus-Ghali. He had met separately with the northern and southern delegations on Sunday, but they refused to hold a joint session and there was no agreement on how to set up a ceasefire mechanism. The southerners later announced that they were pulling out of the talks because Brahimi's meeting with their rivals had failed to produce results. The southerners also charged that the northern team had no mandate to agree to a ceasefire. Seventy-nine people had been killed and 248 wounded by late Sunday in a four-day barrage of the southern bastion of Aden by northern forces loyal to President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih. Brahimi was sent on a fact-finding mission in line with a UN Security Council resolution adopted on June 1 calling for an immediate ceasefire. The north has insisted that a joint military commission should be set up to oversee a truce in the war which broke out on May 5. But the south has accused Sanaa of playing for time in the hope of continuing its assault on Aden, capital of a breakaway state declared by southern leader 'Ali Salim al-Bid on May 21.

BFN President Husni Mubarak, Mrs. Mubarak, and the delegation that accompanied the president during his visit to Tunis to attend the OAU summit and to Geneva to receive the UN population award for 1994 returned safely to the homeland this afternoon. President Mubarak has decided to donate the money award he received from the UN to the Ministry of Local Government. The money will be used to set up a number of family planning centers in the Upper Egyptian villages.

BFN Cairo, 20 Jun (MENA)--President Husni Mubarak said that all the African leaders have praised Egypt's relations with all the countries of the world and the international organizations that helped to calm the situation in some areas and to begin a new era in relations through dialogue and understanding. In statements to the weekly newspaper MAYU today, President Mubarak added that these African leaders with whom he met in Tunis during the recent African summit also praised the decision to establish a mechanism to examine conflicts by peaceful means and the efforts to reduce African debts. He said that Egypt's status among the African states has greatly been enhanced, noting that all the African states with whom he met in Tunis thanked Egypt for the large role and sincere effort it undertook to solve the problems of the continent during Egypt's chairmanship of the OAU in the past year. President Mubarak added that all the African leaders have felt the genuineness of the efforts Egypt has made to resolve the continent's political and economic problems, particularly border problems, existing tensions, and internal problems in some states. Regarding the Nile water and the danger threatening it as a result of the corpses dumped in it from the Rwandan war, President Mubarak reassured the people of Egypt that there is no danger at all, noting that the Victoria Lake water represents no more than 10 percent of the water that reaches Egypt. He said that the water is purified and cleaned by natural and geographical factors in the course of its long journey. He affirmed that Egypt is keen to safeguard its people's health, and that this issue is being carefully monitored by the pertinent departments.

BFN Cairo, 18 Jun (MENA)--Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa returned to Cairo from Valletta early this morning after a visit of several days to Malta. During the visit, Musa delivered a message from President Husni Mubarak to Maltese President Mifsud Bonnici, and another from Prime Minister Dr. 'Atif Sidqi to his Maltese counterpart Eddie Fenech Adami. Musa also held talk with the Maltese foreign minister on bilateral relations, cooperation among Mediterranean countries, the problem of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and other issues of mutual interest. He also signed an executive program for technical and cultural cooperation between Egypt and Malta.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA)--A parliamentary delegation led by Muhammad 'Abdallah, chairman of the People's Assembly Foreign Relations Committee, left Cairo for Moscow this evening on a five-day visit to Russia. The delegation will hold talks with a Russian parliamentary delegation to promote relations between the two countries, particularly in the parliamentary fields. The delegation is comprised of Dr. Sa'd al-Khawaliqah, chairman of the People's Assembly Transport and Communications Committee, and Ahmad Khayri, People's Assembly member and secretary general of the National Democratic Party in the Alexandria Governorate.

BFN The Arab League has again appealed to the Yemeni leaders to stop the fighting immediately in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 924 and in response to Arab and international efforts. It has called on them to begin negotiations immediately to safeguard the remaining resources of the fraternal Yemeni people. An Arab League official has said that Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid is continuing his intensive efforts with all the parties concerned with the crisis, the UN Security Council member states, and the UN secretary general to work for implementation of Resolution 924. The Arab League expressed regret for the noncompliance with the appeals for a cease-fire, affirming that it is necessary to stop the fighting in order to begin an effective dialogue to resolve the current Yemeni crisis.

BFN [By Fathi al-Barqawi in Tunis] The Fatah Central Committee was scheduled to hold a meeting yesterday to discuss recent developments, especially the situation in the autonomous areas in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank after the Palestinians took charge. PLO quarters here, however, were surprised by the convening of a meeting for the Revolutionary Council. The Palestinian leaders who are still in the Tunisian capital, the headquarters of the Palestinian leadership, took part in the meeting. AKHIR KHABAR has learned from sources in Fatah that President Yasir 'Arafat told the attendees, only 30 members, that he had met yesterday afternoon with a delegation from the World Bank. He said the delegation offered $10 million out of $42 million that were originally agreed upon at a meeting in Paris last week. 'Arafat said he turned down the offer. 'Arafat also asked the members of the National Authority Council to return to the homeland as soon as possible, stressing the need for the leaders to be among the masses. He praised Council member Furayh Abu-Middayn, saying Abu-Middayn was quick and positive in settling some important issues. 'Arafat stressed that the Fatah movement should remain united so that it can correct anything that could obstruct the activity of the National Authority agencies. He, however, emphasized the need to practice democracy as much as possible under pluralism. Talking about other factions within the PLO, the Palestinian president said some of these factions have started to abandon their hard-line approach that opposes the peace process and are asking to participate in the National Authority Council. According to some quarters within the largest PLO faction, 'Arafat had asked that the committees formed by the Revolutionary Council in its recent session begin working. Three committees will indeed begin working as of today, Saturday, in his presence personally. These committees are concerned with standardizing organizational principles, choosing qualified personnel, and popular committees.

BFN Tunis, June 18 (AFP) -- PLO chairman Yasir 'Arafat has asked the United States and Europe for more funds to help set up the new Palestinian authority in the autonomous Jericho area and Gaza Strip. While delaying his trip to Jericho because of his organization's financial difficulties, 'Arafat also asked for speeding up the transfer of 42 million dollars promised in emergency aid, the PLO news agency WAFA said Saturday [18 June]. 'Arafat made the requests in separate talks Friday and Saturday with ambassadors John McCarthy of the United States and Jean-Noel de Bouillane de Lacoste of France as well as with envoys from Greece, Germany and Belgium. The international community has already promised 2.5 billion dollars to help launch Palestinian autonomy, including more than 600 million dollars for this year, but the PLO has complained that donors are hesitant. A Palestinian official said 'Arafat is angry at the slowness in disbursing the 42 million dollars which international donors promised on June 11 in Paris to cover a deficit in the operating budget of the new authority. Self-rule was launched on May 4. A representative of the World Bank involved in the transfer of the sum is in Tunis, but only "for consultation" and "not for handing over the money," the official said. A new meeting of donor nations is planned for July 10-11 in Paris, where the PLO leader is expected on July 6 to receive a prize from UNESCO. UN Secretary General Butrus Butrus-Ghali said he told 'Arafat here last Saturday that the PLO leader should be patient while ways are found to make sure the money is not wasted.

BFN Brother Salim Salih Muhammad, member of the Presidential Council, who arrived in Jeddah lately, met Lakhdar Ibrahimi, envoy of the UN secretary general to Yemen. During the meeting, brother Salim Salih Muhammad was briefed on the results of the contacts conducted by the envoy of the UN secretary general, and highly praised the efforts exerted by Ibrahimi for implementing the Security Council's Resolution No. 924. Brother Salim Salih Muhammad stressed the importance of ceasing the hostilities immediately and stopping the random bombardment of the civilian residential quarters and areas in the capital, Aden as a result of which hundreds of innocent citizens, including children, women and old people, have fallen victim, and halting the continued destruction process of public services by the ruling military regime in Sanaa. Brother Salim Salih Muhammad highlighted the current suffering of the inhabitants of the city of Aden as a result of the siege and the random shelling, and pointed out the heroic steadfastness in confronting this destructive war in defense of honor and safeguarding the lives of the innocent. He stressed the need to condemn and stop this aggression by all people, Arab, international organizations, and other bodies to prevent the dangerous repercussions which increase day by day.

BFN Cairo, 18 Jun (MENA) -- Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa has denied that a meeting between the Yemeni parties will be held in Cairo tomorrow, Sunday. In a statement he made today, he said that UN envoy to Yemen Lakhdar Ibrahimi will leave Cairo for New York tomorrow and that there are no agreement on any specific proposals or steps. Musa added that what Egypt is demanding and insisting on is a cease-fire and the disengagement of forces in Yemen. He stressed that the opportunities for protecting Yemen's unity will decrease the longer the fighting continues. Regarding the situation in Rwanda, Musa said that the United Nations has decided to send troops there, and noted that France has also taken an initiative on this issue. He added that Egypt is bound by whatever the African countries decide.

BFN The popular resistance in the Province of Khanfar has succeeded in carrying out three fida'i operations in the areas of al-Masani and Ba Tays in which a number of fida'iyin [resistance fighters] took part. The resistance succeeded in hitting an enemy group and inflicted heavy losses in lives and equipment.

BFN The security services have announced that Mr. Youcef Fathallah, a lawyer and president of the Algerian Human Rights League, was shot and killed at his office this morning, located at the Emir Abdelkader Square in the center of the capital. The deceased was 64 years old.

BFN Kabul, June 19 (AFP) -- Afghan President Borhanoddin Rabbani will not resign at the end of June but is prepared to transfer his authority to a legitimate national assembly, an official spokesman declared Sunday [19 June]. "The president is waiting for an authorised assembly to be established, to which he will deliver his authority," said presidential spokesman Abdul Aziz Morad. Morad rejected demands of rival faction leader Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar that Rabbani must resign at the end of June, saying the president's legitimacy rested on the Kabul grand national assembly held in December 1992. The establishment of a transitional government to settle the two-year-long Afghan factional power struggle, which has been proposed by a peace commission based in the western provincial capital of Herat, had Rabbani's support, Morad said. However, he said there was no contradiction between the power of the president and the power of the proposed Supreme Council to be set up in Herat. "The president's authority is totally separate from the authority of the Supreme Council," stated Morad. The proposed Supreme Council would set up an interim government which, within nine months, would pave the way for convocation of a grand assembly, itself responsible for drafting a constitution and deciding on the future leadership of Afghanistan. It is to this grand assembly that Rabbani is most likely to transfer his authority, should it ever be convened, but as Hekmatyar has threatened more military action if Rabbani does not resign by June 28 the chances of the peace process working appear slim. Neither Hekmatyar nor Rabbani have announced their intention of attending the Herat conference yet. The prime minister wants a "preliminary" meeting in Kabul first while the president would go "if the necessity existed." Kakojan Niazi, a spokesman for the Herat-based peace commission, said it was hoped a meeting between Rabbani and Hekmatyar representatives would take place in Kabul, in order to thrash out details of the proposed Herat peace conference. In the capital Sunday -- a public holiday in observance of the Muslim religious anniversary of Ashura -- there was little military activity, although locals reported continued fighting between the Shi'ite Harakat-e Eslami faction and Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Eslami in south Kabul.

BFN [Report by Aluf Ben, Eytan Rabin, 'Aqiva Eldar, Yerah Tal, and Sharon Sade] [Excerpt] In his reply to PLO Chairman Yasir 'Arafat, Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin said that Israel has significantly eased the closure on the territories but will not lift it totally. 'Arafat was given data showing that 45,000 permits for work in Israel have already been given to residents of the territories and that the entry of women and of youths up to the age of 15 is no longer restricted. 'Arafat had called on Rabin to ease the plight of the residents of the territories, lift the closure and the restrictions on work in Israel, open the roadblocks at the entrances to Jerusalem, and immediately transfer to the Palestinian Authority funds from taxes and customs Israel has imposed on the Palestinians. This amount comes to approximately 6 million shekels, and Israel is holding on to the funds until accounts are settled with the Palestinian Authority. Rabin informed 'Arafat that Israel will meet its commitments but will not be able to go beyond that. Israel will also not lift the roadblocks at the entrances to Jerusalem. [passage omitted]

BFN Tehran, June 18 (AFP) -- Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati said Saturday that an Iranian delegation would visit Iraq in two weeks to prepare for his forthcoming visit, the first by a senior Iranian official since 1991. The delegation had been due in Baghdad on June 11, but the trip was postponed at the last minute for unspecified reasons. Velayati told AFP that the delay had been mutually agreed by upon the two countries. But a senior Iranian official told AFP the visit had been postponed "at the request of Iraqi authorities." The minister said he still expected to visit Baghdad in July, in the first visit to Iraq by a top Iranian official since the 1991 Gulf war. The visit is aimed at continuing discussions to normalise 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 and Baghdad are sharply divided over a number of issues, mainly the fate of thousands of prisoners of war from both countries.

BFN Minister of Information Jawad al-'Anani said his majesty the king's summit with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Washington on Wednesday [22 June] will focus on the Middle East process and its future. The king begins talks with U.S. officials in Washington tomorrow ahead of his summit with the American President. Murid Hammad in Washington asked Jordan's Ambassador Dr. Fayiz al-Tarawinah about the king's talks: [Begin recording] [Al-Tarawinah] It is a continuation of the bilateral considerations, and also of course to exchange views and consultations on the regional developments, and in particular the peace process, and basically the recent developments in the Jordanian track, and also the Palestinian-Israeli track, and the accord that was signed therein. And of course we have, as you know, announced the formation of the joint political and economic bilateral commission. And hopefully, that there will be a first meeting of this commission, will be launched this week. [Hammad] What is the nature of the commission? What kind of topics and issues would it tackle? [Al-Tarawinah] It's purely bilateral, and political and economic considerations. And it is purely a bilateral commission. And the objective basically is to enhance the bilateral relations that are improved tremendously as compared to what three years ago. Of course, there will be always a linkage with the developments in our region, but the American participation in the peace process as a cosponsor in the bilaterals, the multilaterals...they are full participants in the trilateral economic committee that we had, but this is a purely bilateral commission that takes into consideration the political and economic matters with the objective of improving and enhancing these relations. [end recording]

BFN Cairo, 17 Jun (MENA) -- A Yemeni parliamentary delegation arrived in Cairo this afternoon on a visit of several days to Egypt. Delegation leader Yahya Mansur Abu-'Uthman stated that the visit falls within the framework of the efforts of the legitimate Yemeni authority to brief the brothers in Egypt on the current situation in Yemen. He added that the delegation will meet during this visit with Egyptian officials and discuss bilateral parliamentary relations, the situation in Yemen, and the dangers facing Yemeni unity. The three-member delegation will next visit Libya, Sudan, and Djibouti to present the Yemeni view of the ongoing war in Yemen.

CSO Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. Yesterday the Majles met in open session chaired by Mr. 'Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri, and the deputies from the cities of Tarqobeh and Chenaran, Molayer, Mian-e Doab, Samirom, and Urmia gave speeches. Then the speaker of the Majles gave a speech in which he condemned the shameful signing of the Gaza-Jericho Treaty between the PLO and Israel and offered congratulations on the triumph of the blacks in South Africa. Then the Majles went into consultation, and we direct the attention of our esteemed readers to the detailed proceedings. Ahmad Moradi, Deputy From Tarqobeh And Chenaran The government organizations and the Economic Council raise the prices of goods and services at every opportunity on the pretext of economic adjustment. The first preagenda speaker at yesterday's open Majles session was Moradi, deputy from Tarqobeh and Chenaran. He commemorated the martyrdom anniversary of Professor Motahari, Teacher Week, and Workers Day. He discussed the disgraceful performance of the United Nations and the international organizations with regard to the slaughter of the Muslim people of Gorazdeh by the bloodthirsty Serbs. He said: The world's oppressed and tormented nations must realize that the only road to liberation is the return to self and reliance on God and unity. The speaker discussed the importance of the agricultural sector and the nation's steadfastness towards crises and economic and political embargoes. He said: Unfortunately certain decisions, one made this past year by the Economic Council to increase the prices of fertilizer and pesticides, have weakened this sector, and if it does not receive serious attention we will witness the loss of the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture and the national investment. We will even need to import wheat and major agricultural crops. Moradi discussed the severe cold in the orchards in the province of Khorasan, and the serious damage to the agricultural crops. He said: The government must provide long-term credits for the current years and it must also insure the orchards in the years to come. The deputy from Tarqobeh and Chenaran also discussed the one-sided and monopolistic performance of most sugar cube factories last year and this year. He said: This has not only irreparably damaged the nation's sugar cube industries, it has caused an unreasonable rise in the price of sugar cubes and sugar in the country and has hurt the general public. It is necessary that the government deal with this matter seriously. The speaker discussed the one-sided and unjust way in which the sugar cube factories have dealt with farmers. Then he discussed the shortage of cash in the nation's factories. He said: Unfortunately the Ministry of Economic and Financial Affairs and the Central Bank have regularly obstructed exports and the import of raw materials, and the result has been factory closures, unemployment, reduced production, and, ultimately, it has unleashed inflation, which has caused emotional pain for the exalted leader and the oppressed nation. Continuing, Moradi added: Controlling prices and preventing inflation is not something that can be solved with speeches, memos, and guidelines. Only production and sound competition can give the consumer the right to choose. Continuing, he said: The government organizations and the Economic Council raise the prices of goods and services at every opportunity on the pretext of economic adjustment and helping the vulnerable classes, ignoring the fact that there has been no benefit to these people other than damage, harm, and inflation, even though there may be long-term benefits. Continuing, he criticized some unnecessary classes in the universities. Elsewhere in his speech he thanked the president of the republic, the delegation sent and the office of the governor-general of Khorasan, who made efforts to solve the problems in his electoral district. He said: Unfortunately, although a year has gone by since the written order was issued by the Ministry of Petroleum to provide gas service to the district of Tarqobeh via Mashhad, nothing has yet been done. The speaker thanked Engineer Gharazi, minister of post, for ordering that telephones be assigned to the public for installment payments in the municipality of Chenaran. In conclusion he issued memos concerning his electoral district. 'Abdollah Nowruzi, Deputy From Molayer The next speaker was Nowruzi, deputy from Molayer. During his speech he discussed the issue of privatization. He said: If privatization is to take place, it must occur with Iranian thinking, with the nation's makeup and culture and in our various circumstances. It must not be something conceived at the College of Economic and Financial Affairs or by a council from the World Bank, some of whom are American. He added: Unfortunately there is a foundation there called the Rockefeller and Ford Foundation giving special seminars on privatization, providing guidance and giving direction to our activities, yet we ourselves should be doing the privatization. The speaker added: Their third seminar is to take place on the 20th and the 21st. Their leader is Mr. David Ellerman [as published], an American, and according to many of them, a CIA agent who is officially supported by it. They have utterly destroyed Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and El Salvador. Continuing, the speaker said: Although some of what is in the Second Five-Year Plan is good, in some places it has impure strains, and if careful attention is not given to those, it will face great dangers. In conclusion, the speaker discussed the fact that in the Plan and Budget Organization there is a group of valuable and perceptive experts. He said: There are also some who think in terms of sectors and sometimes in terms of their own positions and their home cities. This situation definitely exists in the management of the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Defense Affairs, the Administrative Affairs Organization and the Plan and Budget Organization, and we must design the Second Five-Year Plan based on the realities and needs of society. Jalal Rasuli, Deputy From Mian-e Doab The Economic Council must be controlled with understanding and expertise. The next speaker was Rasuli, deputy from Mian-e Doab. During his speech he commemorated the memory of Martyr Motahari. He said: Unfortunately our Ministry of Education has weak management and this has meant that there is now a bipolar educational system in our society. Those who have more money and resources attend the nonprofit schools. Taking private classes, they enjoy more instruction, training, and education. The deprived classes in society, however, have lower quality education and have been beset by dropouts. He added: People are now even selling their carpets and refrigerators so they can pay the costs at the nonprofit schools and send their own to centers where they will receive good education and training. He discussed the Majles project to control prices. He said: The Economic Council must be controlled with care, attention, understanding, and expertise so that the result will be limitations on services and also so that it will not cause long lines and a black market for goods marketed through government investments. Continuing, Rasuli then cited the failure to invest in the conversion industries as a factor in the reduced capability of fruitful farms. He said: West Azarbaijan, especially my electoral precinct, has green pastures and potential resources for animal husbandry and agriculture, but due to the lack of conversion industries and the inability of the people to invest in these areas, it is faced with a serious problem. This is especially true in the area of beet growing, which could free the nation from the need to import beets. Unfortunately, however, a worn-out factory built in that area about 50 years ago is absolutely unable to answer the production needs of the people. He added: The only crop in the area whose cultivation is mechanized is beets, but because the factory does not have the necessary equipment and capacity, they have problems marketing their crop. The people grow crops to meet the factory's capacity, but unfortunately the people's crops rot in their hands, while we import sugar from abroad. He explained: The issue of privatization has meant that now the Plan and Budget Organization and the Central Bank have stopped this project to build beet factories in these areas. They emphasize that investment should be made by the private sector, although it is confirmed that in deprived areas such as Mian-e Doab the private sector does not have the ability to build factories. Continuing, the speaker discussed the rising waters of Lake Urmia. He said: This has swallowed up thousands of hectares of land and not that much attention has been given to it. It would be appropriate for the government to compensate the losses of farmers, especially the several rural areas that have been engulfed in water. Mahmud 'Attarzadeh, Deputy From Samirom Financially, the self-sufficiency program of the government organizations will not only create inflation, it will also encourage corruption. The next speaker was 'Attarzadeh, deputy from Samirom. He commemorated the memory and the name of Martyr Motahari, the sacrifices made by the nation's teachers. He commemorated World Worker Day and said: Today more than at any other time, world imperialism is seeking to create and put pressure on the community of Islamic nations and especially the revolution nation of Iran. He discussed the fact that the policy of economic adjustment designed for growth and development must not only be balanced and proportional, but it must also have real and executive coordination that is appropriate for the social structure and for the cultural, social, and economic requirements of the time. He said: In the policy of economic adjustment a general strategy is pursued to eliminate subsidies, adjust manpower, reduce currency in circulation, deregulate trade, unify the foreign exchange rate and strengthen the private sector. In view of the social and economic consequences of this policy for society, especially the oppressed and vulnerable classes, attention must be given to the following issues: 1 - The government and the executive officials must take the initiative in enduring the pressures resulting from implementation of the policy of economic adjustment, and they must endure some of the pressures imposed on the people by cutting expenses. 2 - In implementing the policy of economic adjustment planning must be done and solutions must be found for the problem of bringing the cost of living and the incomes of the people into line with each other, yet presently there is no correspondence between incomes and costs. 3 - Careful and logical policies must be made regarding exports and imports, especially to alleviate the obstacles and restraining factors at the various stages of executive activity in export affairs. 4 - Real and more serious attention must be given to productive economic activities with reliance on domestic resources and priority to agriculture. 5 - Meeting import needs appropriate for a revolution society and designing suitable procedures and models for imports. 6 - The consumer models are not in conformity with the sacred goals of the revolution, and they severely exacerbate formalities and ceremony. The government and the officials must therefore take the initiative themselves and learn to economize and make do. 7 - Financially, the self-sufficiency program of the government organizations not only creates inflation and imposes pressures of life on the people, it also encourages corruption and undermines the public spirit of participation and forbearance. In conclusion, he issued memos to the Ministry of Agriculture concerning concern for marketing and exporting Samirom's apples, to the Ministry of the Reconstruction Crusade concerning allocating more credits and banking facilities for the Regional Tribal Housing Project and attention to the small rural industries, to the Ministry of Energy concerning expediting dam construction in the region and trapping the region's water, to the Ministry of Roads and Transportation concerning expediting road reconstruction from Samirom to Shahr-e Reza, and to the Ministry of Education and Training about the creation of semicentralized rural schools and their services due to the scattered disposition of the rural areas. Beytollah Ja'fari, Deputy From Urmia The workers are the most valuable and profitable group in our society, and the nation's production is in their powerful hands. Beytollah Ja'fari, deputy from Urmia, was the final preagenda speaker. He said: The workers are the most valuable and profitable group in our society, and the nation's productive life is in their powerful hands. I hope that one day we will be able to cap the oil wells and build the nation's economy on nonoil resources. He read a selection of poetry concerning the position of the teacher and discussed the problems and difficulties in his electoral district. He said: Lake Urmia, with an area of 4,868 square kilometers, is considered the largest permanent water-collecting basin in Western Asia. It is 1,067 meters above sea level, and recently, with the rise in the water level, it has created numerous problems for those residing on its shores. The Council of Ministers must attend to this problem with special diligence, because about 7,000 hectares [ha] of useful pasture and 3,000 ha of farm land have been completely destroyed. Because the lake's water is salt water, in 15 more years these lands will be useless, and the government must find a basic solution for the farmers who have suffered. At the present time, 30 rural areas are threatened by the water. It is highly likely that they will have to evacuate and move to another place. He added: The facilities at Bandar-e Golmankhaneh are in danger. Damage is being caused, whose preliminary figure is 11 billion rials [R]. The solution is not for the officials to sit waiting and then after all this damage has been done undertake to compensate for the damage. The essential solution is to put large reservoir dams on the rivers that flow into Lake Urmia from West Azarbaijan. The precipitation provided by the Creator's mercy is wasted due to the lack of planning and the failure to deal with infrastructure in our region, and every year this damages the strategic agriculture sector. Despite the cries from the region's Majles deputies, attention is not given to these matters as it can and should be given. Nothing would be better than to invest in these provinces that have the ability to become Iran's great agricultural centers, along with the desert reclamation projects and the construction of multilane freeways in the middle of the country. I ask the nation's media, especially the Voice and Vision organization, to portray in a clear and comprehensive way the suffering and disarray of the rural people who have been hurt by flooding and the rising salt waters. Legislation The first item on the agenda at yesterday's open Majles session was the report from the Islamic Guidance and Art Commission concerning the Motion To Inquire About Article 1 of the Law Prohibiting Ministries and Government Institutions and Companies From Printing and Publishing Nonessential Publications, enacted 7/29/1365 [21 October 1986], of which Article 1 was approved by the deputies. Article 1: "The Law Prohibiting Ministries and Government Institutions and Companies From Printing and Publishing Nonessential Publications also includes the nation's municipalities." It is worth mentioning that the publication of any kind of book, newspaper, magazine, similar publication, any kind of promotional paper or sheet, pamphlet, tract, poster or other item by government organizations was prohibited by the aforementioned law. One of the important points in this motion to inquire was that the Guidance Commission agreed to exempt the municipalities from this law, but the Majles rejected that. Concerning this motion, Mr. Movahedi-Saveji said: If the municipalities come and make huge expenditures on cards for invitations, congratulations, condolences in the Majles and other things, this is clearly against the interest of the people. The people are very unhappy about this money being spent on these things. The second item on the agenda was the report from the Housing and Urban Construction Commission concerning the bill on the Amended Bilateral Transportation and Shipping Protocol for Moving Goods by Road, between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which was approved by the deputies. The next item on the agenda was the report from the Plan and Budget Commission concerning the rejection of the proposed amendment to Paragraph A, Note 47 of the 1364 [21 March 1985-20 March 1986] National Budget Law, the principle of which was approved by the deputies. Article 1: The official in charge of the provincial Islamic propaganda organization is added to the members of the province planning committee mentioned in Note 47 of the 1364 National Budget Law. One of the reasons the commission rejected the aforementioned motion is the "executive point of view" of the work of the province planning committees, rather than cultural work. The commission expert also said: If specific cultural problems arise in the planning committee, the provinciale general manager of guidance, who is on the committee, will solve them. Supporters of the motion argued that with the official in charge of the province propaganda organization on the committee, it would have a stronger cultural dimension. Just as there are many managers of economic organizations on the province planning committee, in addition to the general manager of guidance, the committee should also have as a cultural official the official in charge of the province propaganda organization The fourth item on the agenda was the report from the Accounting Court Commission concerning the Proposed Law on Procedures for Spending Current and Development Credits for the Year 1372 [21 March 1993-20 March 1994] at Payam-e Nur University (returned from the Guardian Council). According to Article 1, Payam-e Nur University is authorized, due to the special procedures in the educational system, to spend a maximum of 65 percent of its current expense and allocated credits and also 25 percent of its development credits based on the Law on Procedures for Carrying out Financial and Trade Affairs at Universities and Institutions of Higher Learning and Research, without observing the government's other general regulations. The final item on the agenda was the report from the second consultation of the Agricultural Commission concerning the Motion To Form the Supreme Agriculture and Rural Development Council, continued consideration of which was deferred to the next session. Measures Taken by Majles Commissions Ministry of Intelligence Employment Bill According to Article 21 of the aforementioned bill, to procure and train the technical and specialist cadres it needs, the Ministry of Intelligence may establish colleges or institutions of higher learning in fields not taught in the nation's universities, based on lawful regulations and requirements. This bill has been approved in the Joint Councils and National Domestic Affairs and Administrative and Employment Affairs Commission. Bill Indexing Nongovernment Public Bodies and Institutions Based on the above bill, the municipalities and affiliated units, as long as 50 percent of their shares and capital belongs to the municipalities, the Foundation for the Oppressed, the Red Cross, the Imam's Aid Committee, the Martyr Foundation, the Housing Foundation, the Iran National Olympic Committee, the 15 Khordad [5 June] Foundation, the Islamic Propaganda Organization and the Social Security Organization are included in the note for Article 5 of the Public Accounting Law enacted in 1366 [21 March 1987-20 March 1988]. Motion To Determine Recording Fees at Official Documents Offices This motion states that in order to obtain the funds necessary to implement Articles 10, 11, 57, and 68 of the administrative laws for official documents. Every month these offices are required to pay 10 percent of the recording fees collected into the account for insurance, retirement, disability, and welfare, and treatment affairs for office heads and assistant office heads in the official documents offices and their dependents. This motion was approved in the Judicial Affairs Commission, which was acting as the main commission. Majles Notes New Foreign Exchange Policy Engineer Khamushi, deputy from Tehran, discussed the new foreign exchange policies. He said: If the new foreign exchange policies are properly implemented as announced, it will be constructive. That is, the banking system must act on requests to open credit accounts from the factories out of foreign exchange obtained from exports. In this case the foreign exchange market will cool down. The procedure recently announced is the same one implemented several months ago by the banks, which produced results controlling demand on the foreign exchange market. Supreme Agricultural Council One of the motions presented at yesterday's open Majles session was the motion to form the Supreme Agricultural Council. In this regard Engineer Jalali, chief of the Agriculture Commission, told our correspondent: To reach its goals, the agricultural sector needs extraordinary support to solve its problems, and it needs the necessary coordination between the relevant organizations. Exports of agricultural crops was one of the successful sectors under the First Five-Year Plan, and more than 120 percent of the designated goal was achieved. Continuing, he said: With the formation of the Supreme Agricultural Council, supervision of planning in this sector, setting and designing guaranteed prices for agricultural crops, creating coordination between organizations, supervision of the procurement and training of manpower, policymaking to create conversion industries, support for the export of products from this sector, and supervision of the timely procurement of credits and banking facilities for the agricultural sector will be properly carried out. He discussed the members of the Supreme Agricultural Council. He said: The president of the republic will serve as chief of the council and the minister of agriculture, the minister of the reconstruction crusade, the minister of energyr, the minister of economic and financial affairs, the minister of the interior, the chief of the Plan and Budget Organization, and the chief of the Environmental Protection Organization will serve as the main members. Two members of the Majles Agriculture Commission will attend meetings as observers. Membership of Officials of the Islamic Propaganda Organization in Province Planning Committees Following the approval of membership of officials from the Islamic Propaganda Organization in the province planning committees, Hojjat ol-Eslam val-Moslemin Mohammadi Eraqi told our correspondent: To distribute development credits and engender coordination between the organizations, province planning committees will be formed, with the participation of 17 executive officials and under the supervision of the governor-general. Despite the necessities that are felt with regard to cultural issues, so far the propaganda organization has not had members on these committees, and with Majles approval this will be done. He added: Despite the fact that the propaganda organization does not have development credits approved by the Majles, so far it has carried out 250 development projects, some of which are half-complete. This organization's projects include the construction of 50 Koranic societies in the deprived areas. With the membership of representatives from this organization on the province planning committees, henceforth it will be possible to use local credits to complete the propaganda organization's half-complete projects.

CSO Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. The Majles met in open session yesterday chaired by Mr. 'Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri and the deputies from the cities of Bandar-e Mahshahr, Dorud and Azna, Miyaneh, and Rudbar spoke as preagenda speakers. Then the speaker of the Majles gave a short speech in which he offered condolences to all Shiites on the martyrdom of Mohammad Taqi (peace be upon him). Then the Majles took up its agenda, and we direct the attention of our respected readers to the detailed proceedings. Kemal Daneshyar, Deputy From Bandar-e Mahshahr The roots of inflation and high prices include the failure to control the prices of goods and the failure to deal decisively with violators. The first preagenda speaker at yesterday's open Majles session was Daneshyar, deputy from Bandar-e Mahshahr. During his speech he said: The most important economic problem is inflation and high prices. Most of that was unavoidable and inevitable, but unfortunately, contradictory and extremist economic policies and extremism and excesses have had their effects in this matter. An example worth mentioning is the previous government's severe and extreme approach to the imposition of price controls, compared to the policy of deregulation and releasing prices to float in the current government. Continuing, he said: Supervision, monitoring, price setting, and dealing with violators, people selling at high prices, and hoarders must be done as soon as possible in a decisive and calculated way. The speaker then discussed uprooting inflation and high prices. He said: The failure to control the prices of goods; the failure to deal decisively with violators; people selling at high prices and godless hoarders; ostentation; useless expenditures by officials; working too little; promoting the culture of too much consumption; weak management on the part of some executive officials, especially the failure to supervise quality control of the goods produced by domestic industries; the enormous expenses from the imposed war; military reconstruction and preparation in view of the malicious, Satanic qualities of the enemies of Islam; the rapid population increase to double the size of the last decade, along with the rapid increase in the consumer market; the failure to increase the gross national [product] to match the population increase and demand; the destructive effects of the wrong policies of the wretched monarchy's one-product economy; continued economic, military, and political plots by the enemy, especially the reduction in the price of oil and the economic embargo against Iran; are among the factors and roots of inflation and high prices. In this same regard Daneshyar said: It is a very difficult task to determine the percentages of the above factors, inflation and high prices. Continuing, the deputy from Mahshahr said: In view of the destructive and corrupting effects of using Western television programming and using satellite antennas, since in practice no technical or practical procedure has yet been recognized to intercept it, solutions proposed, including prohibiting the use of satellite antennas or strengthening and promoting the spirit of faith among the individuals in society to keep them from watching these destructive programs, definitely will not serve as the final solution. In this same regard, the speaker then added: The Foreign Ministry has proposed via the United Nations and with the help of friendly countries, as a means of protecting the innocence and morality of human beings to prevent the destructive and corrupting effects of television programs broadcast from Western transmitters, to provide and implement restrictions, prohibitions and penalties against those who broadcast this type of vulgar programming. Daneshyar also called upon the Shiite and Sunni clergy and the clergy of other religions of the book, especially the Christian clergy, to act jointly to confront this destructive cultural invasion. The deputy from Mahshahr then discussed the consolidation of the Ministry of the Reconstruction Crusade and the Ministry of Agriculture. He said: In view of the fact that this proposal has weakened the performance of these two ministries, I propose, since most of the deputies are opposed to the motion to consolidate the two ministries, that this matter be taken off the agendas of the commissions and the Majles as soon as possible and that these debates be put to an end. Continuing, the speaker discussed the problems in his electoral district. He said: In view of the reduced precipitation and the drought in the region, I ask the officials and especially the minister of agriculture and the chief of the Agriculture Bank to help the farmers and to allocate banking resources. Likewise, the important roads in the municipality of Mahshahr, including the freeway from Bandar-e Emam to Ahvaz, the freeway from Bandar-e Emam to Mahshahr, and the road from Omidiyeh to Ahvaz are causing problems because of their poor quality, and I ask the minister of roads and transportation to deal with the matter. In conclusion, the deputy from Mahshahr asked Mr. Karbasian, chief of the Social Security Organization, to expedite construction of the Omidiyeh Hospital, which was planned under the First Five-Year Plan and is proceeding slowly. Jahanshah Sadiq, Deputy From Dorud And Azna In designing the Second Five-Year Plan the Majles must keep society's low-income classes in mind. The next speaker was Sadiq, deputy from Dorud and Azna. He offered condolences on the occasion of the martyrdom anniversary of His Holiness Emam Javad (peace be upon him) and discussed the Second Five-Year Plan. He said: In this regard, friend and foe are watching the Majles and are waiting for the results of the Majles studies. Fortunately, in this regard the Majles has lighting its way the guidance from the exalted leader as an important element of support. Naturally, it must keep the affairs of the oppressed and low-income classes of society in mind at every stage. In addition to that it must strive in every way possible to reduce dependence on oil revenues in the Second Five-Year Plan, which has become an implement in the hands of the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a destructive political item. This cannot be done without increasing nonoil exports, and comprehensive government and Majles support must be given to domestic products, especially the production of crops and products that can definitely be produced in the country but that are imported with excessive foreign exchange expenditures. He added: A fundamental question today is, are we going to repeat the same mistake that was made under the First Five-Year Plan, which is giving excessive support to industry while remaining indifferent to investment in the agricultural sector? There is no doubt that investment to a reasonable extent in the industrial sector is both necessary and inevitable, but which industry? He added: Isn't it true that nonoil exports from the agricultural sector were 123 percent of the target set in the First Five-Year Plan, and yet exports in the other industries, especially in the industrial sector, did not even reach 50 percent of expectations? If, despite all the unkindness towards the agricultural sector, this sector was able to achieve all the goals set for it in the First Five-Year Plan, it is because today we have the message from the agricultural sector that investment in this sector is the most reasonable step to which we must give attention. Continuing his remarks, Sadiq said: Unlike industry, agriculture is instantly obedient to the nation's executive system. The production line can be changed any instant. It can be planned in accordance with the nation's needs, while to change the production line in industrial factories requires changing many of the systems prevailing in the factory and the expenditure of huge sums. To give attention to the agricultural sector is to apply the guidance from the late Imam about making efforts to achieve the nation's self-sufficiency and obeying the guidance from the leader of the revolution about giving attention to agriculture, and nothing other than this is expected from the Majles. He then discussed the decisions made concerning this province by the president of the republic and the exalted leader during their recent trip. He said: The people of Lorestan are joyous about the attention from the exalted leader and the president of the republic in the framework of the success implementing the projects and programs to save the province from deprivation. However, making the successes, which have been achieved, requires effort, persistence, and expeditious measures by the respected ministers and the relevant executive organizations, and the people continue to watch them expectantly. We have said repeatedly that the petrochemical and refinery complexes were to have been built in Lorestan, but unfortunately the justification is not clear for moving this project to Arak, when it could have solved many of the problems of the province of Lorestan. The deputy from Dorud and Azna asked officials to provide gas service to Lorestan, and he discussed the efforts by the minister of the interior to elevate Azna to a municipality and the president of the republic's agreement. He said: The lands given to staff employees and educators have remained in their hands due to the preparation project. They have sold much of their furniture and resources to pay the fees to prepare the land, yet they are still unable to do the preparation work. Seyyed Hoseyn Hashemi, Deputy From Miyaneh The Second Five-Year Plan must clearly specify the goals of privatization. The third preagenda speaker was Hashemi, deputy from Miyaneh. In his speech he discussed the aggression against Muslims in the world. He said: The imperialist world has made a serious decision in different ways to weaken the Muslim world, and to prevent in any way possible the expansion of the ideas of revolutionary Islam and the Islam of Muhammad (peace be upon him). On the other hand, despite all the imperialistic effort, every day we see more harmony in the Islamic nation and the expansion of this great Islamic thinking everywhere in the world. He condemned the PLO treaty with Israel and discussed the Second Five-Year Plan. He said: Although we had good successes implementing the First Five-Year Plan in the agricultural, industrial and mining sectors, these successes reduced our need for imports in many areas. A more desirable process must be implemented in studying these experiences and careful expert work in the Second Five-Year Plan. He added: An example is the policies in the system for alleviating deprivation in the nation's deprived and underdeveloped areas, which is being done to implement social justice. It is appropriate to give special attention to this in the Second Five-Year Plan, taking inspiration from the views of the exalted leader. We can guide capital into these areas by making appropriate policies such as special tax and insurance exemptions and special allocations for service lines, water prices, consumer electrical power, and providing banking facilities on easier terms and at lower fees. Concerning the matter of privatization, he noted: The transfer of government units in the current way, mostly by organizations, bodies, banks and other entities, each of which is a part of the nation's public system, will not bring us to our goal in this regard. Therefore, the Second Five-Year Plan must clearly specify the goal of privatization. Is it to eliminate private sector currency in circulation, or to start up new units and transfer existing government units? He discussed the use of existing capacities, completing half-complete units and rebuilding government and private units and building them anew. He said: These units must have a specific policy throughout the Second Five-Year Plan, one of which must be regarding exports as the main key to solving the production problem, and that needs a special policy to support exports in the Second Five-Year Plan. Especially with the unification of the foreign exchange rate, a good process has been set in motion, but it is not enough. We have had little success in the area of manufactured industrial goods such as capital and intermediate goods. Continuing, the deputy from Miyaneh discussed the consolidation of the industrial ministries. He said: I do not consider the current effort to consolidate as being appropriate. I recommend that in the first phase the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Heavy Industries be consolidated and that the Ministry of Mines and Metals operate independently for a time so it can find its place in the nation's economy, especially in the area of nonoil exports. Jamshid Qanbarian, Deputy From Miyaneh It is hoped that with the activation of the Azerbaijan Steel Complex Project the problem of employment in the area will be solved. Another preagenda speaker was Qanbarian, deputy from Miyaneh. He expressed thanks for the appointment of Mr. Hamedi as Friday Imam of Miyaneh and offered congratulations on the arrival of Teacher Day. He said: One of the region's main problems is absolute unemployment and intense emigration. Unfortunately every year several villages are emptied of their residents because of this same emigration, in such a way that this region now has negative population growth. He added: The only solution is to create employment in the area, and it is hoped that with the activation of the Azarbaijan Steel Complex project this social problem will be solved in the area. In the same regard I give the utmost thanks to the exalted leader for his comprehensive support for solving the executive problems in this project. He thanked the Ministry of Petroleum for its success implementing the project to deliver gas service to Miyaneh, he thanked the minister of post, telegraph and telephone concerning the unstinting activities of the ministry's officials in the region to meet telephone communications needs and the president of the republic's Deprived Regions Office for granting recognition as deprived regions to the villages in the warm southern region. He then said: Due to the lack of an active police presence throughout the roads and freeways, the drivers of tractor-trailer rigs and heavy trucks have destroyed driving security without police monitoring. Every day tens of innocent people lose their lives on these roads, and the minister of the interior is expected to pay special attention to this matter. Faramarz Golshani, Deputy From Rudbar What makes the earthquake victims happy is having officials in their midst. The final preagenda speaker was Golshani, deputy from Rudbar. He discussed the passage of four years since the Rudbar earthquake and the approaching anniversary for this disaster. He said: The only thing that makes the people happy is having national officials in their midst. Last year the speaker of the Majles and deputies and officials came, and this year we are also to have the honor of their presence. They will see the great reconstruction that has begun at the government's capable hands and to help alleviate the shortages. The speaker discussed the president of the republic's impending trip to Rudbar. Continuing, he discussed the shortages in this earthquake-stricken municipality. 1. There are still 65 schools that were destroyed by the earthquake and have not yet been rebuilt, and the students from these schools are studying in Suleh and in inappropriate places. 2. Sixtyy-six of the municipality's rural areas lack electrical power, 96 rural areas lack sanitary drinking water, and 200 kilometers of rural roads are also in need of asphalt. 3. Fifty percent of the credits to build 84 mosques, 31 of which are under construction, is needed. 4. The financial situation of the people is such that there is no possibility of meeting the expenses of municipal government through normal revenues. Therefore, urban development needs reinforcement of the tax base. 5. Continuing, he added: Inadequate allocations of loans and materials for home construction and other problems have caused most housing units for earthquake victims to be abandoned after 70 to 80 percent completion. Therefore, loans of at least 200 million rials for each urban and rural family would complete half-complete homes. 6. The people of the municipality are from the low-income classes, and in view of the extensive losses the earthquake has brought to them, they are unable to repay pre-earthquake housing and business loans. Mr. Golshani asked for loan forgiveness and also for the extension of repayment periods on postearthquake loans until the end of the year 1373 [20 March 1975]. Continuing, the speaker added: The 100-bed Rudbar hospital was destroyed by the earthquake, and the current hospital has been created in Suleh. It does not have the appropriate quality and is in need of credit procurement. The cities of Rudbar, Rostamabad, Manjil, and Lushan lack a suitable drinking water network, and the cities within the municipality's boundaries do not have a sewage system. Credits need to be obtained to fight pestilence, irrigate date trees and plant rice in the area and to rebuild the cities. The speaker continued: Before the earthquake about 1 million loans existed in the municipality, and this number has decreased to one-quarter of that figure. Livestock keepers are in need of serious support. Despite the fact that the minister of petroleum has broken ground for the project, construction work on providing gas service to the cities of Rudbar, Rostamabad and Tut-e Kabon has yet to begin. At the end of his speech he said: I ask that when the president of the republic comes to the area these projects be supported and receive financial assistance. Legislation The first item on the agenda at yesterday's open Majles session was the report from the first consultation of the Agriculture Commission on the motion to create the Supreme Agriculture and Rural Development Council, the general form of which was not approved and was rejected. It is worth mentioning that in the aforementioned motion, the duties of the Supreme Agriculture Council were described as follows: "Dealing with executive problems in the programs pertaining to the agricultural sector, supervision of the performance of programs in the agricultural sector, supervision of the procurement and organization of statistics and information having to do with the agricultural sector's needs and supervision of their precise implementation, policy making to create conversion industries and installations to store agricultural crops, supervision of the timely procurement of credits and facilities for the agricultural sector, and other things." One of the reasons used by those opposing this proposal is that there is no reason to put the various sectors in the hands of a council. What good have the existing councils done for the people? Therefore, the councils do not solve any problems, they create problems. Likewise, the supporters claim that it is necessary to have a council led by the president of the republic to support agriculture, in order to solve these problems that exist. The second item on the agenda was the report from the Supreme Education Council concerning the Bill To Amend Article 2 of the Law on Procedures for Procuring Faculty Needed at the Nation's Universities and Institutions of Higher Learning, enacted in 1365 [21 March 1986-20 March 1987], the general form of which was put to a vote and approved. Article 1 of the bill states: "The phrase `and animal husbandry' is added after the phrase `medical group fields' in the text of Article 2 of the Law on Procedures for Procuring Faculty Needed at the Nation's Universities and Institutions of Higher Learning, enacted 3/1/1365 [22 May 1986]." It is also worth mentioning that professors in the animal husbandry fields may, as in the medical group fields, make use of the facilities and benefits in this law, and this will have a striking effect in raising the level of quality in this field. The next item on the agenda was the report from the Commerce Commission concerning the Bill To Amend Note 1, Article 5, of the Law Amending the Guild System Law Enacted 2/31/1368 [21 May 1989]. The amendment to this bill says: "Within one year of the date this law's enforcement becomes obligatory, all the companies subject to the Guild System Law are required to obtain business licenses from the relevant union. Newly established companies are required within one year of their registration to obtain a business from the relevant union in order to begin operations." The fourth item on the agenda was the report from the First Consultation of the Councils and Domestic Affairs Commission Concerning the Motion To Suspend the Period of Obligatory Service for Graduates from the Judicial Affairs Colleges in the Nation's Public Prosecutor's Offices and Judicial Courts, continued consideration of which was postponed to the next session. The aforementioned motion states: "Under this law, graduates from the judicial affairs colleges affiliated with the Ministry of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran who have not performed their service as soldiers, upon the recommendation of the judicial power and with the agreement of the General Armed Forces Staff, provided they commit to at least five years of service in the judicial power, are exempt from service under the flag in peacetime after the completion of the commitment." Arrival Announced of Question From a Number of Deputies Concerning the Reason for Increasing Telephone Rates Arrival was announced of the question from a number of deputies, including Sharifi, deputy from Arak; Tavakoli, deputy from Khomeyn; Yusefpur, deputy from Ardel and Fars; Majidi, deputy from Fasa; and Noruzi, deputy from Molayer; to the minister of post, telegraph and telephone concerning the reason for the collection from telephone service subscribers of telephone tariffs in excess of the amount approved by the Majles. Weekly Programs of Majles Commissions Introduction: Printed below for your consideration are the weekly programs of the Majles commissions this week. Education and Training Commission Study of the Motion To Supervise Foreign Trips by Government Workers Islamic Guidance and Art and Media Communications Commission Invitation to the insiders in the Sacred Defense Cinema Society Plan and Budget Commission Study of the nonoil exports sector in the Second Five-Year Plan Motion To Control the Prices of Goods and Services Labor and Social Affairs Commission Motion To Prohibit the Use of Western Terms, Names, and Expressions National Councils and Domestic Affairs Commission Continued study of the articles from the Bill on Employment Regulations for the Police Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Post, Telegraph and Power Affairs Commission Invitation to Engineer Gharazi to answer the question from a number of deputies concerning communications and postal tariffs Majles Notes Presentation of the Question to the Minister of Mines and Metals Concerning the Performance of the Mobarakeh Steel Complex Next week the question from the deputy from Hamadan to the minister of mines and metals concerning the Mobarakeh Steel Complex and its affiliated complexes will be on the open Majles agenda. In this regard Mr. Habibian told our parliamentary correspondent: I submitted three questions for the Majles to the minister of mines and metals. The first question asks about the level of steel production and to what extent it conforms to the goals in the First Five-Year Plan. In this regard there are indications that performance was not in accordance with the First Five-Year Plan. In the commission the respected minister of mines and metals was also asked to provide information about this sector, but so far, about a month later, the necessary information has not been made available to us. The second question is about the procedure for selling steel, and the question is, have the domestic markets been saturated, that steel is now being exported? The third question, which is more important and worries us more, is the question of steel shipments. In recent months these shipments have gone to parts of the world such as China to be sold and have then returned to the country after a time, and in this regard large sums have been paid for demurrage (reparations paid for losses caused by shipping delays). Majles Oversight of Nonessential Foreign Trips Concerning Majles oversight of nonessential foreign trips, which will be done based on Note 13 of the 1373 [21 March 1994-20 March 1995] National Budget Law, Mr. Beytollah Ja'fari, deputy from Urmia, told our correspondent: The motivation for Majles oversight is that we want to be able to study and make decisions concerning the number of people going and whether or not the trip will have positive effects for the country in terms of its essential purpose. According to the general evaluation that was made, the number of delegations sent abroad was in excess of the number necessary and in most cases ancillary tasks were undertaken beyond the main goals of the trip, and this has caused the imposition of millions of dollars in nonessential expenditures on the nation's budget.

CSO Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. The Majles met in open session yesterday chaired by Mr. 'Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri, and the deputies from Mashhad, Khorramabad, Khodabandeh, and Ahar and Haris gave preagenda speeches. Then the Majles took up its agenda, and we direct the attention of our esteemed readers to the detailed proceedings. Mohammad Hadi-'Abdkhoda'i, Deputy From Mashhad It is the skilled academic work force that is bringing the nation to a peak of cultural, political and economic authority. The first preagenda speaker at yesterday's open Majles session was 'Abdkhoda'i, deputy from Mashhad. He offered condolences on the martyrdom of Imam Javad (peace be upon him). He said: The Majles is at the end of the First Five-Year Plan and the beginning of the Second Five-Year Plan. There is much to say about the splendidness of the Islamic revolution and its power to endure, about the crimes of world imperialism and its practices, about the cultural invasion and ostentation, about the economic programs and the mistakes of some of their planners, about high prices, inflation and ways to keep them down, about balance between the private and government sectors and avoiding one-dimensional activity, about controlling prices, about excessive purchases of goods, about borrowing and its consequences, and about the need for subsidies to support the deprived. He continued: The Second Five-Year Plan must bring the country as close as possible to independence and nondependence. It must rely on high production, less consumption, more exports and fewer imports, and it must anticipate consequences and problems. The speaker also discussed higher education programs. He said: The experts are presenting factors that will help a country grow and develop such as natural resources, manpower and proper management, but above all these things one can consider skilled academic manpower. Even capable management and useful manpower arise from their ranks. Continuing, 'Abdkhoda'i said: It is the skilled academic work force that is bringing the nation to a peak of cultural, political and economic authority and makes the best use of natural resources. The deputy from Mashhad said that to the extent it is able the government must invest in manpower training in the Second Five-Year Plan. He said: In this regard there is need for several reminders: 1. Manpower training must be done with proper planning based on needs. 2. The educational centers must definitely place great emphasis on the quality of education. Today we have little skilled manpower at the research and doctoral levels compared to our needs, and in this regard the doctoral programs must be reinforced both in quality and quantity. 3. The universities must give importance to applied knowledge and make knowledge work with ability. Some of our professors are even more advanced than the foreign professors academically, but unfortunately there are two shortages. One is that although they are strong in theory, in the area of practice they are not as strong, and they also lack the tools for work. 'Abdkhoda'i then said: A short experiment in the year 1372 [21 March 1993-20 March 1994] was hopeful. As the result of cooperation between the academic institutions and the executive universities, by the end of the month of Azar [30 December], 453 projects were carried out or were under way. A total of 19.8 billion rials was spent and there was a good return. The speaker discussed education at the doctoral level. He said: It was a disaster at our universities that last year in the nonmedical fields we had only about 1,200 doctoral students inside the country. In the same regard I must say that one of the benefits of forming the Ministry of Health was the admission of more students. In the year 1356 [21 March 1977-20 March 1978] 844 students were admitted, but in the year 1365 [21 March 1986-20 March 1987] the number reached 6,480, almost eight times as many, and this is considered a source of pride for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Unfortunately, however, after that the figures declined, so that in the year 1372 medical student admissions throughout the country was 3,656, and this figure is fully evocative. The deputy from Mashhad discussed the shortage of physicians in the country and the fact that the number of our physicians is about one-fifth the number of physicians in some industrial nations. He said: Why are our professors unable to accept more students? At the end of his speech, the deputy from Mashhad discussed the deprived areas in the Second Five-Year Plan. He said: On the fringes of the major cities and also in their rural areas we have places that are living in deprivation, but because they are close to prosperous areas, they do not receive the benefits of deprived areas, and their needs must definitely be addressed. Today one of the important sources of foreign exchange is tourism, and Mashhad can be the best base for attracting visitors from all the Islamic nations. However, the government must invest, and it must see Mashhad as a national city in relation to all of Iran and an international city in the world of Islam. Mohammad Saleh-Taheri, Deputy From Khorramabad In the last 15 years we have not had a firm and comprehensive policy on economic matters. The next speaker was Taheri, deputy from Khorramabad. In his speech he said: In the last year we have not had a firm and comprehensive policy on economic matters. Although the president of the republic, as the most concerned executive official, has always worked unceasingly and has not been out of range or immune to damage from domestic and foreign enemies, God has always been generous with his boundless help at sensitive times. He added: The chaotic foreign exchange market; the 7-tuman competitive rate and the 80-tuman rate for foreign exchange; the failure to anchor the inflationary rate for the dollar; the release of contradictory guidelines by the banks themselves; insubstantial and increasing taxes, which in my view erode the principle of investment; increases in the rate on bank deposits to 18.5 percent by the Money and Credit Council, which is very strongly rumored; the increase in the rate on foreign exchange for investment in projects without setting priorities; and the failure to control either the unregulated or the government prices. [sentence as published] The deputy from Khorramabad noted: For example, the price of a kilogram of cucumbers increases from 15 to 150 tumans between the time it leaves the hands of the producer until it reaches the consumer of Africa Street. The oil price crisis and the playing with OPEC that is being done by foreigners and economic speculators, low prices whenever production is high, low production whenever prices are high and thousands of other problems have given our country an ailing economy. Our people know well that everyone was mobilized during the war and they were never psychologically shocked in victory or in defeat under the leadership of the late leader of the revolution, the fifth anniversary of whose death is approaching, because the participation of the people and the close relationship between the leader and the people prevailed over the problem of the war. Unfortunately, that formula is not working in the economic situation. He explained that in his view the people are innocent. He said: The people do not doubt the sincerity of the officials. Today economic planning requires a lot of manpower. A handful of experts, no matter how good, will not solve the problem. Mr. Hashemi is the guardian of policy, culture, society, and religion. Economics is another matter. In my view we need to reconsider the situation. I myself have been among the gentlemen for 30 years, with the revolutionaries both before and after the opening of Mecca. We ourselves still have not been unable to understand, much less our other people. Deputies, there is still time, but tomorrow will be too late. While we still have these honest companions of the Imam, while we are still under the shadow of the leader and the vice regency of the chief jurisconsult, who always has the last word, you must clarify the nation's economic situation. This problem must be solved. Taheri discussed the fact that we do not reject work and service in the country. He said: Work has been done in all the ministries. These communications and their extensive reach, fiber optics and copper cable in Yazd, petrochemicals in Bandar-Emam and thousands of other phenomena are undeniable. These phenomena should stimulate questions and conversation, instead of us having interpellation and bringing the country to a standstill, although interpellation is the clear right of the deputies and in some cases is a necessary and unavoidable procedure. The blessed trip by the president of the republic to the province of Lorestan, the new political coordination in the province thanks to his visit, and the documented report from the province's political official made at the Administrative Council in the presence of the president of the republic were and are desired by all the general managers, Friday imams and the province's contingent of deputies, and the report must be published in the province. He added: Among this trip's many blessings was the lighting of the gas flame at Borujerd and Aligudarz and the ground breaking for the gas facilities at Khorramabad by the minister of petroleum. For this purpose 2 billion tumans has been set aside and allocated. The rightful promise of the petrochemical units in the province are compensation for the losses to Lorestan caused by the oppressive construction of the petrochemical complex in Arak. Continuing, Taheri issued a memo to the minister of the interior about creating governorates in Azna, Alshotor, and Poldokhtar. He noted: The main problem in the country is clarification of the economic situation and its disrupted state in all its dimensions. The main problem in the province of Lorestan is unemployment, unemployment and unemployment. Seyyed Mohammad 'Ali Musavi, Deputy From Khodabandeh The Second Five-Year Plan must be designed in such a way that the people will be optimistic about the nation's future. The next speaker was Musavi, deputy from Khodabandeh. During his speech he offered condolences on the occasion of the martyrdom of Imam Mohammad Taqi (peace be upon him). He discussed the exalted leader's New Year's message with regard to the work ethic, social order, and designing the Second Five-Year Plan. He expressed the hope that the plan will be designed in such a way that the people will be more optimistic than before about the nation's future. The speaker then discussed the report on activities carried out by the president of the republic with regard to the First Five-Year Plan. He said: It is hoped that the Majles and the toiling government will take hopeful steps to stop the bad effects of inflation and high prices and to reform the nation's administrative structure, which is already under discussion. The deputy from Khodabandeh then discussed the various advances that have been made in the country. He said: In the year 1357 [21 March 1978-20 March 1979] 3.79 million tons of wheat was produced, while 10.8 million tons was produced in the year 1372. With regard to communications, the results of one year of activity in communications were equal to 20 years of communications activity before the revolution. In conclusion, he said: 1. The minister of petroleum is asked to take note of the cold climate in the Khodabandeh region and its short season for laying gas pipes, and he is asked to give attention to the matter of supplying gas service to this municipality. 2. I ask the minister of roads and transportation to deal expeditiously with the first section of the road from Qidar to Bijar, which was abandoned incomplete, while its second section from Bijar to the east was completed, and also to attend to the road from Qidar to Kabudarahang, on which work is proceeding slowly. 3. I asked the minister of agriculture to help his representative more than before with the procurement of agricultural implements. Valiollah Ahmadi-Zadsaray, Deputy From Ahar and Haris To solve the problems of the people, some thinking must be done so that they will no longer be subjected to the pressures of inflation and high prices. Ahmadi-Zadsaray, deputy from Ahar and Haris, was the final preagenda speaker. During his speech he offered condolences on the martyrdom of Imam Mohammad Taqi (peace be upon him) and he commemorated Teacher Week. He said: Now, as the task of studying the government's Second Five-Year Plan is on the agendas of the Majles commissions, I ask my respected colleagues to give attention to the following as they study the plan: In view of the situation that has developed and is developing in the world with regard to oil prices, destroying the justification for the prices, in designing the Second Five-Year Plan measures must be adopted to deliver the nation from dependence on oil, and the planners must give great importance to agricultural and livestock products and their export. He added: Many studies must be done concerning the creation of conversion industries and agriculture and animal husbandry, and we must give priority to the creation of such industries. The importation of nonessential and decorative goods must be avoided. Consideration must be given to the problem of youth unemployment, especially those who have sacrificed, combatants and injured war veterans, and more attention must be given to the creation of employment-creating projects. To solve the problems of the people, especially the deprived and oppressed classes of society and the government staff workers, they must do some thinking and planning so they will no longer be subjected to the pressures of inflation and high prices. He expressed thanks for the trip by the minister of energy and his entourage to the area. He said: During Teacher Week Ahar witnessed the minister of education and training going among the people and the teachers. On the auspicious occasion of this esteemed week, the teacher training building was opened, and I thank him for that. I ask the government to allocate industrial and employment-creating projects in view of the fact that the necessary potential exists in the municipalities of Ahar and Haris, and to take effective steps to create employment for the region's unemployed to bring about economic growth in the region. I ask the minister of education and training and the minister of higher education to start the agricultural college that was approved years ago, and to construct a building on the donated land. He also mentioned the shortage of athletic facilities in his electoral district. Legislation Motion on Procedures for Rendering Obligatory Service for Graduates in the Judicial Sciences The first item on the agenda at yesterday's open Majles session was continued consideration of the report from the first consultation of the Councils and Domestic Affairs Commission concerning the Motion To Spend the Period of Obligatory Service for Graduates From the Judicial Affairs Colleges in the Nation's Public Prosecutor's Offices and Judicial Courts, the general form of which was approved. It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned motion states: "Graduates from the judicial affairs colleges affiliated with the Ministry of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran who have not performed their service as soldiers, provided they commit to at least five years of service in the judicial power, are exempt from service under the flag in peacetime." Reasoning of Opponents and Supporters To summarize the remarks of the motion's opponents, this action is discriminatory and is not a good innovation. What is the difference between law colleges and other universities and the Ministry of Justice Judicial Sciences College, that the students in the judicial sciences should be exempt, but not students from the other colleges? The other government universities are going to learn that they must say that their graduates should be exempt from service as soldiers. Supporters of the motion claim that this action is not discriminatory, but it is a solution to the nation's judicial problems. They say if it were discriminatory, we would not permit students in teacher training colleges to spend their obligatory military service time as teachers in various regions. Likewise, with regard to this motion, Dr. Shahrzad, deputy from Esfahan, issued a warning in accordance with Article 75 of the Constitution that this motion entails a financial burden and is a violation of the Constitution. Motion To Elect Members of the Commission To Reclaim the Wages of Deputies From Dissolved Majleses The second item on the agenda was the report from the first consultation of the Judicial and Legislative Affairs Commission concerning the Motion To Elect Members of the Commission To Reclaim the Wages of Deputies From Dissolved Majleses, the general form of which was not approved and was rejected. It is worth mentioning that Article 1 of the motion states: "The chiefs of the Judicial Affairs Commission and the Accounting Court and the chief of the Majles Administrative Organization are designated as members of the commission mentioned in the Law on Procedures for Collecting the Wages Paid to Those Who Were Appointed as Deputies between 3/15/1342 [June 5 1963] through 11/22/1357 [11 February 1979], enacted 5/19/1358 [August 10 1979], and the amendment dated 3/25/1359 [15 June 1980]." Iran Joins the Maritime Search and Rescue Convention The next item on the agenda was the report from the Housing and Urban Construction Commission concerning the Bill To Add the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Maritime Search and Rescue Convention. The aforementioned bill was approved by the Majles. Bill on Employment and Social Facilities for Wounded Veterans The next item on the agenda was the report from the first consultation of the Administrative and Employment Affairs Commission on the Bill on Employment and Social Facilities for Wounded Veterans of the Islamic Revolution, the general form of which was approved. The aforementioned bill's goals include: (a) creating the necessary conditions to preserve and extend the spiritual and ongoing presence of wounded veterans in economic and cultural settings (b) supporting the aspirations, perpetuating the ideological and cultural activities of wounded veterans and improving their individual, family and social circumstances (j) creating the ability to apply and coordinate the nation's administrative and employment regulations with the special bodily circumstances of wounded war veterans. Rashidi, the commission's expert, said concerning this bill: The period allowed for the experimental implementation of this law, which was approved in the year 1369 [21 March 1990-20 March 1991], has already expired, and the government has presented this bill to the Majles. He then added: It is the duty of the government and the Majles to strive to alleviate the social deficiencies for our sacrificing wounded war veterans, who have expended their bodies and souls to preserve and guard the valuable achievements of the Islamic revolution, and who now have bodily and psychological defects. Motion To Prohibit the Use of Satellite Antennas The Motion To Prohibit the Use of Satellite Antennas (Dish Antennas) was presented by a number of deputies as a single-urgency motion. Mr. Nateq-Nuri deemed it advisable to give priority consideration to this motion and to have it placed on the Majles agenda as an ordinary motion with priority. It is worth mentioning in this regard that Mr. Nateq-Nuri said: This motion does not need an urgency rating, but I ask that it be given priority. This motion, whose arrival was announced at the Wednesday open Majles session (yesterday), emphasis is given to the prohibition on importing, construction, distribution and use of the satellite antennas. The motion states: The Ministry of the Interior is required to use the police to gather up satellite antennas in the shortest time possible, through the use of police forces. The Ministry of the Interior is also required to use any possible means to prevent the importation, manufacture or distribution of satellite antennas, and, in the course of confiscating the aforementioned implements, to turn over the perpetrators to the competent courts. In this bill, which was signed by about 20 deputies, penalties are provided for violators. Views of Engineer Yusefpur Concerning the Motion To Prohibit Satellite Dishes Mr. Yusefpur, deputy chief of the Councils Commission and deputy from Ardel, discussed the Motion To Prohibit Satellite Dishes with our parliamentary correspondent. He said: Because satellite dishes are a new phenomenon in our country and because there is now no law of any kind concerning their use or prohibition, and because the executive organizations are now uncertain how to deal with them, a motion was prepared to permit individuals and organizations who need to use satellite dishes to perform their duties with authorization from the Ministry of Islamic Guidance. He noted: Currently the use of satellite dishes is prohibited to all the people except in special cases in most Western and non-Islamic nations. We must realize that the Western nations are not willing to tolerate the slightest cultural phenomenon from us. How can we leave them free to freely spread various kinds of political and cultural propaganda in our country? Discussing the important points in this bill, Mr. Yusefpur said: In this motion the unauthorized use of satellite dishes is prohibited, importers and producers will be punished, and the satellite antennas will be collected. In conclusion he said: Some people believe that the phenomenon of satellite dishes cannot be physically opposed, but these people must be told that there is a way to fight any technical or specialist phenomenon that is produced.

CSO Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. The Majles met in open session yesterday chaired by Mr. 'Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri and the deputies from Tehran, Khorramabad, Urmia, and Khorramshahr gave preagenda speeches. Then the Majles took up its agenda, and we direct the attention of our esteemed readers to the detailed proceedings. 'Abbas Shibani, Deputy From Tehran The commands in the Koran and the speeches of the saints are not merely sermons. We ourselves must first act. The first preagenda speaker at yesterday's open Majles session was Shibani, deputy from Tehran. During his speech he said: Instead of a preagenda speech, I wanted to observe 10 minutes of silence. Perhaps this silence will be more expressive than my inexpressive remarks. I have admired the president of the republic for more than 35 years, and I have been obedient to the leader since before the Islamic revolution. Continuing, the speaker added: Before anything else, I advise myself to be pious, for that is needed now more than at any other time. We are on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Imam's death. We were unable to recognize that unique gentleman's concern for supporting Islam, the revolution, and the deprived and oppressed people, and we did not act on his advice in accordance with our duty to do so. Continuing, Shibani said: Our old father, our Imam, and our leader, said that the people are our benefactors, but unfortunately our unsuitable performance has disappointed them in us and our revolution. Wasn't it his eternal cry to the people and especially to the officials, not to forget the greatest jihad, which is struggle with the base self? The deputy from Tehran said that if the Imam was able to stand up against the superpowers, it was because he was master of himself. He said: If we do not see this ability in ourselves, it is because we are prisoners of our base selves. Continuing, Shibani also added: Wasn't it Gandhi, the leader of the Indian people, who stood up to the English imperialists and said: I will wear my own handwoven burlap clothing, and I will not submit to the humiliation of using foreign goods? The speaker discussed the fact that we consider ourselves Shiites and the nation of this Imam (peace be upon His Holiness 'Ali). He said: Now the latest machinery and various kinds of foreign food and beverages are abundant in this land, and every year our indebtedness to others increases. Shibani discussed the fact that as the managers of the Islamic government, we need first to develop ourselves. He said: What I am saying is that we should not treat the commands in the Koran and the speeches of the saints merely as sermons. We ourselves must first act. My purpose in making the request I made and am making of the president of the republic and that has been approved by the leader that he hold morality classes for me was that these matters be promoted so that the people will know what has been said to us and to what extent we have acted upon it. Shibani added: Of course, I have a lifetime behind me and I do not have that much hope of reforming myself. My hopes are in the young generation and the Majles, so that we can review what has happened and change our procedures and policies. The speaker asked that more attention be given to the reconstruction of Abadan and Khorramshahr. With regard to price controls, he said: Without Majles approval, no sector in the government or its companies has the right to increase prices, and the judiciary must help with this matter. If someone says this cannot be done, I say it can. Give me the authority and I will do it myself. Nonessential expenditures must be avoided, purchases must be made with care. There are many hospitals throughout the country whose return is no more than 20 percent. Instead of building new hospitals, let them equip these hospitals so that they can better answer to the needs of the people. He discussed moral and cultural decadence. He said: You must first think of bread before you can promote faith. Do not fear satellites and antennas. You must train us in such a way that we will not use videos, television, and harmful programming. At the end of his speech, the speaker asked the minister of cooperatives to try to consolidate consumer cooperatives in order to provide the people with goods at lower prices. Akbar Farid, Deputy From Khorramabad I recommend that officials investigate the results of seminars, meetings, and guidelines without advance notification. The next speaker was Farid, deputy from Khorramabad. In his speech he offered condolences on the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Iranian pilgrims to the House of God. With reference to the geographic position of the province of Lorestan, he said: This province, with all its characteristics, which are known to all, is at the top of the national deprivation table. Its deprivation is striking in all areas, including roads, education, industry, and classroom space, and the deprivation is more evident in the province's central municipality than it is in the other municipalities. He added: The city's main streets are in poor condition and full of unemployed individuals, the old alleyways have not been improved, the entry and exit routes have not been widened, and due to their makeup these things show the deprivation all the more. The deprivation is such that its dimensions in this city have been confirmed by all the dear ones who have been in this city and its environs. The deprivation in our city and province has a historical precedent, which revolves around the commitment, religious belief, honesty, and bravery of the people of this region. The deputy from Khorramabad then discussed the struggles of the children of Lor. He said: After Reza Khan came to dominate the Lorestan region with thousands of tricks, plots, and deceptions, due to his fear of the children of Lor and the fact that he did not want the battles of Lorestan to have a name in the management system, with the help of his English bosses and their theorists he converted the tribal and religious values in Lorestan to antivalues, and turned the fate of the province of Lorestan over to a thousand families outside the province on the insulting grounds that the children of Lorestan are unable to be responsible for their own affairs because of their tribal and ethnic makeup. He added: With the triumph of the Islamic revolution led by His Holiness the Imam (peace be upon him), the palace of oppression and despotism collapsed, the disgraceful ring of idolatry was defeated and the talents of the children of Lor flourished. A group found its way into the nation's universities and graduated with high-specialist degrees in various sciences. By order of the great Imam, a group also went to the war fronts of truth against falsehood to defend the gains of the revolution and the Islamic homeland. He said that one of the factors in the success of a manager is understanding the work setting and the surrounding environment. He said: There are some schools of thought in management that say we should leave the administrative center and go to the cities, districts, and villages where special disruptions and malfunctions are sensed in administrative affairs, and this itself has weaknesses and vulnerabilities. In the cities, this mostly takes the form of coordination between the government and nongovernment offices. He continued: Sometimes, to obtain a small loan, a government client goes from municipality to Tehran and back four or five times on dangerous roads at heavy expense and is ultimately faced with a rejection. Sometimes it is seen that an official is improperly assigned to a task because of his relationship with a deputy minister or a manager, without study or consideration of the relation between job and worker. After a short time he does things that not only cause him to be reprimanded, but also bring others into question. This takes on a different dimension and appearance under the influence of opportunists, whose numbers are not small. I recommend, to study and monitor the issues and to alleviate the existing problems and difficulties, that we make unannounced and unofficial appearances at official gatherings, even wearing disguises if possible, in order to pursue the guidelines and results of their seminars and meetings and to see how they are being implemented in the cities and villages and where the work problems are. Farid discussed the parliamentary aides. He said: One of the duties of these dear ones is to convey the information and logical requests of the deputies, which arise from the problems of the people, to the ministers, deputy ministers and organizations under the ministries. Some of the dear ones, willingly or not, fall short in transferring information intended to solve problems. Nosrat Samadzadeh, Deputy From Urmia The third preagenda speaker was Samadzadeh, deputy from Urmia. During his speech he said: The experts have regarded the goal of economic adjustment and eliminating subsidies as being to direct capital and currency in circulation into the producing sectors and arriving at true prices. It was their belief that after the implementation of the First Five-Year Plan current capabilities and quality would increase, and that consequently the prices of goods would drop. He added: During the plan, with a study of the market we see that the prices of goods and services increased by the day and sometimes by the hour, disturbing the people. The reasons are: (1) The lack of executive guarantees in the policies of the plan and the lack of financial regulations in the government, the government's failure to intervene in the market for goods needed by the people, and the failure to control prices. (2) The banking facilities given to the government and private sector companies to invest were not spent on the goal, the percentage of currency in circulation increased and consequently the government, instead of guiding capital into production and definite activity, created a thriving market for gold and currency speculators and drove the nation's interests out of the production sector into trade. (3) The economy was not properly evaluated, and due to the unstable policy making in the economy, part of the country's labor capability was wasted. The Five-Year Plan must specify the productivity of investment. Finally, the consumption model was not in accordance with incomes. (4) More than 80 percent of the foreign exchange revenues were obtained from oil exports, and because of the conditions in world markets, the anticipated prices were not implemented and likewise there was no specific procedure for collecting taxes under the Five-Year Plan. (5) The lack of public participation in setting priorities, especially in national projects. Since the Islamic government is founded on the commands of religion and the votes of the public, and His Holiness the Imam gave special importance to public participation and today the exalted leader also emphasizes this important matter, therefore the people are the main ones setting the policy for the nation's executive organizations. He added: Unfortunately, the National Planning and Economic Policy Council deals with statistics and numbers. (6) The First Five-Year Plan only had the goal of growth. No attention was given to investment procedures aimed at procuring social justice and alleviating deprivation. In studying the Second Five-Year Plan, in addition to goals, attention must be given to assessment of the First Five-Year Plan and to the objections to it. In short, policy making, planning, investing, and even managing must be such that all the nation's high ability will be used, so we will ultimately, in the near future, be able to follow the exalted leader's guidance and get away from a one-product economy dependent on oil, which is the only way of salvation in order to reach true independence for the nation of the Islamic Republic. The deputy from Urmia asked the president of the republic to think about the measures necessary to deal with the rising waters of Lake Urmia. He continued: Due to the lack of agriculture and industry, the province of West Azarbaijan is deprived of huge national credits. The speaker added: The Technical College and Urmia University as the only support for technical manpower training in the region, must receive special attention in order to develop the West Azarbaijan region. The current problems, such as equipping laboratories and factories, must be solved. In conclusion, the deputy from Urmia congratulated sports officials on the province of West Azarbaijan volley ball team's victory. Yunes Mohammadi, Deputy From Khorramshahr During the last 14 years the Majles has passed good laws, but it has acted weakly in the area of oversight. The final preagenda speaker at yesterday's open Majles session was Mohammadi, deputy from Khorramshahr. During his speech, in connection with 3 Khordad [24 May] he discussed the anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr. He said: Khorramshahr is not just a city, it is a model and a symbol. It is a model of the power, greatness, and grandeur of the proud Muslim nation of Iran. With the liberation of Khorramshahr the enemies of Iran were politically and militarily demoralized. Today also, in commemorating this great day, we are teaching the lessons of moral heroism and courage to our children and we are reminding our enemies of the noble nation of Iran's steadfastness, sacrifice and courage. He discussed 7 Khordad [28 May], the anniversary of the establishment of the Majles, the manifestation of the justice of 'Ali (peace be upon him). He said: The Majles must act in such a way that it will realize the desires and hopes of the late Imam, for the Imam said: "the Majles is at the head of affairs." He continued: The Majles is also a bird with two wings, making laws and oversight. During the last 14 years the Majles has passed good laws, but it has acted weakly in the area of oversight. The Majles is the home of the nation and it must show this nation's determination, steadfastness, and greatness. Governments must always follow the Majles, and the Majles must not allow individuals, willingly or unwillingly, to abstain from acting on the law. The speaker then discussed 14 Khordad [4 June], the anniversary of the death of the great Imam. He said: We must all keep the Imam's memory alive in our hearts forever. We must protect with our good work this sacred government, which is his trust, like a valuable trust. Recently the president of the republic said that the policies of the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are to make the people of Iran lose hope and to despair, and to keep them from continuing on their path. The deputy from Khorramshahr then discussed the that fact that pessimism and despair grow like a dangerous bacteria in a place where it is possible for them to develop. He said: We must destroy the circumstances and factors that cause pessimism to grow. In my view the following factors create the possibility for the growth of pessimism and despair: (1) The nation's failure to recognize the government's services; (2) the nation's lack of awareness of the great problems that surround our government; and (3) the nation's failure to understand the nation's revenue situation. He continued: Perhaps the people think the government has so much financial capability that it can meet all their expectations, but it is not this way. We have great problems with regard to revenues and the people must become aware of them. (4) The failure to recognize the domestic and foreign enemies who act in various domestic and foreign dimensions, in various ways and in various political, military, moral and economic dimensions, and sometimes disguised as friends. (5) The government's failure to deal decisively with the enemies of the system. In this regard, he added: Those who are damaging the system in order to accumulate wealth and think only of their own interests especially have created this market situation, and moment by moment the prices of goods and services are going up without any reason. This is causing severe suffering among the people and has created circumstances to make the people pessimistic. Continuing, the speaker added: The people are saying that a government that has stood up to America, the hypocrites, Saddam, and tens of domestic and foreign enemies can also defeat these economic enemies. The people want decisive government supervision in the market. At the end of his speech the deputy from Khorramshahr called for the alleviation of the economic problems in his electoral district. He said: Bandar-e Khorramshahr must be a protected port or it must be declared a free trade zone so this city can prosper. Legislation Majles Amends Law on Abortion Enacted by the Interests Discernment Council Amendment Approved for Motion To Establish Files for Registered Appeals Without a Record Motion To Establish Files for Registered Appeals Without a Record The first item on the agenda at yesterday's open Majles session was the report from the Judicial and Legislative Affairs Commission concerning the Motion To Establish Files for Registered Appeals Without a Record or Whose Protests Have Been Lost by the Judicial Authorities (returned from the Guardian Council), and the above amendment was approved. Article 1 as amended: As of the date of this law's enactment, with regard to appeals concerning the principle or boundaries of property, which are sent to the relevant judicial authorities under Articles 16 and 20 of the Registry Law by the end of the year 1360 [20 March 1982] or which for any reason do not have an appeals record with the judicial authorities, the appellants or their legal representatives may, within no more than six months after the date this law goes into force, submit their appeals along with the necessary documents to the competent court. They must obtain the necessary affidavit to this effect and submit it to the registry office at the place where the property is located. If they do not file during this period and if there is no excuse justified under religious law, the appeal will be considered rejected. Iran-Russia-Finland International Shipping Agreement The second item on the agenda was the report from the Housing and Urban Construction Commission concerning the Bill on the International Highway Shipping Agreement between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Government of the Federation of Russia (returned from the Guardian Council), for which the commission's amendment was approved by the deputies. Amendment to Article 13, Paragraph 3, on the last line: will either be taken out of service under the supervision of the appropriate customs officials (the meaning of "taken out of service" is "turned away"), or will be given at no charge to the customs officials of the aforementioned side. The third item on the agenda was the report from the Housing and Urban Construction Commission concerning the Bill on the International Highway Shipping Agreement between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Government of the Republic of Finland (returned from the Guardian Council), which was approved by the deputies. Bill on the Uniform Retirement Pensions System The next item on the agenda was the report from the first consultation of the Administrative and Employment Affairs Commission concerning the Bill on the Uniform Retirement and Obligatory Service Pensions System, the general form of which was approved by a decisive majority of the deputies. Rashidi, the commission's expert, said concerning this: The basic issue was that the retirement wages were not appropriate for the periods before and after service, and government employees were truly disturbed by the arrival of the time for retirement and even fled from it. The time they were to retire was the time their children were entering the universities, the time their children were getting married and other things, and therefore the drop in their wages disrupted their lives. He then added: The ceiling on retirement pensions is about 18,150 tumans, and those with academic credentials have specific ceilings. Henceforth, however, retirees will receive pensions in view of their years of service and their academic credentials. Rashidi emphasized: Likewise, those who are already retired will have their payment ceilings raised under this law. Law Amending Abortion Rules The fifth item on the agenda was the report from the first consultation of the Judicial and Legislative Affairs Commission concerning the Motion To Amend Note 6 of the Abortion Rules Amendment Law enacted 8/28/1371 [19 November 1992] by the Interests Discernment Council, the general form of which was approved. The amendment to Note 6 states: "During a divorce requested by the wife demanding compensation for work that was not her responsibility under religious law, the court will first seek to meet the wife's demands through reconciliation, and if reconciliation fails, if conditions are set on financial matters in the marriage contract or the contract for dissolution, the court will act in accordance with that. Otherwise, whenever the divorce is requested by the wife and also if the request for the divorce does not arise from the wife's violation of her duties as a spouse or her bad morality and behavior, the court will act as follows: A) If the wife has done tasks that were not her responsibility under religious law at the husband's order or without the intention of the work being voluntary, and if this is proven to the court, the court will calculate the equivalent value and order its payment before issuing the divorce decree. B) In cases other than the one in Paragraph A, in view of the number of years of communal life and the types of jobs the wife has done in the husband's home and the husband's financial situation, the court will designate for the wife a sum as a forgiveness (evacuation) amount for the wife. It is worth mentioning that Paragraph A was added in the measure enacted by the Interests Discernment Council, and in the Majles motion the vote was taken after that paragraph was amended and Paragraph B was added. It is worth mentioning that Mr. Mohammad 'Ali Movahedi-Kermani said in a constitutional memorandum: If the Majles wants to enact a motion or a bill, it must be within the limits of religious law and the Constitution. Enactments by the Interests Discernment Council is above this. This means that the Interests Discernment Council may approve a measure based on interests and it may even be outside the bounds of religious law and the Constitution. Can the Majles change a measure enacted by the Interests Discernment Council? This issue was studied in the Interests Discernment Council, and the gentlemen in the Guardian Council specified precisely that the Majles may not make this change. Mr. Nateq-Nuri said in answer: This issue you are raising was discussed in the Interests Discernment Council, and no measure was adopted with regard to it. We also believe that the gentlemen in the Guardian Council must ultimately issue an opinion. Then Mr. Shibani gave a speech. He said: Our poor performance has disappointed the people in the us and the revolution. Then the speaker of the Majles, Mr. Nateq-Nuri, said: Of course, whenever Mr. Shibani speaks, he is clearly either concerned, passionate or sincere, but sometimes his language is harsh, and that is also sincere. He should modify his comment that the people are all disappointed now. He himself does not even believe that the people have become disappointed in this way, he is just saying that they should be more careful. Measures by Majles Commissions Amendment to Bill on Independence of Judicial Attorney's Society Paragraph "J" of the aforementioned article is amended as follows: In addition to being members for one term in the Judicial and Legislative Affairs Commission, Majles deputies must have a judicial bachelor's degree or at least four years experience teaching specialist classes in the law colleges or a certificate of completion of high-level studies from the Qom Seminary or five years judicial trial experience. Continuing below is Note 2, under which the society is required within six months to make a decision about requesting a certificate of on-the-job training or parliamentary membership. Bill on Organizations, Duties, and Elections in the National Islamic Councils and Mayoral Elections Article 5 of this bill states: A council will be formed in each village with a majority of its members chosen from among the chosen representatives of the councils of the rural areas within the village limits, and if a member presented by the rural council for full membership is elected for membership in the village council, he will not cease to be a member of the rural council. This bill was approved in the National Councils and Domestic Affairs Commission with five sections and 103 articles. Bill To Add Iran to the Agreement Between Member Nations of the Islamic Conference Organization To Support Guaranteed Investments Based on Article 2, Section 2 of this bill, the parties to the agreement will authorize in accordance with their own laws the transfer of capital and its use among the countries and within their own domains in authorized areas of activity. The investments made must have sufficient support and security and the host country must provide the necessary facilities and incentives for the investors actively working in its territory. The aforementioned bill was approved in the Joint Economic and Financial Affairs and Cooperatives Commission.

BFN [Telephone interview with Dr. Nabil Sha'th, 'Arafat's political, adviser, in Gaza, by Ya'aqov Ahime'ir from the weekly "Popolitiqa" talk show -- live, in English] [Excerpts] [Ahime'ir] In a few years you will learn to read the Hebrew press, the Hebrew newspapers in Israel, but maybe you saw the headline of the newspaper YEDI'OT AHARONOT speaking about Saudi pressure on 'Arafat. The item says that 'Arafat will have no control over the holy places, the sacred placed in Jerusalem. What is your reaction to this news? [Sha'th] No, I really have no evidence at all that there is Saudi pressure on us to do anything. The Saudis are gradually building up their support for us. You know, after the Gulf war there was a period of strained relations and now they have come back to be supporters, and really increasing to a great extent and improving their relations with us. [Ahime'ir] I see. Do they assist you financially? [Sha'th] Yes, in the last Paris meeting they gave us $10 million for the urgent recurrent expenses and they have already raised their level of contribution to $62 million for this year. [Ahime'ir] Dr. Sha'th, do you think that all the Arabs, all the Muslims in the Muslim, world agree that 'Arafat will have control on the holy places in Jerusalem, Christian and Islamic sites in Jerusalem? [Sha'th] The Christian and Islamic sites in Jerusalem are, of course, important for all Muslims and Christians in the world. But, once there is going to be a Palestinian responsibility in East Jerusalem, that responsibility should and will include protection of these holy sites. During the years, 1,000 years or more of Muslim control of these areas, both Christian and Muslim sites were protected by whoever ruled Jerusalem. [Ahime'ir] And not necessarily by 'Arafat or by the PLO. [Sha'th] Well, the PLO will have control of East Jerusalem only when, after the permanent negotiations, it will be agreed to do so. If as a result of the permanent negotiations there will be an independent Palestinian state and East Jerusalem its capital, then he will have full control. But this is now awaiting the permanent settlement. [passage omitted] [Ahime'ir] Mr. Sha'th, when will Chairman 'Arafat arrive in Jericho or in Gaza? [Sha'th] This is one of those difficult things to predict. He has kept it up till now a secret. I really don't know. I think he probably, I am sure, will tell us a few days before his arrival so that everybody will prepare. But, up till now he has not given that signal. [Ahime'ir] Do you think that he will come to Jericho or to Gaza this month? [Sha'th] I had been predicting so. In fact, I have been telling people that, but this might not happen. It all depends on his schedule. [Ahime'ir] My last question: When do you personally expect to visit Jerusalem? [Sha'th] Well, I want to come to Jerusalem as soon as possible. I don't want my coming to Jerusalem to be a problem to anybody. This visit is of a highly personal nature. I think Jerusalem is the most beautiful city in the world and I would like to come and see it again. I have not been in Jerusalem since 1948 actually, and I have so many friends to visit. I would like to go to the al-Aqsa Mosque, but I'll do it in due course. [passage omitted]

BFN [Telephone interview with Dr. Nabil Sha'th, "official in charge of planning and international cooperation in the Palestinian National Authority Council", in Gaza; by Ashraf 'Abd-al-'Aziz, in Cairo; date not given; from the "Dialogue From Afar" program -- recorded] ['Abd-al-'Aziz] What are the real reasons that made you cancel your visit to Jerusalem, which was planned for yesterday? [Sha'th] Actually, there were two reasons. First, I had to return to Gaza to handle some issues, which would have made my trip to Jerusalem very short and I like to have enough time to see Jerusalem. Also I must add that the mere announcement of my trip to Jerusalem caused an enormous uproar in Israeli rightist circles and maybe in some Israeli Government circles. I was told that there were threats and there would be disturbances if I went to Jerusalem and that this would require my protection by 1,000 Israeli policemen. I do not want to go to Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli policemen and this was another reason for postponing my visit to a later date. ['Abd-al-'Aziz] You had talks in Jericho yesterday with members of the Palestinian side. What happened in these talks? [Sha'th] In fact, Jericho City differs from Gaza and this should be noted clearly. In Gaza, the Israeli forces left the greater part of the Gaza Strip, which is populated by one million people who never see an Israeli and are not subjected to any friction with the Israeli authorities. Gaza is rife with security and peace. As for Jericho, the Israeli authorities are almost besieging the city and a number of roadblocks delay movement between the two parts of Jericho--Jericho and Nizzana. I spent a whole hour forcing the Israeli roadblock to open to let me pass along the main road between Jericho and Nizzana. I traveled by road to Allenby Bridge to be sure myself of what I had been told. Indeed, I became certain that the Israeli authorities prevent trucks and tourist buses from entering Jericho. This means that 1,200 tourists are barred from Jericho every day, which actually means an economic catastrophe for this small city. When they set up roadblocks between Jericho and Nizzana, they bar agricultural goods from entering the market, which also means catastrophe. The situation in Jericho is very worrying, because the Israeli authorities there are not implementing the agreement we had signed and are implementing it only in Gaza. The aim of my trip to Jericho was to acquaint myself first hand with these problems and to forward my demands to the Israeli leadership and say that things cannot go on like this in Jericho. I also spent the night with the liberated brothers whom the Israeli forces kept in Jericho City wrongly and in violation of the agreement. I visited all places to learn first hand how we can avert these problems so that Jericho can enjoy the same freedom, dignity, and security which Gaza enjoys. ['Abd-al-'Aziz] I have in front of me a statement in which you accuse Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin of committing flagrant violations of the peace accord that he signed with the PLO. How true is this statement? [Sha'th] Yes, the statement is true and I said that they prevented me from going to Allenby Bridge and Nizzana City which is an inseparable part of the Jericho area. I experienced these violations first-hand. The agreement does not give them the right to set up any roadblocks between Jericho and Nizzana or between Jericho and Allenby Bridge. It does not give them the right to besiege Jericho and prevent the entry of vegetables or tourists to the city, nor the right to an economic (?blockade) and strangulation of the city. There are also other violations; they are behind in the issue of the prisoners, which I have mentioned. They should have released 5,000 by now and there are still about 1,000 who have not been released. They have withdrawn on time and the Palestinian police forces also entered on time but there are other violations that have to be stopped immediately if we want the peace process to advance and succeed. ['Abd-al-'Aziz] What about Palestinian President Yasir 'Arafat's return to the Palestinian territories? [Sha'th] There are many considerations governing this and we hope he will be among us soon. But frankly, after visiting Jericho, I join those who advocate the postponement of his arrival until these problems have been resolved. I cannot imagine President 'Arafat facing what I saw with my own eyes in Jericho today. Of course, 'Arafat's trip will not be limited to Gaza and he is bound to go to Jericho. We have to solve these problems, face these Israeli violations, and tell the Israelis that they should rectify the situation. The entire world and the Israelis themselves must see that the situation has been corrected if they want this process to be a success. Once we resolve these problems, I believe that the arrival of brother Abu-'Ammar [Yasir 'Arafat] will be desirable from all aspects.

BFN Jericho, West Bank, June 20 (AFP) -- The Israeli army denied passage for a few hours to senior Palestinian official Nabil Sha'th at a checkpoint in the self-rule enclave of Jericho on Monday [20 June]. Sha'th, who carries the portfolio of minister of international cooperation in the new Palestinian Authority, was let through later in the day after he contacted Amnon Shahaq, Israel's deputy chief of staff. "Someone irresponsible thought of stopping me," Sha'th told reporters after meeting Palestinian security officials and foreign diplomats at police headquarters here. "This is totally unacceptable to Palestinians and to the (Israeli-Palestinian) agreement. "They have no right to stop us between Jericho and al-'Awja or between Jericho and the West Bank. This is against the agreement, how can they do that in peace time?" Sha'th was stopped at a checkpoint on the edge of Jericho, heading for the Arab village of al-'Awja, at the northern edge of the Palestinian self-rule enclave. He returned to the town. The main road between the checkpoint and al-'Awja is not part of the autonomous territory and crosses a Jewish settlement. However, it is patrolled by joint Israeli and Palestinian forces. Sha'th echoed a complaint voiced by other Palestinian officials that the Israeli army regularly bars entry to tourist buses. Around midday, Sha'th headed back from police HQ for al-'Awja and drove through the checkpoint in a convoy headed by an Israeli security van, part of a joint force with two Palestinian security vehicles. At al-'Awja, the Israeli van pulled up outside the village as Sha'th went in to visit a youth center.

BFN [Unattributed report: "Security Adviser to Palestinian President Tells AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT: Israel Obstructing 'Arafat's Speedy Return to Self-Rule Area"] Amman, AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT -- A senior PLO official has accused Israel of putting obstacles in the way of President 'Arafat's return to the self-rule area in a fitting manner that preserves the national dignity of the Palestinians and their president. Mamduh Nawfal, security adviser to President 'Arafat, told AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT over the telephone from his residence in Tunis: The Israelis have been notified of the date set for the Palestinian leadership's return to the homeland. It is the end of the month or the beginning of next month. But the Israeli side is still refusing to respond to a number of Palestinian requests, first and foremost the evacuation of the Israeli Army from the crossing points to be used by the president's motorcade, not subjecting any of the leaders accompanying him to inspection, and lifting the ban on the completion of the small airfield in Jericho. The second point concerns approving the list of the 1,000 leadership and administration personnel making up the main bulk of the national administration's institutions, and the president's advisers and their offices. As for the third point representing an obstacle, that is that Israeli leaders are refusing to open up the Gaza and Jericho areas to the residents of the occupied West Bank to express their happiness and celebrate the entry of their historic leadership. Nawfal pointed out that Israel has not changed many of the ways in which it deals with the Palestinians, and there is a delay in implementing the agreements concerning the release of the other prisoners and detainees, alleviating the hardship of residents of the other occupied towns and villages, and reducing the Army's and settlers' close contact with local residents. Nawfal denied Israeli reports that he has entered the Gaza Strip to prepare a security plan for President 'Arafat's protection during his entry into his homeland. He said: "There are various agencies currently carrying out this task in Gaza and Jericho. When these procedures are completed, in addition to the removal of the Israeli obstacles I mentioned, we will all leave Tunisian territory with the president." On filling the six seats in the Palestinian Authority Council, Nawfal said: "Consultations have reached their final stages, and all the names of the council's members will be announced 72 hours before the president's and leadership's return to the homeland." Nawfal said that the delay in announcing the full list of the council is not an obstacle to or a cause of the postponement of the Palestinian leadership's return to the self-rule area.

BFN Yasir 'Amr, who will be in charge of the education portfolio in the autonomy authority, crossed into Jericho via the Allenby Bridge this morning. Our correspondent Moti Amir reports that he is the second member of the autonomy authority to arrive in Jericho in the last two days. 'Amr was preceded by Muhammad al-Nashashibi, who will be in charge of economic affairs. Yasir 'Amr met with General Isma'il al-Hajj, the military commander of the area, and later left for the offices of Sa'ib 'Urayqat who is also a member of the autonomy authority.

BFN [Unattributed report: "Palestinian Police Commander in Gaza Tells AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT: I Have Not Misused Police Funds or Violated 'Arafat Instructions"] Tunis, AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT -- Major General Nasr Yusuf, commander of the Palestinian police forces in Gaza, has strongly denied what some quarters said recently, namely that he has misused the funds allocated for Palestinian policemen's salaries, and that he has violated the instructions conveyed to him by Palestinian ambassador to Cairo Zuhdi al-Qidrah in this connection. Maj. Gen. Yusuf, who met in Tunis yesterday with Palestinian President Yasir 'Arafat, who had summoned him to Tunis, stressed to AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT that 'Arafat was keen to pay the policemen their allowances to face the high cost of living and the difficult economic conditions in Gaza and Jericho. Maj. Gen. Yusuf, who was accompanied to Tunis by his assistant Brigadier Ziyad al-Atrash, added that he submitted to President 'Arafat, with whom he met yesterday separately, a comprehensive assessment of the previous stage and the present security conditions in the National Authority area. He stressed that "we are going to adopt a new approach for the next stage." He declined to give any details about the nature of this approach. Maj. Gen. Yusuf expressed his utmost discontent at and regret for the accusations made recently by prominent figures like Faysal al-Husayni and Jamil al-Tarifi with regard to what they termed a "Gaza-Jericho agreement for detainees." He described these claims as "absolutely untrue." He added: "We regret that some of the brothers who participated in all stages of the negotiations, and who have full knowledge of the details, are ignoring this reality and accusing us of concluding agreements with Israel which are not final." He said that he and Ziyad al-Atrash had not signed a single letter with Israel, and that what some quarters have said is untrue. He said: "We are implementing an agreement, not conducting negotiations. We are liaison committees tasked with implementing an agreement signed by the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships. We are eager to secure credibility for the leadership by implementing what has been signed." Maj. Gen. Yusuf stressed that he had not signed any documents regarding detainees, and that the clauses concerning detainees are stipulated in the Palestinian-Israeli agreement signed on 4 May in Cairo. So "we have not signed any agreement on the detainees, nor have we been dragged into any negotiations with Israel in this connection. If that had been the case, we would have asked the leadership to do that. But we are field officers whose work is based on the field implementation of the agreement on the ground." Concluding his statement, Maj. Gen. Yusuf stressed that he is going to return to his work in Gaza and Jericho in the next two days, refuting the rumors circulating in Tunis to the effect that 'Arafat is going to replace the police forces commander.

BFN [Unattributed report: "Palestinian Police Commander Tells AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT: I Requested Watch on Official in Charge of Preventive Security in Jericho"] [Excerpt] Tunis, AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT -- Major General Nasr Yusuf, commander of the Palestinian police in the self-rule area, has confirmed that he has asked Hajj Isma'il Jabr, police commander in the Jericho area, to watch the actions of Jibril al-Rujub, official in charge of preventive security in the city, and to verify the information received by him about Jibril al-Rujub. However, in a statement to AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT, he denied ordering the arrest of al-Rujub, and pointed out that reports of excesses committed by him are being investigated. [passage omitted]

BFN Amman -- The PLO has received 20 vehicles as a gift from the State of Qatar to the self-rule authority. Informed Palestinian sources in Amman have said that the customs transactions of these vehicles have been completed at the Jordanian Customs Department. These vehicles will be shipped to the autonomous areas to be used by the Palestinian police force.

BFN Cairo, 19 Jun (MENA) -- The British Embassy in Cairo will hand over equipment valued at over one-half million [Egyptian] pounds to the Palestinian police tomorrow. Designed to be used in Gaza and Jericho, the equipment will be delivered to the Egyptian town of Rafah. A statement by the embassy today said that the equipment is part of the assistance program of 105 million dollars, about 250 million Egyptian pounds, which, during his visit to Gaza early this year, Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd promised to the Palestinians over a three-year period. The statement said that Britain will also contribute 20 percent of the 50 million Sterling pounds, 250 million Egyptian pounds, earmarked by the European Union for development projects.

BFN Palestinians today demonstrated near the settlement of Netzarim in the Gaza Strip. Sami Abu-Samahdanah and a Fatah Hawks group, including the Abu-Sittah brothers who are suspected of having murdered settler Uri Megidish at the time, today blocked off the Netzarim junction and did not allow settlers' vehicles to cross through. Our correspondent Shlomi Eldar reports that Abu-Samahdanah organized the demonstration in protest against fire which he claimed was directed at him from Netzarim last night. He asked for the Palestinian police's intervention and filed a complaint with the Israeli-Palestinian liaison office. The demonstrators reopened the junction only after a senior Palestinian police officer promised he would take action to safeguard Palestinians moving near Jewish settlements. The Netzarim settlers and the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] spokesman deny that shots were fired from Netzarim yesterday.

BFN Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 21 (AFP) -- The Palestinian police have arrested four PLO guerrillas, two on charges of killing a Jewish settler last year, according to a group of dissident fighters. Two cousins, 'Amr and Raja' Abu-Sittah, are accused by Israel of murdering a Gaza settler on March 8, 1993. "We appeal to the Palestinian authority to release those who our enemies want to kill," said the Abu-al-Rish group, named in memory of a guerrilla killed by the Israelis after he laid down his weapons for autonomy. The small group is made up of fighters from the Hawks of Fatah, the mainstream PLO movement, who decided to pursue the armed struggle. "Even though none of our men has carried out any acts or crimes against the peace process, the Palestinian police has arrested 'Amr and Raja' Abu-Sitta without reason, as well as 'Ali Al-Dali et 'Abda-al-Salam Al-Qasaf," the group said in a statement. "It is a crime to arrest any one who gave his life for the homeland, who resisted occupation with all his strength. We demand their release." The Abu-Sittas enlisted in the new police force in May but walked out before the end of the month claiming they were not protected against Israeli agents who wanted to kill them.

BFN [Excerpts] Some 6,000 Palestinian prisoners serving sentences in Israeli prisons and IDF [Israel Defense Forces] lock-up facilities have declared a hunger strike starting tomorrow and until further notice to protest the fact that they are not being released from jail. The leaders of the prisoners called on the inhabitants of the territories to boycott the celebrations for Yasir 'Arafat's arrival and to hoist black flags on the day of his visit in solidarity with the prisoners. Our correspondent Moti Amir reports: [Begin Amir recording] The Palestinian prisoners decided to overtly fight the Israeli decision not to release them from jail and to protest the way Palestinian leaders have been dealing with their case. The leaders of the prisoners announced through the Palestinian Prisoner Club in Bethlehem that all the prisoners will go on a hunger strike tomorrow and called on the inhabitants of the territories to help them in their struggle. 'Isa Karaki, head of the club, said the relatives of the prisoners will stage a demonstration outside the gates of the al-Aqsa camp in Jericho this coming Friday in solidarity with the prisoners. He added that the prisoners, including Fatah members, called on the inhabitants of the territories not to take part in the celebrations the day of 'Arafat's visit to Jericho, which may take place on 2 July. [passage omitted] It should be noted that at least 1,300 Palestinian prisoners were given the choice to get out of prison by virtue of the Gaza-Jericho agreement, but they refused to sign a declaration that they recognize the agreement and undertake not to use violence against the peace process. [end recording]

BFN Palestine Ambassador to Jordan al-Tayyib 'Abd-al-Rahim, who is minister of presidential affairs in the Palestinian National Authority, has welcomed the progress achieved so far on the Jordanian track in the peace process. He said what was achieved represents a Jordanian accomplishment and commitment to what had been agreed upon between Arab parties involved in the peace process. Mr. 'Abd-al-Rahim denied that negotiation on each track would lead to isolating one Arab party and leave Israel capable of imposing its conditions on it. He said such reasoning is not correct because there are constants and each Arab side seeks just and comprehensive peace. He added: No final peace treaties before each track solves issues related to it. He said what has been achieved on the Jordanian track supports the Palestinian track, stressing accumulative achievements on each track constitute support for the other tracks. Mr. 'Abd-al-Rahim explained that achieving progress on the Jordanian track would generate further breakthroughs on the Palestinian track and would push the Syrian and Lebanese track forward. The Palestinian official said the progress on the Jordanian track spurred underway international efforts for scoring progress on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. He paid tribute to Jordan's support of the Palestinian side in the field of deepening the Palestinian track and crystallizing the Palestinian identity.

BFN [Report by Shim'on Schiffer and Dani Shaqed] [Excerpt] The Saudi authorities have clarified to Yasir 'Arafat in no uncertain terms that the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem are not the PLO's property but that of the entire Arab nation, with Saudi Arabia as its center. This is the reason 'Arafat is delaying his arrival in Jericho, as prior to the Saudis' issuing their warning, 'Arafat had stated on several occasions that after visiting Jericho, he would undertake a prayer pilgrimage to the Muslim holy sites on the Temple Mount. This declaration alarmed the Saudi authorities, who feared that 'Arafat would try to create "facts on the ground," and consequently they decided to put him in his place. [passage omitted]

BFN Ibrahim Ghawshah, spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, reiterated in Damascus today his objection to the agreements signed recently between Israel and the Palestinians and between Israel and Jordan. He said: We reject the defeatist policy that began in Madrid, Oslo, and Cairo and ended now in Amman, because these policies aim at relinquishing the rights and lands of the Palestinian people. Ghawshah made this statement before the meeting of the 10 Palestinian factions that oppose the self-rule agreement. Palestinian sources said the conferees will discuss in this meeting the situation in the self-rule territories and in all territories still under occupation.

BFN Gaza, QUDS PRESS -- A Palestinian media official has said Palestinian radio and television will begin experimental transmissions on the first of July. The radio will temporarily transmit six to eight hours daily and television about four hours daily. Engineer Hisham Makki, general coordinator of radio and television in the Gaza Strip, said Palestinian President Yasir 'Arafat has agreed to a request by Radwan Abu-'Ayyash, official in charge of the radio and television corporation, to use the Palestinian police building as a temporary office for the corporation. He added that one temporary studio for radio transmissions and another for the production of light television programs are being built in coordination with the Jericho municipality. He said Abu-'Ayyash has received donations from Arab and foreign countries in the form of equipment and funds. Germany, he said, offered to build a small studio and to pay the salaries of 15-30 persons working in it for one year. In a statement to QUDS PRESS, Makki, who had earlier worked for television stations in Jordan, Abu Dhabi, and Morocco, said experimental transmissions will begin on 1 July. He added that a questionnaire has been distributed among the citizens in the occupied Arab territories to determine transmission times suitable for them. He said work at the radio and television corporation will be governed by the need to safeguard principles, ethics, religion, and the Islamic creed. He added: The television will be the property of all the Palestinian people, as well as their mirror. It will not belong to any party and will be open for participation by all qualified and experienced parties. He said cultural, social, and political programs, as well as family programs and everything that pertains to the Palestinian affairs will be presented. Makki said he intends to prepare a program called "The Vigil Eye" to be presented by the public relations and moral guidance department of the Palestinian national security forces. The program will deal with police news and include reportage on their work as well as interviews. It will also deal with the conditions of prisoners. He emphasized that Palestinian television, in cooperation with the second channel of the French television, will cover the special occasion of PLO Chairman Yasir 'Arafat's arrival in the self-rule areas, under the name of the Palestinian Radio and Television Corporation.

BFN The Bank of Israel has granted permission for the first Palestinian bank to operate in Ramallah. Our economic affairs correspondent Menahem Friedman reports that it will be called The Commercial Bank of Palestine, and will join the four other banks -- two Jordanian and two Israeli -- operating in the territories.

BFN This morning, the chairman of the Jordanian state bank board of directors attended the opening ceremony of the bank's Nabulus branch, which came in the footsteps of the first branch opened in Ramallah some time ago. Our correspondent Moti Amir reports that the Bank of Jordan's [preceding three words in English] Nabulus branch employs 40 people, and it will trade in shekels, dinars, and foreign currency, under Bank of Israel supervision for the time being.

BFN Cairo, 21 Jun (MENA) -- Following his meeting with President Mubarak today, Yemeni Presidential Council Member 'Abd-al-'Aziz 'Abd-al-Ghani expressed his pleasure, noting that he had conveyed a message to President Mubarak from Lieutenant General 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih on the present situation in Yemen and bilateral ties, which he described as strong and solid. The Yemeni official hoped the Yemeni problems would remain among the Yemenis alone. If foreign intervention stops, we will be better able to solve the Yemeni problems through dialogue, he said, noting that there was a dialogue for nine months before military operations broke out. He added that the Yemeni Government is prepared to continue that dialogue and stop all military operations, provided that the other side stops and abides by the cease-fire. 'Abd-al-Ghani pointed out that the Yemeni Government has repeatedly announced a cease-fire, but the other side has always violated it and not respected it. He reiterated his country's compliance with the UN Security Council resolution, affirming that they are doing their utmost to facilitate the mission of the UN Secretary General's envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi. He added that his government has voiced its readiness to cooperate with all the parties in stopping the fighting in the Republic of Yemen and its readiness to sit with the other side in any place in the Republic of Yemen to resolve the present situation peacefully. Asked to comment on the recent U.S. statement on the situation in Yemen, he said: We have always abided by the cease-fire and are prepared to stop fighting immediately if the other side complies. We are also prepared to sit at the negotiating table within the framework of legitimacy and the Republic of Yemen, he added. Responding to a question on north Yemen's position on the presence of UN observers, the Yemeni president's envoy said that the UN Security Council resolution does not provide for the presence of international observers. He said: To spare the blood of the Yemeni people, we suggested to the UN secretary general's envoy the enhancement of the role of the Military Committee that was formed by Yemenis in the past, and which included the Sultanate of Oman, Jordan, and the U.S. and French military attaches in Sanaa. We are willing to expand this committee in order to work for a cease-fire through it. That committee, which is actually in existence, can monitor the suspension of military operations until a cease-fire is enforced, he said. 'Abd-al-'Aziz 'Abd-al-Ghani thanked President Mubarak and big sister Egypt for its constant efforts to stop the loss of Arab blood and for its eagerness to establish peace and stability in Yemen and the entire Arab region. Asked whether it is possible to hold a referendum on unity in south Yemen, the presidential envoy said that unity was established by popular decision and that such a referendum was conducted under the umbrella of the multiparty system and political pluralism. Noting that the results of the referendum reflected support for unity by an overwhelming majority, he said that "the secessionists are a few who do not represent Yemen and want to impose secession by force." The Yemeni envoy added that it is up to the Yemeni people to decide. Had the Yemeni people not protected unity, it would not have existed in its present form, as represented by the legitimate forces' control over most of the country. He emphasized that these forces are capable of silencing "the rebels" wherever they might be and settling the matter militarily if they want. "But they do not want to shed more blood," he said. In an implicit reference to Aden, 'Abd-al-Ghani accused the other side of striking at vital installations and petroleum establishments. The last thing they did was bombard the trade center in Mocha and the adjacent city, which led to the martyrdom of 17 persons and the injury of more than 30 persons, he said. Commenting on President Mubarak's ideas during the meeting that continued for well over two hours, the Yemeni envoy said: President Mubarak put forward valuable and useful ideas that all focused on stopping the bloodshed and turning to dialogue. I will convey these ideas to President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih. Stating that he would convey the message fully to President Salih, 'Abd-al-Ghani expressed his optimism that the ideas President Mubarak put forward would have a positive impact in the future. We hope all Arab brothers will help us stop fighting and sit at the negotiating table. They can also help us by refraining from interfering politically in the problem, either by Arabizing or internationalizing the issue, he stressed. Touching on the role of the Arab League, the Yemeni envoy said: We are against subjecting any internal Yemeni affair to discussion at an Arab or international forum, because the League's Constitution does not entitle it to look into the internal affairs of any state. Yemen is a founder of the Arab League and a signatory of its Charter, he said, adding: We have explained that this issue is none of the League's business. We are not belittling the League; we are respecting its Charter, he said, stating that the UN Charter as well does not entitle the organization to look into states' internal affairs.

BFN Cairo, 21 Jun (MENA) -- 'Abd-al-'Aziz 'Abd-al-Ghani, member of North Yemen's Presidential Council, left Cairo for Damascus this morning after a two-day visit to Cairo. During the visit, he conveyed to President Husni Mubarak a message from Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih on the current situation in the region and bilateral relations.

BFN Cairo, 20 Jun (MENA) -- Today the Military Prosecutor's Office demanded the death penalty for defendants number one to five in the case pertaining to the attempted assassination of Interior Minister Hasan al-Alfi. There are 17 defendants in the case, two of them fugitives. The first five defendants have been named as Muhammad Rashad 'Abd-al-Hamid Hijazi, Muhammad 'Abd-al-'Alim Muhammad Khalifah, Mas'ud al-'Arif Ibrahim, Tariq Ahmad 'Abd-al- Hamid, and Usamah Muhammad Rashad (a fugitive). The prosecution also demanded stiff penalties for the remaining defendants in the case. The representative of the Military Prosecutor's Office told the court that the defendants attempted to kill Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif three times, they made two attempts on the life of Interior Minister Hasan al-Alfi, and they tried to assassinate UN Secretary General Dr. Butrus-Ghali. The prosecution reviewed the facts pertaining to the establishment of the organization to which the defendants belong, the criminal conspiracy they concluded, and the training they undertook in the use of weapons and explosives. The prosecution said that the defendants received large sums of money from abroad, they provided the banks through which the funds were transferred with false names. They used the money thus received to rent apartments and to purchase vehicles and plots of land on which to build hideouts, weapons, and explosives. The representative of the Military Prosecutor's Office said that the defendants have been divided into two groups. Defendants number one through nine are in the first group and defendants number ten through seventeen are in the second. He said the members of the first group were recruited by the terrorists Nazih Nushi Rashid and 'Adil 'Awad Siyam. Rashid was killed during the attack on the interior minister and Siyam was recently killed in a police ambush in Cairo's al-Munib area. He added that the organization's members purchased a tract of land in Bilbays in al-Sharqiyah Governorate where they built a hideout with cells for holding Egyptian and foreign hostages. They bought a plot of land on the Suez road to build another hideout. Their hideouts were mainly found in al-Jizah area and Bilbays in al-Sharqiyah Governorate. The representative of the Military Prosecutor's Office told the court that the defendants gave their own interpretations of some of the Koran's chapters and sayings of the prophet in a way that agreed with their ideology, which is based on murder, accusing the head of state and his aides of apostasy, and seeking to overthrow the government by force. He affirmed that Islamic shari'ah does not approve of their ideology, which advocates murder, bombings, and the killing of innocent men, women, and children. The prosecutor said that the first terrorist act they carried out was the murder of a dissident member called 'Adil Anwar. They ambushed him in front of his house. After that they planted an explosive device at the al-Jazirah Youth Center in order to kill several police officers during their daily physical training session. He added that when they tried to kill the interior minister, they rigged a motorcycle with explosives. The explosion caused the death of two members of the organization, Diya' Mahmud Hafiz and Nushi Rashid. The prosecutor related how they killed Ahmad Yahya, the first witness in the case pertaining to the attempt on the prime minister's life, in a car showroom. He explained how the defendants stole a Fiat 128 from in front of a church in al-Fajjalah and used it in the murder attack on Ahmad Yahya. Later the terrorist 'Adil 'Awad Siyam was killed in the same car in al-Munib area. The prosecutor pointed out that the second group of defendants concluded a criminal conspiracy with the first group and provided them with weapons and ammunition for their operations. They also supplied them with cylinders to build explosive devices. The prosecutor told the court: In this case we are not discussing a particular ideology or putting a system of thought on trial. We are examining concrete facts comprising criminal conspiracy to commit premeditated murders, membership of an illegal group with the aim of carrying out assassinations, and possession of weapons, explosives, and forged documents. The Military Court adjourned the case until 25 June when the defense counsel will sum up the case.

BFN The National Dialogue Preparatory Committee issued a report today listing its proposals and recommendations for the National Dialogue General Congress. Specifying the national, legitimate groups that President Husni Mubarak will invite to attend the congress, the committee recommended inviting representatives of the political parties, the People's Assembly and Consultative Council, professional associations, the General Labor Federation, specialized national councils, the universities, university faculty clubs, the media, writers, research centers, and scientific research institutes; individuals who have won state prizes; women's and popular societies; and people concerned with children's, youth, and sports affairs. The Preparatory Committee also recommended that representatives of the following groups be invited: student federations, local government councils, chambers of commerce, industrial federations, banks, economists, agricultural cooperatives, and people concerned with family planning and the anti-illiteracy campaign. It also recommended inviting a group of public figures and cabinet members. The Preparatory Committee recommended that every political party be represented by four members, one of whom would be the party leader. Regarding the working method and the organization of the National Dialogue General Congress, the Preparatory Committee recommended that the congress should meet to approve the committee's recommendations and then divide itself into three main committees: the Political Committee, the Social and Cultural Committee, and the Economic Committee. Every congress member would choose the committee he would like to join. He would list this as his first choice, and then another committee as his second. The National Dialogue Preparatory Committee recommended that every political party should have the right to attend the meetings of any of the three major committees. Every committee would then elect a moderator who would organize the debates and the committee's work. The Preparatory Committee stated that the moderator of each committee should have the right to summon any official to appear before it in line with the committee's request. The Preparatory Committee proposed that the National Dialogue General Congress should have an office staff consisting of its Moderator General, appointed by President Husni Mubarak, the elected moderators of the three committees, and three other members to be selected by the president from among the leaders and representatives of the political parties participating in the congress. The office staff would oversee the activities of the congress. Concerning the issues that the congress will debate, the Preparatory Committee decided that the Political Committee would discuss the revision and amendment of the law pertaining to the exercise of political rights, the fight against extremism and terrorism, and the revision and amendment of the law organizing the powers and responsibilities of the Socialist Prosecutor. The Preparatory Committee recommended that bills under discussion and the draft general budget should be submitted to the Consultative Council prior to their discussion by the People's Assembly. This would be in line with the recent tendency to give legislative powers to the Consultative Council, which would mean adopting a two-chamber system when discussing and passing bills. With regard to the economy, the Preparatory Committee recommended that the National Dialogue General Congress debate issues pertaining to continuing the economic reform process toward the attainment of a market economy, while at the same time specifying the state's role in this transformation. The Preparatory Committee recommended the elimination of all obstacles hindering economic development and investment. It called for providing backing for cooperatives and encouraging the citizens to participate in industrial and agricultural economic development plans. The Preparatory Committee's report stressed the importance of paying more attention to exports, regarding this as a strategic objective. It urged combating deviant practices, economic corruption, and the theft of public wealth. It recommended greater backing for domestic industry and agriculture vis-a-vis foreign competition. The National Dialogue Preparatory Committee recommended that the Social and Cultural Committee debate the future of education in Egypt, the anti-illiteracy campaign, population affairs and family planning, and human health. The committee emphasized the need to confront violence, fanaticism, and terrorism. It called for developing rural areas and creating a balance between them and urban areas.

BFN The process of identifying participants in the self-determination referendum in Western Sahara has been postponed until further notice. The reason for the postponement is Morocco's refusal to allow observers from the Organization of African Unity to attend that process.

BFN An IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldier was killed, a second soldier sustained moderate wounds, and two others were lightly injured this afternoon by terrorist fire directed at an IDF unit in south Lebanon. Our Army affairs correspondent Yariv Ben-Yehuda reports: [Begin recording] [Ben-Yahuda] Sergeant No'am Simha, 21, from Kibbutz Rosh Haniqra was killed this afternoon in south Lebanon. Three other soldiers were wounded, one moderately and two lightly. The casualties were soldiers in the Nahal Brigade who were part of a convoy that was making its way to the outpost at Beaufort Castle. The supply convoy consisted of a water tanker, several trucks, and armored personnel carriers. The road leading to the outpost is very steep, rising 700 meters above sea level. Before they reached the outpost, when most of the unit was making its way on foot, the terrorists fired antitank Sagger missiles and mortar bombs at the convoy and the outpost. One of the soldiers was killed by a missile and three others were wounded, one moderately and two lightly. Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin reacted to the incident, saying it was a painful incident but did not mean an exacerbation of the tension on the northern border. [Rabin] Unfortunately there was an incident, but this is not an exacerbation of the situation. I cannot say that it deviates from other incidents to date, only that the outcome is more painful. [end recording]

BFN The South Lebanese Army [SLA] positions in al-Nabi Tahir and Kafr Tibnit came under artillery fire from the terrorists' positions in the vicinity of the Kafr Tibnit township around 1100 today. The shelling did not cause any casualties. The Israeli and the SLA artillery retaliated and silenced the fire.

BFN This afternoon, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] directed artillery fire at targets in the northern part of the security zone's central sector. This morning, targets between al-Nabatiyah and Jazzin were shelled. Beirut Radio reported that Israeli planes flew over al-Nabatiyah and Iqlim al-Tuffah. Our correspondent was told that several katyusha rockets and mortar shells landed near al-Mansuriyah in the eastern sector.

BFN [Editorial report] Beirut AL-'AHD in Arabic devotes its entire 3 June 15-page issue to the Israeli air raids against a Hizballah training camp in Ba'labakk on 2 June. On page 2, the paper publishes the names of 26 people killed and 40 wounded in the raids. On page 3, AL-'AHD publishes an approximately 1,000-word statement issued by Hizballah in the wake of the Israeli raids. The statement says that "the Zionist enemy, backed militarily, politically, and morally by global arrogance, is waging a vicious war against our homeland, people, livelihood, and waters." The statement adds that "the enemy has been using the so-called peace negotiations as a way to undermine our society and nation. While America, the archsatan and the Zionists' principal ally, is demanding that in the name of negotiations and peace the Arabs and Muslims give up their mainstays of power and lay down their arms in return for eliminating the sources of tension--as Washington puts it--America at the same time declares its commitment to maintain the Zionist enemy's superiority and defend its security. Washington's objective is to destroy our nation and the Resistance and plunder our resources." On the same page, the paper publishes an approximately 400-word statement by head of the Hizballah Political Bureau al-Hajj Husayn Khalil commenting on the Israeli raids. Khalil says "the continuing Zionist attacks on our land, people, plantations, and waters-- attacks culminating in the treacherous aggression against Ba'labakk early today--are equivocal evidence that the decision to participate in the peace negotiations was wrong. Everyone realizes that Lebanon's participation in the negotiations continues to give Israel pretexts and excuses to pursue its policy of terrorism. Khalil goes on to say that "all officials, regardless of their positions, are called upon to take a responsible, firm stand toward the deep wound inflicted by the Zionist aggression and to withdraw from the negotiations indefintely." On the same page, AL-'AHD publishes an approximately 450-word eulogy delivered by Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah. After exalting the martyrs, Nasrallah says that "the bestial Zionist aggression today will only increase our reliance on Almighty God and will make us more determined to forge ahead along the road of jihad regardless of sacrifices." On page 4, AL-'AHD publishes the approximately 1,300-word eulogy delivered by Ayatollah Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah in honor of the souls of those who fell as a result of the Israeli raids on Ba'labakk. Fadlallah says: "As Muslims, mujahidin, and oppressed people, we decided there is no place for Israel among us, and that global arrogance will no longer have influence on our positions. Israel might win several rounds, and global arrogance might win several positions, but it is justice that will win in the end." Fadlallah continues that "the United States is a wolf that devours man, peace, and life. We know that every Israeli bullet is in fact an American bullet directed at the chests of the oppressed and the entire people." He adds: "We cannot accept the United States as a friend, no matter how events might develop. The United States will never be a friend of the Arabs and Muslims nor a friend of the oppressed." On page 5, AL-'AHD publishes an approximately 1,500-word analysis by Ja'far Fadlallah on the Israeli aggression and the options to confront it. The writer says that the Israeli enemy "is pursuing a scorched earth policy to force the people to emigrate after losing the sources of their livelihoods and to spread an atmosphere of instability and tension that will create a vacuum." The writer adds that the Israeli enemy "aims to put the blame on the resistance and to instigate divisions and make the people abandon the resistance. This is an old strategy that the Zionist entity has been trying to implement by all means." Fadlallah continues that "the Zionist escalation is aimed at the Lebanese authorities, who would have quickly responded to the contents and conditions of the Zionist message if it had freedom of action. The substance of the message is that reliance on Syrian support will not guarantee protection and internal stability. This is obvious from the fact that the long Zionist arm can penetrate any area in Lebanon." On pages 10 to 13, the paper publishes an approximately 5,500-word selection of reactions by various organizations, officials, and deputies to the Israeli raids on Ba'labakk. The Islamic Revolutionary Army Organization for the Liberation of Palestine [Munazzamat al-jaysh al-thawri al-islami li tahrir Filastin] denounces the aggression and says that "it is confirmation of the Zionist capitulationist negotiations with traitors like 'Arafat and those panting for an illusionary peace with the Zionist entity." The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command says that "the new Zionist aggression is a manifestation of the provisions of the Oslo-Cairo Agreement and is aimed at the forces rejecting the U.S.-Zionist designs of hegemony." The General Secretariat of the Union Party "calls on the Lebanese Government to stop negotiations in view of this continuous aggression." On page 14, AL-'AHD publishes an approximately 400-word report on an interview given by Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Shaykh Na'im Qasim to the BBC's "Other Opinions" program. While denying that Hizballah is holding Israeli pilot Ron Arad, Qasim says: "We have two Israeli soldiers; we do not deny this. They were captured during an Israeli commando operation in the south in 1986, and their names are known."

BFN His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi Sham-al-Din, chairman of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, has stated that the continued occupation of south Lebanon is like having the capital itself occupied, in addition to the Presidential Palace, the Prime Minister's Office, the Chamber of Deputies, and all Christian patriarchial seats in the country. His eminence remarked that he opposes the establishment of an Islamic republic in Lebanon because the country is comprised of Muslims and Christians. He said an Islamic republic would not be conducive to the security of either the Muslim or Christian communities in Lebanon.

BFN The brother leader of the revolution [Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi] met yesterday evening with Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare, who is currently visiting the Great Jamahiriyah. The meeting was attended by: the assistant secretary for women's affairs at the secretariat of the General People's Congress; Mrs. Sy Khadiatou Sow, secretary of the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation; the Malian minister of foreign affairs, Malians abroad, and African integration; the minister for women's affairs; and Moussa Coulibaly, political adviser to the presidency. During this meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop relations in all fields, and also the latest developments in African and international issues of mutual interest.

BFN Kuwait, 18 Jun (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti and French Air Forces began joint exercises here today, code-named "Desert Mirage". These are the first exercises to begin from Ahmad al-Jabir air base since it was rebuilt. French Mirage 2000 aircraft, which arrived in Kuwait yesterday, are taking part in the two-day exercises. These fall in the framework of a joint defense cooperation agreement signed between Kuwait and France, which is aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, raising the fighting capability, and increasing the military competence of the Kuwaiti forces.

BFN [Excerpt] Kuwait, 19 Jun (KUNA) -- Pilot Staff Colonel Nasir al-Hujayl, commander of Ahmad al-Jabir air base, said today that the joint exercise that the Kuwaiti Air Force is conducting with the French Air Force has great importance in raising the Kuwaiti pilot's competence in dog fighting and ground assault. [passage omitted] He pointed out that six "F-18" combat planes took part in the exercise on the Kuwaiti side, while the French participated with four "Mirage 2000" planes. The commander of the base said that the team which took part in this exercise consisted of 60 people, including pilots, technicians, and administrators. He pointed out that the third phase for rebuilding the Ahmad al- Jabir air base, which was destroyed by the Iraqi forces during the period of occupation, would start during the coming months. [passage omitted]

BFN Kuwait, 19 Jun (KUNA) -- Admiral Sir Benjamin Bathurst, British chief of the Naval Staff, will arrive here this evening on a two-day official visit to Kuwait during which he will discuss the issue of Kuwait's security and the joint military exercises with the Kuwaiti officials. The British Embassy in Kuwait said in a statement today, of which KUNA has received a copy, that this visit is a new model for the strong ties between the two Navies which have been strengthened by the principal role played by these forces during the war to liberate the State of Kuwait. The embassy added that this visit confirms the United Kingdom's continued concern for the security of Kuwait. It pointed out that the visiting admiral will discuss the continued rounds of joint military exercises between Kuwaiti military ships and the royal ships of the Armilla Patrol in the Gulf. The forthcoming exercises of these forces are scheduled to take place next September during the visit of HMS Cornwall. During his visit, Admiral Bathurst will meet with Defense Minister Shaykh Ahmad al-Hamud, General 'Ali Mu'min, chief of the general staff, and Dr. Hamud al-'Utaybi, under secretary at the Defense Ministry. Admiral Bathurst will also meet with Commander Muhammad Yaqut al-Fayruz, deputy-commander of the Kuwaiti Navy, during his visit to the naval base in al-Julay'ah. It is worth mentioning that the United States, Britain, France, and Russia have signed defense agreements with Kuwait since the end of the war to liberate the State of Kuwait in February 1991.

BFN [Excerpts] Kuwait, 20 June (KUNA) -- Admiral Sir Benjamin Bathurst, chief of the Naval Staff of the British Royal Navy, said here today that the British presence in the region will continue as long as there is a need for it. He described the Kuwaiti naval base in Ras al-Qulaya'h as "one of the most advanced in the world." Bathurst told a news conference that the aim of his current visit to Kuwait is to continue developing strong ties between the two countries in the defense field, especially in the naval sphere. Bathurst, who is visiting Kuwait as part of a Gulf tour which will include the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates, stressed Britain's strong commitment to continue protecting Arab Gulf security in the future and to continue its military presence as long as the situation requires it. This morning Bathurst met Defense Minister Shaykh Ahmad al-Hamud al-Sabah and Major General 'Ali al-Mu'men [name as received], General Chief of Staff. [passage omitted] The British Royal Navy chief of staff said his talks with Kuwaiti officials concentrated on issues related to Kuwaiti naval forces and Kuwait's intention to buy patrol boats. He stated that the talks also dealt with joint exercises. The British-Kuwaiti exercises, he said, will take place in September. "We have to take every opportunity to carry out joint exercises. I hope that joint exercises with Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states and coalition forces will take place in the future," the British naval commander said. "There was an emphasis on training members of the Kuwaiti naval forces in the United Kingdom. I welcome the presence of members of the Kuwaiti Navy at technical courses, from the highest to the lowest levels." Bathurst clarified that the talks gave him the opportunity to express the United Kingdom's support for Security Council resolutions on sanctions against the Iraqi regime. "The Iraqi Navy still has some capabilities, particularly missiles, which still pose a threat, but the situation will remain under control as long as we are cautious and maintain our presence in the region," Bathurst said. "The United Kingdom will continue to raise the issue of Kuwaiti prisoners at the Security Council." He said the talks also dealt with the conflict in Yemen and stressed Britain's support for Security Council Resolution 924, calling for an immediate cease-fire and the sending of international observers. Bathurst is expected to leave Kuwait for Britain tomorrow morning, ending his Gulf tour. [passage omitted]

BFN Cairo, 20 Jun (MENA) -- The south Yemeni delegation led by Presidential Council member Salim Salih Muhammad left Cairo this afternoon for a tour of the Arab Maghreb, during which it will brief the officials there on the latest developments in Yemen. Muhsin Farid, deputy chairman of the Presidential Council, made the following predeparture statement: We should adopt the necessary measures for establishing an immediate cease-fire in Yemen in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 924. We came here with the knowledge that the brothers in Sanaa were not bringing anything serious with them. Instead, they came to waste time.

BFN Cairo, 20 Jun (MENA) -- Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa has announced that efforts and contacts to conclude a lasting cease-fire in Yemen are continuing. He pointed out that he had met with the UN secretary general's envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, to discuss this issue and added that the contacts that Egypt is conducting seek a cease-fire agreement. The foreign minister continued: "We have not lost hope of reaching a cease-fire agreement." He said that the Yemeni issue is "complicated and requires great efforts." Musa added that a big gap still separates the positions of the warring Yemeni parties and there are several reasons that still preclude an agreement. He said this requires further efforts by Egypt and the United Nations to reach a solution. Musa said he hopes the fighting in Yemen will not escalate in such a way as to harm the prospects of "achieving a breakthrough rather than complicating the matter further". Noting the need to protect the Yemeni citizens in various towns, he said current efforts are concentrating on ending the fighting, and Egypt is contacting the United Nations and other parties for this purpose.

BFN Cairo, 20 Jun (MENA) -- Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN secretary general's envoy to Yemen, left Cairo for the French capital today following a three-day visit to Egypt. During his stay Brahimi met with President Husni Mubarak, Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa, Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid, and two delegations from north and south Yemen.

BFN [Interview with 'Abdallah al-Akwa', spokesman for the north Yemeni delegation visiting Cairo, by Shadiyah Riyad; date not given; from "The Talking Newspaper" program -- recorded] [Riyad] Mr. al-Akwa', Lakhdar Brahimi, envoy of Dr. Butrus-Ghali, has not succeeded in arranging a meeting between the two [north and south Yemeni] sides. Nor has he succeeded in attaining an agreement over a mechanism for observing a cease-fire. Do you see this as a failure of Lakhdar Brahimi's mission? [Al-Akwa'] First of all, I thank you for this interview. In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. I wish to comment on the description given to us as being the Sanaa delegation. We did not come here in the capacity of a delegation representing only Sanaa but as a delegation representing the country's ruling three-party coalition, the General People's Congress, the Yemeni Reform Grouping, and the Yemeni Socialist Party [YSP]. We came to Cairo on this basis and in order to meet with the representatives of the third coalition partner, the YSP. When we arrived, however, we discovered that they were insisting that they represented an independent state. This is of course impractical and unacceptable. [Riyad] 'Abdallah al-Asnaj [foreign minister in south Yemen] has declared that the coalition delegation, as you have described it, has no authority to make decisions. [Al-Akwa'] 'Abdallah al-Asnaj has no justification to say such things. What is the authorization needed to make decisions? When a certain party sends an envoy on a particular mission, this means it gives him powers equal to his mission. [Riyad] 'Abdallah al-Asnaj has remarked that Aden's delegation has the power to make decisions pertaining to a cease-fire. [Al-Akwa'] I wish to say this: He represents a rebellious party and can claim to have power. In actual fact, they always avoid reaching a solution. Formerly when we and they held a political dialogue, I was a member of the political dialogue committee. Whenever we came close to a solution, they provoked disputes and introduced new debates to lead us into an endless maze that would prevent a solution. [Riyad] Why does the fighting continue so fiercely despite the two sides having accepted the idea of dialogue and the UN Security Council resolution which provides for a cease-fire. Sanaa bears the blame for continuing the war, or at least everyone is saying that it is to blame. [Al-'Akwa'] This is a very simple matter. A permanent cease-fire aims to encourage the international community to intervene and disengage the two warring sides. This is the rebels' objective. From the beginning the rebels sought not to solve the crisis or observe a cease-fire in a normal way. They were afraid that if this happened, the citizens would think more about the situation and distance themselves from the rebels' goal, namely seceding by force. Their aim is to continue the fighting and to provoke an international response. They went so far as to attack civilian targets inside Aden in order to claim that the legitimate forces had carried out those attacks. They did this to justify intervention by international troops to disengage the warring parties. They wanted to guarantee their secession. [Riyad] Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa has stated that Egypt stresses the need for observing an immediate cease-fire because continuing the fighting would devour all chances of safeguarding unity. Under the current circumstances, how do you view the future of this unity? [Al-Akwa'] Truly, all the Yemeni people support unity. When we say they are rebels we do not say it just for the sake of making accusations. They claim that they want to secede the south. But they do not represent the south or the wishes of the people of the south. They fail to understand the geographical reality of the south. They are now deployed in extremely small areas. Let's take for example the southern governorates. Lahij is currently under the control of legitimacy; Abyan is also under the control of legitimacy; parts of Shabwah, Aden, and Hadhramaut are under the control of legitimacy. They are deployed in a very small area. They have no popular support. They rely on party forces. They rely on individuals who have received party education. This is evident in the support that the citizens in the southern and eastern governorates give to the legitimate forces. The rebels' forces have been expelled not only by the legitimate army but also by the citizens in those areas, whether in Abyan, Shabwah, Hadhramaut, or Lahij. The security and administrative affairs in the areas that were regained by the legitimate forces are being supervised by their sons and not by the legitimate forces. This is obvious and any person can verify this on the ground. We do not consider our brothers in Egypt as a foreign party. We believe that we have common blood with our brothers in Egypt. Yemeni and Egyptian blood was shed and it watered the Yemeni land to achieve and establish the Yemeni revolution. The revolution's principal objective was to achieve the Yemeni unity. [Riyad] What is the next step now that UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has failed in his mission? [Al-Akwa'] I do not believe that he has failed. [Riyad] But he failed to bring the two sides together, or to achieve a unified formula of a mechanism for halting the fighting. [Al-Akwa'] I am definite that Lakhdar Brahimi has not yet announced that he has failed. It was the rebels' representatives who said that Brahimi has failed. This is because they had built their calculations on this basis -- that Brahimi would fail in his mission. They made the announcement before Brahimi said anything. Brahimi has not failed, but they tried to place obstacles to undermine his mission by insisting that they represent an independent state. If we were prepared to accept them as an independent state, there would have never been a problem or a war. But the problem cropped up when they tried to impose secession and set up an independent state by force. It was the responsibility of the government and the legitimate forces to defend unity. They started to use force to impose secession. [Riyad] Does this mean that the dialogue will continue and that there is hope that an agreement will be reached? [Al-Akwa'] We are interested working out an actual mechanism for a cease-fire. We believe that every day that passes means more blood will be shed and more people will be killed. This will only complicate the issue. Every day that passes means more efforts will be needed to resolve the problem. Therefore, we are very interested in working out a mechanism that could achieve a cease-fire immediately. [Riyad] Thank you. [Al-Akwa'] You are welcome.

BFN [Report by Salih Qallab: "Reports of Disagreements Among Northern Leaders. Hard-Liners Insist on Fighting to the End"] Amman -- A senior Yemeni official has said over the telephone from Sanaa that a sharp disagreement has erupted among senior northern leaders over the mission of the UN secretary general's envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, and the proposal he submitted two days ago to hold a meeting in Cairo between Sanaa and Aden delegations. The official said that the disagreement necessitated holding an emergency meeting under Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih. It was attended by Shaykh 'Abdallah Bin-Husayn al-Ahmar, speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid al-Zindani, and 'Abdallah al-Anisi, representing the Yemeni Reform Grouping [YRG]; and by Dr. 'Abd-al-Karim al-Iryani, Dr. Muhammad Sa'id al-'Attar, and Colonel 'Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar, representing the General People's Congress [GPC]. The official said that a severe disagreement dominated the meeting, and that Dr. al-Iryani was the first speaker, maybe in coordination with President 'Ali Salih. And that he -- that is, al-Iryani -- stressed that Sanaa has tried everything to resolve the situation, and it is impossible for things to continue in this manner forever. According to the Yemeni official, al-Iryani stressed that his country has become isolated and has lost the support of neighboring states and numerous Arab states. And that it has been placed in the category of Iraq and Iraqi President Saddam Husayn -- which will lead it into an unenviable situation. Al-Iryani proposed that President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih personally make an Arab tour to include neighboring states, Egypt, and some other states in order to break what he termed the political siege imposed on Sanaa. He also proposed that southern [as published] deputies make an Arab tour to explain the northern Yemeni capital's view of the ongoing war. The Yemeni official stressed that the YRG leaders -- Shaykh al-Ahmar, 'Abd-al-Wahhab al-Anisi, and Dr. al-Zindani, supported by Col. Muhsin al-Ahmar -- rejected the idea of sending a delegation to Cairo and insisted on continuing the fighting and not responding to the UN mediation. They said that Aden is now in their grasp and that any cease-fire is going to make them lose the military battle after having lost the political battle. The official pointed out that President Salih is in an unenviable mental situation. That he has made great efforts to persuade senior members of his leadership to send a northern delegation to Cairo. And that he threatened to boycott the meeting before the participants agreed to his proposal in this connection. The Yemeni official noted that the delegation Sanaa sent to Cairo has a partisan and not an official capacity -- which means that the northern leadership insists that the dialogue with the southerners must remain within the framework that existed before the eruption of the fighting, as discussions were conducted between the GPC and the YRG on the one hand and the Yemeni Socialist Party on the other.

BFN [Reports by Raghidah Dirgham in New York, Sulayman Nimr in Sanaa, Iqbal 'Ali 'Abdallah in Aden, and 'Abdallah al-Hajj in Jeddah: "U.S. Pressure To Prevent Storming of Aden"] [Excerpts] Northern military pressure on Aden continued yesterday. The city was the target of heavy shelling. [passage omitted] AL-HAYAH learned yesterday that Washington was exerting pressure to prevent the storming of Aden but it also preferred, at least for the time being and in order to facilitate political solutions, not to impose political isolation on the north. Meanwhile, circles of former President 'Ali Nasir Muhammad yesterday broke their silence and reaffirmed his refusal to assume any leadership responsibilities in Yemen while the infighting and secessionist activity continued. They also emphasized that 'Ali Nasir Muhammad's supporters had nothing to do with the current conflict. They added that he urged all parties to stop shelling Aden. [passage omitted] AL-HAYAH has learned from Arab sources in contact with the U.S. Administration that Washington was beginning to "lose its patience" with Sanaa because of its continued bombardment of Aden. They said that Washington "opposes the storming of Aden and at the same time advises the other side and the states of the region to be patient and to play a calming role." The sources also said that, while Washington was firm about the need to control Sanaa and prevent it exploiting [UN Secretary General special envoy] Brahimi's mission to complete its military resolution of the situation, it was advising the regional states concerned to delay playing the "secession recognition" card in order to avoid the hardening of positions and military escalation, and "urging that Sanaa should not be isolated at this stage." [passage omitted]

BFN [Statment issued by "an official source"; place and date not given] The Republic of Yemen has followed, with concern, the statement made by the official spokeswoman of the U.S. State Department in Wahington last night. In the statement she spoke about assertions received by the U.S. Administration from the Government of the Republic of Yemen that the Armed Forces will not enter into the city of Aden. The Government of the Republic of Yemen would like to affirm that it previously informed the Governments of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the Government of the Republic of Yemen will delay the entry of the Armed Forces, the forces of unity and legitimacy, into Aden to chase the remnants of rebellious secessions, who are using the civilian citizens as human shields, if it finds an appropriate political solution based on ending the rebellion, holding dialogue within the framework of the Republic of Yemen, on adhering to its Constitution and constitutional legitimacy resulting from the elections of 27 April 1993, and on stopping interference in internal Yemeni affairs to end the war and stop Yemeni bloodshed. The Government of the Republic of Yemen would like to remind all that the continuation of the present situation, the continuation of secession and violation of constitutional legitimacy, and the continuation of arms and military hardware supplies to secessionists to prolong the conflict call on the Government of the Republic of Yemen to shoulder its national and constitutional responsibility to end the secession. It finds itself forced -- in accordance with its constitutional and legal right -- to deal with the violators of constitutional legitimacy in the appropriate way and in any part of the Yemeni territory. The Government of the Republic of Yemen hopes that brothers and friends will understand this.

BFN [Reports by Raghidah Dirgham in New York, Faysal Makram in Sanaa, Iqbal 'Abdallah in Aden, and Ashraf al-Faqiyy in Cairo: "Sanaa: The United States Is Interfering in Our Internal Affairs"] [Excerpts] The meeting scheduled to take place in Cairo today between the parties to the Yemeni conflict is facing difficulties because of the fundamental differences between these parties. [passage omitted] In another important development, Sanaa yesterday denied promising the United States not to storm Aden. A General People's Congress [GPC] senior official went so far as to say that the statement issued by the U.S. State Department "is a flagrant and rejected interference in the internal affairs of the Yemeni Republic." In New York, it has been learned that the government of the Yemen Arab Republic conveyed to Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN secretary general's envoy, its position on the Cairo meeting between delegations from Sanaa and Aden to discuss a mechanism for the supervision of the cease-fire, emphasizing that the meeting should take the form of indirect talks, not face to face, should be based on the existing government coalition, and should not constitute any form of recognition or dealing with the secessionists. [passage omitted] In Sanaa, in the first reaction to the U.S. State Department's recent statement, the Yemeni Government denied promising the U.S. Administration that the government's armed forces would not enter Aden. A responsible sources said that "the Yemeni Government had informed the U.S. and Saudi Governments that it would postpone the entry of the forces of legitimacy and unity into Aden in pursuit of the remnants of the rebel secessionists if the government found a suitable political solution based on ending the mutiny and holding a dialogue within the framework of the Yemeni Republic with commitment to the Constitution and the constitutional legitimacy resulting from 27 April 1993, as well as noninterference in Yemen's internal affairs, to end the war and spare blood." [passage omitted] 'Abd-al-Salam al-'Ansi, head of the General Department and member of the General Committee of the General People's Congress [GPC], has stated that the U.S. State Department's statement came as a surprise and was illogical and the GPC saw it as flagrant interference in Yemen's internal affairs. In a statement to AL-HAYAH in Sanaa yesterday, he said that the GPC totally rejects the U.S. State Department's statement and sees it as a flagrant and rejected interference in the internal affairs of the Yemen Arab Republic, because the current war in Yemen is a war between the legitimate and constitutional government forces and a band of secessionists from some leaderships of the Yemeni Socialist Party [YSP]. What the legitmate forces are doing comes under the constitutional rights of the Yemeni Republic's Government." [quotation marks as published] In conclusion, al-'Ansi said: "The Yemeni Government and the legitimate forces care more about Aden, its population, and its installations than the U.S. Administration or anyone else, and the government forces' entry into Aden does not depend on an U.S. or non-U.S. permit. It is rather a question of the government's concern for the lives, properties, and human rights of the innocent population, and of preserving economic and public establishments in the city. When the time comes for the legitimate forces to enter the city in pursuit of the secessionist remnants, there would be nothing to prevent them from entering the city any time the military and political commands decide that the lives of the citizens are safe from any danger."

BFN [Interview with 'Abdallah al-Asnaj, "foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Yemen", by Salah Salamah on 20 June; place not given; from the "Today's Guest" program -- recorded] [Salamah] Mr. 'Abdallah al-Asnaj, foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Yemen, which was unilaterally declared almost one month ago. You are welcome to Radio Monte Carlo. [Al-Asnaj] You are welcome. [Salamah] Arab and international efforts to settle the dispute have failed. Battles are continuing. Aden is besieged and is being exposed to daily shelling. What is the current military balance of forces in the battles between the northern and southern units? [Al-Asnaj] As you have said, battles are continuing. The siege on the Yemeni citizens in the Aden Governorate reached its peak when water and electricity supplies were cut and when hospitals and public utilities were destroyed by the invading northern military units. [Salamah] Lakhdar Brahimi, the international mediator in the Yemeni dispute, failed yesterday and today to hold a meeting of the northern and southern delegations present in Cairo, with the aim of agreeing on a mechanism to monitor the cease-fire preparatory to sitting at the negotiating table. What are the reasons for this failure [Al-Asnaj] Lakhdar Brahimi has not succeeded in holding a meeting between the northern and southern sides at the negotiating table, or at least in getting acquainted with the viewpoint of the northern side in a precise way, because the northern side has not assigned a delegation on a level authorized to make a serious decision, such as cease-fire, or to agree on a mechanism to monitor a firm cease-fire. [Salamah] Mr. 'Abdallah al-Asnaj: Sanaa sources today affirmed that the northern delegation had all powers to hold a dialogue, provided this is done within the framework of the ruling coalition, the Republic of Yemen, and constitutional legitimacy. These sources said you refused to meet with the northern delegation. Does this mean that you shoulder a moral responsibility for the failure? [Al-Asnaj] This is another falsehood on the part of Sanaa. First, the delegation that came to Cairo represented the General People's Congress [GPC] and the Yemeni Reform Grouping [YRG]. The delegation did not represent the central authority in Sanaa. The members of the delegation are known to everyone; they are incapable of forcing 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih, the small dictator of Sanaa, to adopt a stand of which he himself is not convinced, or to make a cease-fire decision and abide by it. So, the delegation did not have authority, was not on the required level, and its members were known. I do not have to reiterate this. The delegation includes a southern GPC member, who is on the payroll of 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih, and brother 'Abd-al-Qadir (?al-Qayri), secretary of Shaykh 'Abdallah Bin-Husayn al-Ahmar [speaker of the House of Representatives], from the YRG. These have no capacity on the level of the central authority, which is loyal to 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih. So, the southern side bears no responsibility whatsoever because it sent a delegation on the highest level with absolute authorization. We communicated this in writing to Lakhdar Brahimi, namely, that this delegation has all powers to swiftly set an urgent date for cease-fire and to abide by this date. I hope the picture will be clear. Sanaa is the party making accusations and the one which makes promises and does not keep them. [Salamah] Therefore, you adhere to the demand of negotiating with a delegation that has the authority to decide? [Al-Asnaj] Most definitely. We are a delegation that has the right to decide the fate of a people who adhere to this right, which is guaranteed by the UN Charter. [Salamah] Recently, President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih showed noticeable flexibility over terms to resume dialogue with the southern Leaders. However, the southern leaders insisted on entering the dialogue, as you has said, in the form of an independent government. According to Sanaa, this led to the failure of the Cairo meeting. Are you insisting on going ahead in your secession from Sanaa and on adhering to the formula of the unilaterally declared Democratic Republic of Yemen? [Al-Asnaj] The world has never seen a president waging a war against his own people, destroying their installations and public utilities, ruining houses, and reiterating his insistence on invading a people in a besieged governorate. What kind of legitimacy is left for this ruler who declares war against his own people? The fact that this war was declared, that it is continuing, and the fact that the cease-fire demands are rejected cancel what remains of the legitimacy claimed by the northern side. Moreover, the southern side has the right to self-determination. It was a state four years ago. It voluntarily renounced its independent and regional identity and is now trying to regain it. This is nothing new. [Salamah] Today, Salim Salih Muhammad, a member of the southern Presidential Council, demanded quick Arab and international recognition of the declared Democratic Republic of Yemen. With the exception of Qatar, the Gulf Cooperation Council states have tacitly recognized this republic. Are you going to insist on this move? Do you expect quick Arab and international recognition? [Al-Asnaj] Having declared his indiscriminate and all-out war against our brothers in the south, there is no place for central authority or a unity that was basically destroyed by Sanaa. Unity is mutual acceptance, a covenant of cooperation, a joint responsibility. It is not hegemony, control, tyranny, and the usurpation of the right of the southern part to have an opinion and a role in drawing up the future of the homeland. Sanaa's authority has violated everything that it was hoped it would abide by, in terms of the unity agreement, and it unilaterally canceled the pledge and accord agreement reached in the Jordanian capital. It dismissed ministers and ambassadors and took feverish measures that no law or constitution would accept. Sanaa voluntarily renounced its responsibility and its legitimacy. Sanaa has stripped itself of its legitimacy in the same way that it stripped Aden of it. Each side in the north and south now has an absolute right to choose the most appropriate way to preserve its rights and develop its society. In the future, there will be fields of cooperation, as they were in the past. [Salamah] You demand the deployment of international observers to supervise the cease-fire. The northern leaders demand the revival of the joint military committee formed last December. Do you believe it is impossible to find an acceptable compromise between these two proposals, to stop the shooting and begin talking? [Al-Asnaj] Had there been enough credibility and sincere intentions to cease fire or to stop the current war in Yemen and abide by a definite date for enforcing the cease-fire, an appropriate mechanism would be possible and ready at hand. I would like to say that the previous military committee was formed by a decision from 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih to contain and solve problems in Yemeni military camps housing joint forces. War had not broken out by then. Now the war has expanded and a military committee of the size in which it was formed at that time cannot monitor an agreed cease-fire violation on a large terrain covering almost all Yemeni territory. [Salamah] In view of the continuing battles and the failure of Arab and international mediation, the Yemeni crisis has reached an impasse. Do you believe it is possible to reach a solution enabling the Yemeni people to stop the war and return to peace and security? [Al-Asnaj] The Yemeni people want peace. They want to reach a quick end to this war. They are fed up with the calamities of this war that was imposed on them. However, the decision is up to those who call for the continuation of the war. It is up to 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih and his allies from the political Islamists in the reform party. I believe further Arab and international pressures will convince the little dictator in Sanaa that the international community rejects all the massacres he is carrying out against the Yemeni people in the south. [Salamah] Observers believe the military balance of forces is tipped in favor of the northern units. Minister 'Abd-al-Karim al- Iryani said today that if a negotiated solution is not reached, there will be a determination to resort to a military solution and to occupy Aden and al-Mukalla. Do you in the south have the ability to remain steadfast and continue in the fighting, given the lopsided balance of forces? [Al-Asnaj] I do not know if brother 'Abd-al-Karim al-Iryani is qualified to be a general and to ascertain the ability of the armed forces to reach their aims in the vast areas in Hadhramaut and to penetrate the steadfastness of Aden. Aden will remain steadfast and the north -- we greatly regret to say this because the victims and the killers are children of Yemen -- will pay a very high price and will not be able to have its own way if they penetrate the city of Aden. As for Hadhramaut, the results of the battles so far indicate that the southern forces repulsed all the northern forces attacks and scattered their concentrations in this vast desert, and that our northern brother soldiers wish that they had remained in Sanhan, Anif, and Hamdan, instead of being pushed by the little dictator of Sanaa into a fight in which they have no interest at all.

BFN [Unattributed report: "Salim Salih Tells AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT: Sanaa Has Two Days To Stop Fighting; Otherwise, We Will Demand Announcement of Recognition of South"] Cairo, AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT -- In a statement to AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT Salim Salih, member of the Yemeni Presidential Council, has given Sanaa two days to announce and comply with a cease-fire, otherwise Aden will be entitled to demand that the Security Council impose sanctions on Sanaa and announce world states' recognition of the Democratic Republic of Yemen. He said: For our part, we are ready for anything when a cease-fire is announced first, then we can discuss the mechanism of halting the fighting. He said: The task of the joint southern-northern committee meeting in Cairo is just to discuss the formation of the military committee or team to be assigned to monitor the cease-fire. And there is no major disagreement between us and Sanaa with regard to accepting [the participation of] Arab and Islamic states and Security Council member states, but the committee will be under UN supervision. Salim pointed to Sanaa's defiance of the international community and the Arab community by escalating the political and military situations and by constantly shelling Aden -- which proves it has no desire to halt the fighting. He said: I want [UN secretary general's envoy] Brahimi's mission to succeed and the Security Council resolutions to be complied with. We are exerting every effort to halt the fighting. He reemphasized Aden's steadfastness despite the cutting off of water and electricity. All that Sanaa is saying about its occupation of Aden is an attempt to play for time and give public opinion the impression that the rebels have surrendered and the war is over. He said: The issue of abolishing the state of the Democratic Republic of Yemen is now in the hands of the Yemeni people, and it is they who have to decide on it. And the people are currently fighting the occupation and the bombardment of villages and cities.

BFN Arab League Secretary General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd-al-Majid has again called on the Yemeni parties to cooperate with Arab and UN efforts to establish a cease-fire and put an end to bloodshed and destruction in Yemen. He expressed the hope that current efforts would succeed in bringing about a cease-fire there. Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid was speaking at a joint news conference with Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN envoy on Yemen, at the conclusion of their talks today. Dr. 'Abd-al-Majid said that the talks dealt with the latest developments in the situation. He affirmed that UN Resolution 924 and the efforts being made to stop the fighting must be supported by all means as an Arab and not just a UN responsibility. He said there was agreement to pursue contacts with the United Nations and the Yemeni parties to continue the efforts to stop the fighting.

BFN [By Maher Chmaytelli] Aden, Yemen, June 21 (AFP) -- Besieging northern forces showered Aden's suburbs with katyusha rockets in a night-time bombardment which killed at least two civilians and wounded 17, hospital officials said Tuesday [21 June]. Several rockets slammed into the Al-Qahirah and al-Mansurah areas in the north of the city and another six hit nearby hillsides, said injured civilians at Al-Jumhuriyah hospital. The northern and southern forces were also trading artillery fire along the war fronts some 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Aden, while shells hit the city airport throwing up clouds of dust and sand. Hospital officials said almost 90 people have been killed since northern forces loyal to President 'Ali Abdallah Salih began a systematic bombardment of this southern bastion on Thursday. Terrified townspeople have said they are praying for their lives, as there are few places in bomb shelters for the city's 500,000 inhabitants. Southern leader 'Ali Salim al-Bid broadcast an appeal on television late Monday for the United Nations, the Arab League and the rest of the international community to "stop the savage bombardments on Aden and its vital installations, which have killed and wounded hundreds". He also asked Arab and friendly countries to recognise the breakaway Yemen Democratic Republic (YDR), declared by the south on May 21 but not yet recognised by any country. Al-Bid's appeal followed the failure of UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to broker a ceasefire in the war. Brahimi left Cairo on Monday after the collapse of talks with northern and southern delegations there on Sunday. Al-Bid pleaded for a "total (northern) retreat from the international frontiers of the YDR and demanded "damages from the Sanaa regime for destruction caused by its aggression". He also asked for direct international food and medical aid for people living in parts of south Yemen occupied by northern troops. The southern chief, who is based in the eastern port of al-Mukalla, also published a decree on Tuesday announcing compensation for families of the victims. Relatives of those killed would receive 50,000 riyals while wounded would be given 25,000. A dollar is officially worth 12 riyals, but trades on the black market at almost 80 riyals. War broke out between northern and southern forces on May 5 after four years of troubled union between the former North and South Yemens.

BFN Last night, the fire at the Mocha power station fuel tanks was brought under control. The power station was the target of a treacherous, cowardly raid by the treasonous, agent secessionist gang's aircraft. Fire and security men exerted great and continuous efforts for 26 hours with unparalleled zeal and vigor to save this important, vital installation, which was built with the blood and sweat of our militant Yemeni people. A vile clique from the secessionist, apostate gang is trying to destroy such installations, in keeping with its ignoble habit of sowing death and destroying economic and vital installations. The brother Ta'izz governor directly supervised the progress of rescuing and evacuating the dead and wounded workers, children, and women to hospitals. The brother governor also directly supervised the fire fighting process until the fire was brought under control, with the support of God and the efforts of the efficient fire and security men.

BFN A group of the heroes of the popular resistance in the Abyan Governorate laid an ambush for the aggressive invaders along the road from (Am'ayn) to al-Urqub. They succeeded in destroying a military bus and killing all the soldiers in it. This daring operation, carried out by our noble heroes from the sons of the dauntless Abyan Governorate, came in the wake of the spread of the popular resistance in all the areas of the Abyan Governorate and in every area under the invaders' occupation.

BFN Abu Dhabi, 21 Jun (MENA) -- Citing high-ranking Turkish sources, AL-ITTIHAD newspaper today states that weapons have been shipped to north Yemen from Romania since early June. Giant Russian Ilyushin 76 cargo planes carry the weapons via (?Utabani) airport in Bucharest and cross Turkish airspace twice a day, going to Yemen at night and returning empty the next day. According to the sources, the Romanian flights had obtained permission to transport vegetables across Turkish airspace. This has been verified through technological methods by air control units. Since no ban has been imposed on weapons shipments to Yemen, Turkey cannot take any measures to interrupt these flights, the sources said. In another development, AL-ITTIHAD has learned from sources in Cairo that one of the formulas put forward during the meeting in Cairo between the UN secretary general's envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and a north Yemeni delegation was to set up an Arab and Islamic force to supervise the cease-fire under UN auspices. The north Yemeni delegation did not respond to the proposal, requesting to refer it to the government, while the chairman of the southern delegation welcomed it. The paper adds that Brahimi promised to provide UN funds for these troops to give them international status and make the proposal acceptable to all parties concerned.

BFN Abu Dhabi, June 20, IRNA -- Tehran-Sanaa cooperation, further promotion of ties between the two countries and the Yemeni internal situation were reviewed Sunday in a meeting in Sanaa between the Iranian ambassador to Yemen Mohammad Jalal Firuz-Nia and the Yemeni speaker of the Consultative Assembly 'Abdallah al-Ahmar. In this meeting Firuz-Nia also explored ways to increase parliamentary cooperation between the two countries and delivered a message from Iranian Majlis Speaker Hojjat ol-Eslam 'Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri to al-Ahmar inviting Yemeni parliamentary delegation to visit Tehran.

BFN [Report by Terence White] Kabul, June 21 (AFP) -- Kabul peace talks between rival faction leaders President Borhanoddin Rabbani and Prime Minister Golboddin Hekmatyar have stalled for the second successive day over the issue of ex-communists, official sources said Tuesday [21 June]. Delegations from the two sides were supposed to meet early Tuesday at the west Kabul headquarters of the Shiite Hezb-e Wahdat faction, but a spokesman there told AFP Hekmatyar had insisted on the attendance of representatives of his ex-communist ally, Uzbek General 'Abdol Rashid Dostam. "Rabbani's people refuse to sit down with any one from Dostam," said the Wahdat official. Dostam was allied to Rabbani until January this year, when he launched a failed coup attempt against the president, supported by Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Eslami faction. Inconclusive fighting has raged in Kabul for nearly six months since. Jalil Shams, the deputy foreign minister and special peace mediator, went Tuesday to Hekmatyars's Chahar Asiab headquarters outside Kabul to try and persuade the prime minister to change his stance over Dostam, the Wahdat official said. But, the Wahdat official said that to ignore the Junbish party of Dostam was "to kill any chance for a successful solution" to the problems in Afghanistan. "Junbish is a real power in Afghanistan and must be included in peace talks," he said. The hoped-for Kabul talks between Rabbani and Hekmatyar are described as a "preliminary" session to a larger conference proposed by Sham's peace mission in the western provincial capital Herat, to which all faction leaders -- except Dostam -- have been invited. The idea of the Herat conference is to set up an interim government to run the country after the end of June, when Hekmatyar and others expect Rabbani's presidency to end. But Rabbani's followers steadfastly refuse to admit that the president must resign at the end of June. At the Intercontinental Hotel Tuesday Rabbani attended a special conference of supporters who insisted the president only hand over power to a national assembly or Loya Jirga. "We demand the president remain in power until the convening of a grand national assembly," declared Ahmad Hashmi, chief of the Islamic Brotherhood and Reconciliation Front. "Only by this way can we avoid a power vacuum," Hashmi said. "Leaving the country without a president, even for one day, is total madness," said another speaker. Rabbani himself, in a half-hour speech, ignored the subject of his resignation but declared his support for the Herat talks on the condition that all factions were represented. However, the president stressed that the faction leaders should not monopolise power but allow the Afghan people to decide their future -- presumably a call for an immediate national assembly without a preliminary interim government as proposed by the Herat peace commission.

BFN Foreign Minister Mohamed Salah Dembri yesterday met U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher in Washington. Dembri -- who arrived yesterday in Washington on a working visit to the United States of America -- discussed with his American counterpart several issues, including the political situation in Algeria and other international issues.

BFN [Interview with Foreign Minister Mohamed Salah Dembri by Rashid Khashanah in Tunis; date not given] [Khashanah] With the completion of the formation of the Transitional National Council [TNC], is it to be hoped that the democratic process will be revived? [Dembri] We have undertaken to implement the resolutions of last January's national conference. We have indeed concentrated on the transitional institutions. The political dialogue is still in progress with an open mind and with all parties including those who have so far refused to participate (in the institutions). We are very hopeful that the circle of accord will be enlarged in the coming months. I should remind you here that the election process has been programmed for three years from now, but we would revive it even earlier if the circumstances allowed that. [Khashanah] There is an urgent U.S. call for dialogue with the Islamic Salvation Front [FIS] and for giving it a share in government. What do you say to that? [Dembri] We say that Algeria needs all its sons without exception. When we declare that we are for an open dialogue, that means that we do not exclude any political group or political figure if they accept the fundamental conditions, especially the republican regime, respect for the opposite opinion, partisan plurality, respect for the Algerian people's components and sanctities, and renunciation of violence as a means of gaining power or remaining in power. I believe that these conditions should be accepted by those who enter into a dialogue with us. [Khashanah] The gap between the U.S. and French positions is now common knowledge. How do you in Algeria view the two positions, especially the U.S. call for FIS participation in the government? [Dembri] We are now in a transitional stage paving the way for the resumption of the election process. After that it will be the people who will freely decide who is to the represent them in the future. The government's role is to organize this transitional period. As regards the dialogue, it is an open dialogue and it covers the horizons of the new Algerian society based on the rule of law, politial plurality, and respect for the components of the Algerian character. That is important because we in Algeria are Muslim Arabs. These are basic facts which nobody has a right to (claim to) monopolize in the political arena, because they apply to all the Algerians. It seems to me that there are numerous ways of loving Algeria but there is only one Algeria which should be united and uniting. [Khashanah] Should we expect an early release of FIS leaders as a step to build trust and pave the way for national reconciliation? [Dembri] In a democracy, everything is possible. [Khashanah] In the government's view, what are the possible grounds for reconciliation? [Dembri] There are the resolutions issued by the national conference. They have now been submitted to the [TNC].... [Khashanah] But some major forces such as the Liberation Front [FLN], the Socialist Forces Front [SFF], and the FIS have boycotted the conference, so how could the latter's resolutions form common grounds? [Dembri] The political forces you have mentioned did not reject the national conference resolutions, they wanted to add more points. How could they reject a republican regime, for instance? Nobody rejects that. And how could they object to political plurality, respect for the opposite opinion, and the rule of law? [Khashanah] The government recently announced that it had destroyed Saeed Mekhlouf's group and dealt a blow to the fundamentalist groups. Does this mean that the regular forces have regained the initiative? [Dembri] I am not acquainted with the security situation. [Khashanah] How do you interpret the emphatic U.S. call for a dialogue with FIS and the emphatic French rejection of such a dialogue? [Dembri] There are differences of opinion but we Algerians see ourselves as an Islamic Arab society and at the same time we adopt all the rules of the modern political game including respect for the law, individual and collective freedoms, and human rights. Algerian society should now discuss everything that would contribute to its renaissance and chart its future dimensions. We do not need a classification of the Algerian society that is done abroad. I believe that Algerian political groups are intelligent enough and able enough to discuss their own affairs without foreign interference. [Khashanah] Do you not believe that the economic agreements, especially the agreement with the "Paris Club" to reschedule public debts, would help reduce the deficit and calm the internal situation? [Dembri] After our agreement with the IMF and the recent agreement with the Paris Club and the rescheduling of debts, we initiated separate bilateral negotiations with each donor state. The problem we Algerians are facing in this connection is whether our handling of this file should be political or strictly technical. The volume of [trade] exchanges between Algeria and the industrial states confirms clearly that there is an imbalance there and we have been losing since independence and to this day. Between the years 1969 and 1989, that is in 20 years, Algeria got from the Western world $1.5 billion net but we paid the Western states in the same period $2.5-3 billion annually, or $50 to $60 billion over 20 years. So we ask: Which side contributed to the other's development, Algeria or the industrial states? I believe that the third world contributed to the development of the Western countries. [Khashanah] The Moroccan press has been criticizing Algeria's position on the Sahara. Has there been any change in the Algerian Government's handling of that file? [Dembri] There is a peace plan drawn up by the United Nations for the settlement of the Sahara problem. It has been decided to hold a free and impartial self-determination referendum as soon as possible. The UN peace plan is actually derived from the OAU's plan. We should now tackle the issues which precede the referendum and pave the way for its success such as the terms for the definition of identity, the number of voters, the provision of guarantees after the referendum, and the way of organizing the election campaign. There are many issues on which understanding is expected to be reached in direct talks between Morocco and the Polisario, the two parties to the conflict. Algeria's position is one favoring success of that plan but if, during the talks, a possibility emerged of an agreed political solution between the two parties to the conflict, then that would be up to them before anyone else. That would then require political intelligence from all parties. [Khashanah] Will Algerian-Moroccan relations improve after the coolness that has recently characterized them? [Dembri] We do not judge relations by press campaigns which have no solid basis. Morocco is dear to us. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania have a role to play to strengthen our presence in this world. That is the main aim. The rest is secondary. There is much room for fruitful cooperation and integration between us. Algeria is working on building a pipeline that crosses Moroccan territory. Morocco will get a share equal to 30 percent of the gas carried through it to Europe. That proves Algeria's goodwill. [Khashanah] What is Algeria doing to reactivate the Arab Maghreb Union [AMU], having assumed its chairmanship? [Dembri] There is an extensive plan of action. Everyone appears to want to launch the Maghreb train. We have seen over the past years that the political will is ahead of the bureaucratic executive organs. If we review the results of the six summit conferences since the formation of the AMU, we would find that the leaders approved 30 agreements but only five of these agreements have entered the phase of implementation. That does not indicate a rejection of the march toward integration but it does indicate the existence of a gap and the reason for it is that the political will is ahead of bureaucratic practice, and that must be remedied. [Khashanah] President Zeroual recently sent envoys to the Gulf states. Their arrival there coincided with the escalation of the war in Yemen. What did the envoys carry? [Dembri] We always have talks with the Arab brothers on matters of common interest. On Arab and Islamic causes, Algeria is always eager to be at the forefront of the states searching for solutions and expressing absolute solidarity with its brothers. There is a tragedy in Yemen and it should be tackled in the appropriate manner, which is consultation and coordination with all parties. If the Arabs cannot put their own house in order, what is left for us in this world? [Khashanah] There was talk earlier of an Algerian initiative on behalf of the AMU to stop the war in Yemen. Is that still on? [Dembri] Yes, it is still on but we have asked the brothers in Yemen to stop the fighting before anything else. The Yemeni brothers could then find solutions with their intelligence and wisdom. [Khashanah] What is Algeria's position regarding the declaration of the "Democratic Republic of Yemen"? [Dembri] Yes, there was such a declaration but will it end the fighting and will the Yemeni people accept a continuation of the battles? We first of all call for a cease-fire to spare the Yemeni people's blood and then we can look for solutions. That is Algeria's position.

BFN Rescheduling Algeria's foreign debts will relieve the burden on the oil and gas sectors, particularly as Algeria has a plan under implementation. This is what Amar Mekhloufi, minister of industry and energy said in an interview with the London-based AL-HAYAT newspaper. The minister announced that this plan would be carried out in the next five years and was estimated to cost about $17 billion, 50 percent of which would be in foreign currency. The minister added that the plan would have good production and export results and would enable Algeria to repay its debts in the future.

BFN [Sermon by Minister of Religious Affairs Sassi Lamouri in Algiers on 20 June--recorded] [Excerpts] I beseech God's refuge from the curses of the damned satan. In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. May God's prayers and peace be upon the noblest of prophets, his family, companions and followers until the day of judgement. I would like to salute the whole Algerian people on the occasion of this blessed day, which falls at the beginning of the new Hegira year 1415. I wish that new Hegira year will be a generous year; a year of blessing, concord, unity, compassion between members of this great people. [passage omitted] The prophet, may God's prayers and peace be upon him, showed so much compassion to people. And that is why the message of Islam is one of compassion. The proof of that is the fact that the holy Koran's suras, and there are 114 of them, all begin all with the phrase: In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. This is a good indication for all wise men that the essence of this religion is compassion between humans. All godly religions were meant for sowing the seeds of compassion and peace between people, however. We are facing in Algeria the most difficult period in our history. We are facing a period that requires us to exert united efforts, forget about grudges and rancor, and extend hands to each other so as to bring about unity, close our ranks, and bolster fraternity which Islam has called for. [passage omitted] I am speaking in my capacity as religious affairs' minister. I have a duty toward my religion and my dear homeland which will make me proud the day I see it enjoying security and stability. I will raise my head high the day I see my country enjoying unity and closed ranks. It is my duty as a man of religion and a minister for religious affairs to say the words of truth. [passage omitted] The Algerian nation is going through one of the most difficult periods. The wise men in it must endeavor to do good and call the unjust people by their names because injustice is a sin. [passage omitted] People, being misled from overseas and other places, come to kill families and slaughter children while the people and the nation are keeping silent. This is unacceptable from a religious point of view. It is unacceptable from a religious point view that families and children are slaughtered while the nation is keeping silent. This is injustice. This is injustice. [passage omitted] Therefore, there is probably a deception in what we are witnessing in the country. There is deception in the name of religion. I am telling you that had the prophet been revived, he would have disclaimed these acts. [passage omitted] Muhammad, may God's Peace be upon him, did not shed any blood nor did he kill anybody, on the contrary he was compassionate. [passage omitted] This proves than Islam is a religion of compassion and a religion of brotherhood; therefore if there is any deception in the name of religion Islam is innocent of it. Even those who claim that they speak in the name of religion or in the name of democracy or any other slogan are mistaken. [passage omitted] Wise men stand in closed ranks and put an end to bloodshed and put an end to this raging fire which might spread everywhere. [Passage omitted] Therefore, the Islamic religion clears itself from killing and bloodshed. Islam brought with it compassion, brotherhood, love, unity, and closing ranks. This is Islam. This is Islam. This [present situation] could merely be a passing cloud. But woe unto those who have betrayed their country. Woe unto people who have betrayed their country. Nothing will last forever. This is merely a summer cloud that will pass soon. Thanks be to God the ship is nearly arriving safely at its destination. The ship is nearly at a safe harbor. Today's events will be a thing of the past. And one must say the truth in these very harsh circumstances because any nation which does not stand for the truth will have no history. And it is, therefore, the responsibility of the people as the prophet said: You are all responsible; everyone of you ought to shoulder the burden of its responsibilities. Hence, everyone of us ought to shoulder his responsibility. Those who have gone astray should return to the righteous path, accept to live with this society and lay down their arms. To take up arms against the sons of your nation is a crime which will never be forgiven. Taking to arms is an unforgivable crime. Even if we punish those people in accordance with the shari'ah, the shari'ah has ruled: This is the recompense of those who fight against God and His messenger, and hasten about the earth, to do corruption there: They will be slaughtered, or crucified, or their hands and feet will alternately be struck off, or they will be banished from the land. That is a degradation for them in this world; and in the world to come awaits them a mighty chastisement. This is [the punishment] for those who have taken to arms, broken with community, are harming the unity of the nation, and terrorize its members. Do we have to make people cry every day? Do we have to terrorize families everyday? Do we have to make children, women, elderly, and poor people die with fear and terror? Why? Why all this? Is not there among you someone who is wise enough? I am aware that there are people who can help to stop this bloodshed; but they have so far been very mean. However, it is their duty to make an effort and put the fire out. It is their duty to put the fire out. Algeria is for everyone. No one should be worried about the state of Islam in Algeria. Islam in Algeria is doing fine. [passage omitted] I speak the truth and we should not be reluctant to assume our responsibilities. [passage omitted] The people are responsible and the Prophet holds you responsible. We are celebrating the religious festival of 'Ashura, and I wish that this day will make tomorrow the last day of misfortunes in Algeria's history. I say to those who have gone astray and have erred: Lay down your arms, lay down your arms and live in society a happy and good life. Islam prohibits this and prohibits killings. Let me say this for the record: Islam is against the shedding of blood. I say this and I ask God's forgiveness for you and myself, for God is much-forgiving and compassionate. May God's peace and blessings be upon you.

BFN 'Abd-al-Qadir Qaddurah, the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Arab Parliamentary Branch, this afternoon received a Yemeni parliamentary delegation, led by 'Abbas al-Mu'ayyad, member of the House of Representatives. Shakir Is'ayyid, the vice chairman of the Executive Committee, attended. Discussions dealt with the latest developments in fraternal Yemen and the need to stop the fighting, dialogue, and maintaining Yemeni unity.

BFN Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar' this morning received the Yemeni parliamentary delegation, headed by Sultan Sa'id al-Burkani. Discussions dealt with latest developments in the Yemeni arena.

BFN Comrade 'Abdallah al-Ahmar, assistant secretary general of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party, received this morning the visiting Yemeni parliamentary delegation, headed by Sultan Sa'id al-Burkani. The meeting was attended by Shakir Is'ayyid, vice chairman of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Arab Parliamentary Branch. Talks centered on latest developments in the Yemeni arena. They also stressed the need to halt fighting among the Yemeni brothers and to return to dialogue in order to save Yemen from destruction and fragmentation and to preserve the Yemeni people's unity.

BFN AL-MAJD has learned that a two-hour meeting was held yesterday, Sunday, between Syrian Vice President 'Abd-al-Halim Khaddam and a delegation from Hamas [Islamic Resistance Movement]. The Hamas delegation was led by Dr. Musa Abu-Marzuq and included Engineer Ibrahim Ghawshah and Muhammad Nazzal, whose passports were recently released, and Abu-Muhammad Mustafa, the Hamas representative in Damascus. There were no details of what took place during the meeting. The Syrian-Hamas meeting comes before an expanded meeting of the alliance of the 10 Palestinian factions that oppose the settlement, which will be held today, Monday, in the evening. The meeting will address several issues, the most important of which are the settlement process and the situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

BFN [Station commentary] Gentlemen: Informed U.S. circles have cast doubt on the possibility of U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher making a new visit to the Middle East this week, attributing this to insufficient signs of progress in the regional peace process. It is known that such signs should be shown by Israel. Syria has frequently proven its real desire to achieve peace. It has constantly worked for the success of the U.S. and the international efforts, as part of the Madrid conference and according to its established bases. What has happened so far, however, conflicts with these bases. The just and comprehensive peace to which the U.S. administration committed itself has become separate partial deals. The Washington talks were stymied in favor of secret talks here and there. In addition, the Security Council resolutions, which are supposed to organize the peace process, were deliberately ignored. Israel continued to intensify the situation in southern Lebanese areas. It did not hide the fact that its escalating attacks are intended to terrorize Lebanon and pressure Syria. Under these circumstances, observers naturally wonder about the promised U.S. role. Washington is supposed to be the first to defend its initiative and adhere to its commitments, and, consequently, halt the continued Israeli sabotage of the peace process, in accordance with the agreed bases. Politicians and observers know it is impossible to achieve peace in the Middle East without Syria, and that the attempts to circumvent Syria and ignore its basic role in the region will lead the peace process to a real impasse. While it is in the interest of the Middle East to achieve a state of peace that gives it an opportunity to dedicate its resources to development, it is definitely in the interest of the United States that the aspired peace is firm and well-established, rather than a mere truce that cannot withstand events and developments. A firm and well-established peace requires a minimum level of justice, fairness, and honesty. Syria has always made it clear that Israel's full withdrawal from the Golan, southern Lebanon, and the other occupied territories is an inevitable prelude to the establishment of peace. The Security Council resolutions actually stipulate that Israel should withdraw and that the Israeli measures of annexation, Judaization, and settlements are null and void. The U.S. initiative itself provides for exchanging land for peace. Israel, however, has thus far refused to commit itself to full withdrawal from the occupied territories. It has only hinted at the possibility of a partial withdrawal from the Golan. It also announces daily that it has annexed Jerusalem once and for all, in addition to important parts of the West Bank, under the guise of a greater Jerusalem. To prove its rejection of the substance of the peace process, namely, returning the occupied territories, Israel shells southern Lebanon every day and threatens to escalate its acts of aggression. Saving the peace process from deliberate Israeli sabotage is a U.S. and international responsibility. The United States has the clout it will take to implement the Security Council resolutions. Without doing so, peace in the Middle East will remain a deferred project. The only way to achieve peace is a daring and decisive international position that removes Israeli belligerence from the region's atmosphere.

BFN [Press review] Today's press commentaries address the clear and unambiguous Syrian position on the peace process, as well as U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher's tour of the region. In its commentary today, the newspaper AL-BA'TH asserts that Syria's clear and unambiguous position on the peace process can no longer be questioned. This is because it is a position that is committed to international legitimacy, as well as the peace initiative that aims to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the most dangerous hotbed of tension in the world. AL-BA'TH adds: As for Israel, regardless of its wordplay and deception, it cannot cover up for its obstruction of peace efforts. Nor can it, for that matter, cover up for its continuous crimes in the occupied Arab territories and the defenseless Lebanese towns. The paper goes on to say: The recent Israeli escalation, which has taken place on the eve of the date set for Christopher's new tour of the region, has demonstrated that Israel is persisting with its policy of seeking to conclude unilateral and separate deals with the Arab sides. This escalation is also part of efforts to bring pressure to bear on Syria to make it change its firm and principled position on the peace process. But, it remains to be said, AL-BA'TH says, that the language of threats and pressures will not undermine the Syrian position. The paper concludes by saying: If the U.S. secretary of state were to suddenly decide on a quick return to the region, he must use various cards that could help him make progress. This is necessary if his country is to play the role of a full partner and an honest broker, as his administration has repeatedly said it would. The party that is obstructing the peace process; namely, Israel, must be the target of this role. In the "With the Events" column, AL-BA'TH comments on the dangers posed by the Zionist onslaught against Arab Jerusalem. Under the headline "There Can Be No Peace Without Syria," the newspaper TISHRIN notes that U.S. officials have ruled out a possible tour of the Middle East by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher at present. The paper also notes Israel's efforts to deceive the world public and conceal its constant attempts to scuttle the peace process by thwarting the efforts under way to advance the peace talks. TISHRIN adds: As is well known to everybody, Syria has declared its clear commitment to implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and meeting all the requirements of just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. It has matched words with deeds, and repeatedly helped save the peace process from Israeli conspiracies in order to render the U.S. efforts a success. Israel alone has deliberately tried to obstruct the peace process. It has publicly called for replacing the Washington talks, which are based on the Madrid formula, with separate negotiations. TISHRIN goes on to say: The new Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon confirms anew the Tel Aviv government's rejection of just and comprehensive peace, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and the land-for-peace formula. Concluding its commentary, TISHRIN argues that it is impossible to achieve peace in the region without an effective U.S. intervention, and unless the U.S. commitments and pledges are translated into acts and realities on the ground through pressures on Israel to make it abandon its obstructionist approach and succumb to international legitimacy. The paper adds: Syria is eager to achieve peace. Its efforts to achieve it are unmistakable. Nonetheless, Syria seeks to restore all its territories. For Syria cannot abandon its territories, nor can it bargain over these territories. And without Syria, there can be no peace in the Middle East. In the "Opinion" column, the newspaper TISHRIN comments on the dangers posed by the Israeli Judaization and settlement plan in the occupied territories. It also views neofascism in Italy under the "Viewpoint" column. Under the headline "Between Two Stands," the newspaper AL-THAWRAH says: The entire world community, and the U.S. Administration in particular, has seen Syria's eagerness to achieve just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the principles on which the Madrid conference convened--the principles pertaining to the implementation of the relevant resolutions, particularly the principle of trading land for peace. AL-THAWRAH adds: The fact that is widely known to the entire world community is that Syria's serious approach toward the issue of achieving just and comprehensive peace is not a transient development. Syria has always championed the cause of peace, and favorably responded to all the efforts and initiatives grounded in international legitimacy and the restoration of territories and rights. The U.S. administration, through President Clinton, has repeatedly expressed its convictions regarding Syria's truthful peace intentions, noting that Syria has responded to all peace efforts to render the peace process a success. AL-THAWRAH goes on to say: Israel has demonstrated that it is opposed to just, comprehensive, and viable peace. This is because it is adhering to the strategy of expansion and holding on to the occupied Arab territories. It is not contributing to the success of the peace process. As a matter of fact, it is doing all it can to scuttle the peace process to cause it to collapse and render it void of any meaningful content. Syria has declared its willingness to meet the demands of the international community with regard to the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions, because it believes that the terms of reference of the peace process upheld by the cosponsors of this process are in line with its pro-peace approach, which is tantamount to a full-blown strategy, particularly since the issue at stake is the restoration of all rights, and all occupied territories. AL-THAWRAH concludes by saying: Syria has demonstrated a credible peace stance. In the same vein, it has addressed a letter to the entire world community, saying that it cannot abandon a single iota of its national soil, and that the Israeli version of peace is unviable, because Israel wants to achieve peace and maintain the occupation of Arab territories. In another commentary, AL-THAWRAH says: Undoubtedly, Israel will be mistaken if it believes that it can promote its erroneous concepts and ideas regarding the achievement of peace in the region. It must realize quite well that Syria, without which there can be no peace, will accept nothing short of a just and comprehensive peace that would ensure the restoration of all occupied Arab territories to their rightful owners. If Israel is truly seeking peace, it must realize that peace is achievable only when the last Israeli soldier is evicted from the last inch of the occupied Golan territory, and other occupied territories.

BFN [Report by Muhammad Dalbah] Tunis -- Sudanese Foreign Minister Dr. Husayn Sulayman Abu-Salih has ruled out his country's participation in the multilateral talks at the present time. In an interview with AL-DUSTUR while attending the 30th Organization of African Unity [OAU] summit, the Sudanese foreign minister said that Israel is supplying the rebel movement in southern Sudan with weapons. He said: We call for ending foreign interference. He added: How can you ask me to hold negotiations with you while you stab me in the back and harm me? He said: If there is a genuine approach to peace and noninterference in the affairs of others, and if there is to be coexistence, then all causes for harm, war, and sedition must be eliminated. Only then, can we hold dialogue within a political body of scholars, intellectuals, and others. Until then, it is impossible to think about that. On the southern Sudanese problem and the rebellion led by John Garang, he said that foreign assistance comes from across the Sudanese-Ugandan border where he has a very narrow strip of a few km long. There are contacts with Uganda on not having any party carry out actions that harm the other party, or offering any kind of services that facilitate the passage of weapons or other things. This will help expedite the attainment of peace. On the relationship with the United States in light of the visit by U.S. Envoy Melissa Wells to Khartoum, Abu-Salih said that at one time the West, in general, was prejudiced against the present Sudanese government. He said: I believe that this was the result of false information. He added: Our people have never wished to antagonize the West and have never boycotted it. Our people believe that there should be many fields of cooperation with the West such as cooperaton in development, economy, science and technology, and other fields. We refuse any kind of high-handed approach, domination, or interference in Sudan's domestic affairs. In view of the misleading information, the West, at one time, adopted a pressurizing stand toward Sudan by not holding any talks or dialogue with the Sudanese government in order to remove it. Abu-Salih accused the British government of giving the United States an erroneous picture about Sudan. He said: The United Kingdom did a lot to spread rumors and disseminate misleading information that distorted Sudan's image and portrayed Sudan in a bad light. That's why the dialogue with the Americans is aimed at giving a true picture about Sudan in terms of its cooperation with others. Abu-Salih said that dialogue was initiated following the visit by the U.S. UN Envoy Madeleine Albright to Khartoum earlier this year. This means that there is someone who is now willing to listen. The mere holding of a serious dialogue makes us hopful of reaching some formula for cooperation with a major country like the United States. Abu-Salih said he believes the pressure the United States and the West used to put on Sudan had to do with Sudan's stand on the Arab- Israeli conflict. He said: I will speak frankly. The Americans used to believe that we would lead the Arab and Islamic opposition, and all those who oppose a settlement with the Israelis. That's why they placed us on the terrorist list. Abu-Salih said that Albright emerged from her visit with a good impression. He said Albright discussed with Sudanese officials her belief that Sudan harbors terrorism. We told her that all these accusations are baseless. This impression can only be enhanced through further dialogue, contacts, and visits. Abu-Salih said: The Sudanese, by nature, are against terrorism. We can wage war against you, but we will never harm innocent people. Abu-Salih added: The Americans used to think that the camps that we have for training the popular defense to support the Sudanese Army were camps for training foreigners to destabilize other countries. Abu-Salih said his government challenges anyone to prove that a single foreigner was trained in Sudan. We are hurt when others interfere in our affairs. Therefore, we do not interfere in the affairs of others. He referred, in this context, to the relationship with Iran. He said the United States and other Western and non-Western nations speak about Sudan as if it were under Iranian control or a base for Iran. This is not true. Our relationship with Iran is similar to our relationship with any Western country, and that is all. However, it is totally untrue to say that Sudan is under the control of Iran or in the grip of Iran. Perhaps, I would not be revealing a secret if I said that our relationship with Iran was sometimes weaker than our relationship with some Western nations and that our cooperation with some Western nations was greater than that with Iran. Abu-Salih added: The visits of Albright and then Melissa Wells represent the beginning of dialogue between us and the Americans. The visits were made at a time when we asked the neighboring states, such as Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, to observe the implementation of peace. Of course, we consult with the U.S. ambassador in Khartoum and with the neighboring states to achieve this purpose. He added that he had asked the Americans about how to come up with a realistic formula for unity in Sudan that can be protected and maintained and how to please all Sudanese within the context of equality, sovereignty, justice, and no discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, and tribal affiliation. He said: In order to reach this formula, we have made many concessions. This is why we asked for not using the terms secular and nonsecular. We are about to prepare our document on sharing of power and resources and providing everything for the citizens to ensure success. Abu-Salih explained that Sudan had asked the Americans to benefit from their experts regarding the federal system and to give Sudan a plan and a model to enable it to arrive at this formula in a multilingual, multiracial Sudan. We want to maintain the Sudanese identity and we want citizenship to be the basis of participation. However, the movement that is led by Garang, which is linked to foreign powers, does not wish to see a solution through. On the relationship with Egypt in light of the dispute over the Hala'ib region, the Sudanese foreign minister said the relationship should be distinguished and integral, even a relationship of unity. However, this cannot be achieved without removing the differences between the two countries. He said there are three issues that should be addressed: The first has to do with Egypt's occupation of Hala'ib. The Egyptians do not like to talk about this issue. We are talking about a triangle and this means a piece of land. However, the Egyptians are talking about parallel 22, which is not an expanse of land. The area of Hala'ib amounts to 36,000 square km. According to the Sudanese foreign minister, Hala'ib is Sudanese land because there are Sudanese tribes in it that use a non-Arabic language. No one in Egypt speaks any language other than Arabic. Hala'ib is also considered a Sudanese electoral constituency. They told us that they plan to have two constituencies at Hala'ib. However, Egyptian legislators and lawmen talk about the annexation of Hala'ib. This means Hala'ib is a usurped piece of Sudan. Had it been Egyptian territory, it would have been part of Egyptian constituencies a long time ago. The question of Hala'ib was raised in 1958, but the late Egyptian President Jamal 'Abd-al-Nasir froze the issue at the time after showing understanding of the situation and withdrawing the Egyptian troops. Abu-Salih revealed that the Egyptian military presence in Hala'ib had taken place with Sudan's approval as Sudan has given Egypt 10 observation posts there, and that the Egyptians are now occupying these 10 posts. Abu-Salih stressed that Sudan accepts any Arab mediation or arbitration, or the referral of the issue to the International Court of Justice because we have a right to that area. Sudan is not made up of Hala'ib only. Sudan's area is around 1 million square miles. But what has pained us is that Hala'ib has been taken by force. We are against such a method and this issue must be settled. He said he changed his mind about submitting the Hala'ib issue for discussion at the OAU summit after some African countries advised him that it would be better if other parties do not intervene between Sudan and Egypt. He said: We withdrew the issue but insisted that there should be negotiations and a solution, and that Hala'ib is Sudanese. Abu-Salih said that following the meeting between Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and his Sudanese counterpart 'Umar al- Bashir, the two countries' foreign ministers were charged with studying the issue and proposing a solution. He said that he went to Egypt seven times to discuss the issue with Egyptian Foreign Minister 'Amr Musa, who, as yet, has not paid a single visit to Sudan. He stressed that, for sure, this issue is one of occupation. We do not want to exacerbate the situation. But, like so many others, we do not want to keep Hala'ib under occupation. The Hala'ib issue might lead to many things. It may bring about war. However, he said that both parties act in a calm manner although there are Egyptian and Sudanese troops in the area. Abu-Salih said: The second issue deals with the Sudanese opposition. The Egyptians say that Egypt is the mother of all and that they cannot refuse any demand. However, Abu-Salih said that this does not mean that everyone should be given the right to write in the opposition press, participate in its actvities, or finance it. He said that this issue in Egyptian-Sudanese relations is a secondary issue. The Sudanese minister said that the third and very important issue is that of trust between Egypt and Sudan. Abu-Salih stressed that there is no trust between the two sides. Egypt does not trust the ruling regime in Sudan and says that it is a regime which represents the Islamic National Front. We also do not trust them. Abu-Salih said that had it not been for the Sudanese people's support for the ideas and concepts of the present regime in Sudan, which have been discussed in more than 25 conferences on political, social, peace, and economic issues, the present regime in Sudan would not have remained in power. Abu-Salih sharply criticized they way in which Cairo deals with the regime in Sudan. They say that this is al-Turabi's government or the regime of Hasan al-Turabi, and speak only about Egypt's interests, Egypt's history, and Egyptian sacrifices. This means they do not trust us, and we also do not trust them. Had they wanted relations to retun to normal, they would have exchanged visits with us. They want us to hold discussions and dialogue with them but they refuse to have such discussions in Khartoum or in any other Arab or nonArab country? They do not want to discuss things with us. He said: There is no doubt that Egyptian officials are under the illusion that the Sudanese government might collapse at any moment. They will deal with the government on which they can impose their will. But, we say that our government is there to stay and will fight. This also means that there will be rivers of blood if this government does not fall.

BFN Khartoum, 17 Jun (SUNA) -- The actual exportation revenues for the fiscal year 1993-94 have reached 431.5 million dollars. The earnings of the exportation contracts have reached 535 million dollars. The balance sheet of the foreign currency for the fiscal year 1994-95, shows that certain commodities have generated profitable revenues. The foreign currency balance sheet also showed that oil seeds earnings have reached 90 million dollars higher than the estimated revenues.

BFN Cairo, 18 Jun (MENA)-- Faruq Abu-'Isa, a prominent member of the Sudanese opposition, has stated that a radio speaking for the Sudanese opposition will begin transmission early next week. At a news conference today, Abu-'Isa said that the radio will operate from a certain state, which he did not specify. He affirmed, however, that it is a non-Arab state. Abu-'Isa, who is the secretary general of the Arab Lawyers Federation, reiterated that all factions of the Sudanese opposition are coordinating their work through the Sudanese National Democratic Grouping.

BFN Mashhad, June 20, IRNA -- Security sources here have told IRNA that the security officials are busy investigating into the bombing of the mausoleum of Imam Reza (a.s.) [peace be upon him]. Clues found by the security officials point out to the involvement of terrorist Mojhedeen Khalq [Mojahedin-e Khalq] organization in the bombing to mark the anniversary of the beginning of their campaign of terror against the Islamic Republic, June 20, 1981, the sources said. According to the sources the law enforcement forces in the area have found typewritten tracks [as received] which indicate "the followers of the armed uprising of June 20th", calling themselves "the mojahed sons of Iran", have taken responsibility for the bombing.

BFN Mashhad, June 20, IRNA -- The toll of the dead has risen to 70 and the injured to 114 in the aftermath of this afternoon's bomb blast in the mausoleum of Imam Reza (a.s.) [peace be upon him]. A caller to IRNA who called himself the spokesman for the terrorist Mojahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO) said that MKO has taken the full responsiblity for the blast. The caller said that the bombing was meant to avenge the death of "martyrs of June 20th uprising". He said that MKO was planning more acts of subversion in "the following days." The caller then finished his conversation, which lasted for 90 seconds, by yelling obscenities at the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and hung up. On June 20, 1981 MKO operatives began their campaign of terror against the then nascent Islamic Republic of Iran.

BFN [Excerpt] Today, on the day of Husayn's 'Ashura and simultaneous with the mourning ceremonies for the Lord of the Martyrs Aba 'Abdallah al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and at a time when Islamic Iran was engulfed in mourning and the holy shrine of Imam Reza was particularly filled with lovers of Prophet Muhammad's household, unfortunately a bomb exploded inside the Imam Reza's shrine. Reports received indicate that dozens were martyred or injured. The accident happened when the pilgrims were mourning the anniversary of the demise of the Lord of the Martyrs and the area around the shrine was filled with mourners. The pictures you can see now were taken a few hours after this heart-rending incident, which was perpetrated by the ruthless hypocrites [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization]. As a result of this unprecedented crime part of the holy shrine was also destroyed. A statement obtained in Mashhad in the wake of this heart-rending tragedy shows that the hypocrites committed this criminal deed. A report prepared by our correspondent, who arrived at the scene of tragedy few minutes after the incident, indicates that the bomb weighed perhaps about five kilos and was planted under a column above the holy shrine, in the south-western sector of the eighth Imam's grave site. It is necessary to mention hat several years ago too, the hypocrites intended to carry out a similar criminal deed in the holy shrine of Imam Reza, but the agents responsible were arrested. Their action today was perpetrated to mark the anniversary of the 20 June 1981 incident. On that day the ruthless hypocrites staged a last-ditch movement against the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic. But they were crushed, thanks to the people's presence and ever-lasting unity. [passage omitted]

BFN Dear viewers: I have just been informed that His Eminence Ayatollah Khamene'i, the esteemed leader of the Islamic revolution, has sent the following message: In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. [Koranic verse in Arabic omitted] We belong to God and to God we shall return. With sorrow and regret we were informed that the criminal hand of the enemies of Islam has been tainted with a great crime and, by desecrating the holy and pure shrine of Imam Reza, they have massacred a number of innocent people at the holy shrine of the eighth Imam, peace be upon him, on Imam Husayn's 'Ashura. With this action the hypocritical, hostile, and cruel enemies have shown that they adhere to no humanitarian standards, and that their enmity against the brave and pious nation has no bounds or limits. The blind-hearted and treacherous hypocrites [Mojahedin-e Khalq] have shown that they attach no value to the holy shrine of the member of the household of piety and purity; that such a great and holy time and place is no obstacle to their bloodthirsty and bestial nature and their savage grudge against the Iranian nation. The curse of God and His subjects be on those criminal hands and those black hearts. With such deeds the enemies of the Iranian nation have demonstrated their weakness and impotence and proved that they are doomed to isolation and destruction. I express condolences to the Hidden Imam and to those families whose dear ones have been sacrificed because of the malevolence and crime of the enemies and to the great, brave, and steadfast nation of Islamic Iran. I pray that those martyred in this heart-rending tragedy will receive the loftiest rank. I call on the authorities and the law-enforcement bodies to seriously pursue the perpetrators of this crime and, in the shortest possible time, bring to justice those blood-sucking bats. [Koranic verse in Arabic] And those who do wrong shall surely know by what overturning they will be overturned.

BFN In a statement just released, the Cabinet of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed its condolences following this tragedy and announced that 21 June would be a national day of mourning throughout the country. The text of the statement follows: In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. We belong to God and to Him we return. On the anniversary of the martyrdom of the lord of the freedom-loving people of the world, Husayn Bin Ali, peace be upon him, and the devoted children and followers of that immaculate imam, and when the lovers of the school of Husayn and followers of the of guardianship in mourning at the shrine of the honorable descendent of the lord of the martyrs, His Holiness Ali Bin Musa al-Rida, the cowardly monafeqin, who have not stopped committing crimes since the victory of revolution, once again in a cowardly act shed the blood of the mourners of Husayn, just as the hated idol regime which shed the blood of mourners on the day of Ashura. The Mojahedin-e Khalq martyred and injured a number of innocent people at the shrine of His Holiness Rida, peace be upon him. Obviously, history shall not forget this great disrespect to the position of velayat and imamate of His Holiness Rida, peace be upon him, in whose holy shrine and on the day of Husayn's Ashura this crime took place. The hand of divine revenge will squeeze the throats of all evil cowards, who have planned and carried out such a horrific crime. The cabinet of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while expressing congratulations and condolences to the Lord of the Age; his rightful representative the esteemed leader; the sources of emulation; grand ayatollahs; the heroic, martyr-nurturing and brave people of Islamic Iran; the lovers of the school of Husayn and the followers of Imam Khomeyni, God's blessings be upon him, declares tomorrow, Tuesday, 21 June, a day of national mourning throughout the country; and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as days of mourning for Khorasan Province. The cabinet prays for forgiveness for the great martyrs, for patience for the families of the martyrs and for rapid recovery of the injured.

BFN Mashhad, Khorasan Prov., June 20, IRNA -- A special delegation commissioned by the Interior Ministry left Tehran for this northeastern border city to probe into the bomb blast at the Mausoleum of Imam Reza (AS) [peace be upon him] this afternoon in which at least 70 pilgrims were killed and over 114 were injured. While here, the delegation which comprises officials and experts of the Interior Ministry, will look into the circumstances of the blast. Latest reports indicate that many of the injured are in critical condition and that the death toll is likely to rise in coming hours. Relief operations are under way and medical teams are rushing to the scene of the incident. An informed source said here Monday that among those injured are several women and children and five Indian nationals. Law enforcement forces here announced they have arrested a number of individuals suspected of being involved in the bomb blast at the mausoleum of Imam Reza (AS) today. A source close to the law enforcement forces said that the forces would employ all their might to chase and smash the network of criminals. A special squad has been formed here to render help to those injured in the incident. An official at governor general's office regretted that there were several women and children among those injured. In addition to the loss of life the bomb blast caused it has also inflicted damage to the mausoleum building as well. Technical experts are assessing the extent of damage to launch repair works. The interior of the mausoleum which has decoration with mirrors has been damaged and it seems that some of those injured have been wounded due to the falling mirror pieces. Informed sources say that the bomb blast has caused no damage to the tomb.

BFN Mashhad, June 20, IRNA -- A special representative of the Interior Ministry announced here Monday that 25 people had died and 70 had been injured and hospitalized as of now (11:00 pm local time) as a result of the bomb blast this afternoon at the mausoleum of Imam Reza (a.s.) [peace be upon him]. These are the first official figures announced after a tally of the eyewitness reports on the number of the dead and the injured showed that 70 people were dead and 114 were injured. The Interior Ministry representative added that some of the injured were in critical condition and that there was a possibility that death toll might rise. "But we are all doing our best to save those injured," he said.