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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 June 2000 Issue No. 487 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 June 2000 Issue No. 487
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Focus Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters State delay
THE PALESTINE Liberation Organisation's 129-member Central Council has put off for four days a meeting to prepare for Palestinian statehood. Palestinian officials said yesterday that the two-day meeting, originally scheduled for 28 June, would now be held on 2 July because of a Middle East peace mission by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright due to begin next week.Bowing to Arab and international pressure last May, PLO leader Yasser Arafat delayed plans to unilaterally declare a state following promises by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to accelerate the peace process.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators ended a round of behind-the-scenes talks near Washington last week without making progress on a long-overdue framework accord for a final peace treaty, Reuters reported.
Also read: Staying the execution
FIS warning
THE OUTLAWED Algerian Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) issued a statement yesterday announcing that the brother of one of its leaders had been arrested, reports Amira Howeidy.Sayed Abdel-Hamid Belhaj, brother of imprisoned FIS deputy head Ali Belhaj, was taken by Algerian security forces from his home in the Algerian capital.
"The military junta should take full responsibility for anything that happens to him," the statement warned. The FIS statement viewed the arrest of Sayed Belhaj as an attempt by the government of President Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika "to put pressure on [his brother] Sheikh Ali Belhaj to retract on his positions and principles, which he has reiterated on several occasions, including in a letter addressed to President Bouteflika."
Sudan pardon
SUDANESE President Omar Al-Bashir has granted an unconditional general amnesty to all Sudanese involved in acts of rebellion.The Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) said the decree, issued on Tuesday, covers civilians as well as members of the armed forces who committed any illegal acts between 30 June 1989 and 20 June 2000, in or outside of Sudan.
Despite describing the amnesty as unconditional, the decree said anyone wanting to benefit from it "shall return to Sudan willingly, declare his commitment to the constitution and laws and forgo violence," the agency said.
