Press Interpreter

10/03/05 -- The American company ExxonMobil, the British company British Petroleum, and the Italian company ENI have won contracts for the drilling of oil in Libya. 120 companies submitted applications during the second round of applications for oil extraction licenses. 19 of the new high-profile licenses are situated in high-yield locations for oil such as the region of Sirte in the center of the country and the Murzuq oil fields in the southwest. The Socialist Republic awarded the first round of applications, which included 57 regions, last January / Kanoon al-Thany. An employee of the national oil organization said that ExxonMobil won a contract to drill in the middle of the country in cooperation with the Japanese Nippon Oil Company and the Indonesian oil company Pertamina. British Petroleum acquired two contracts in the Sirte region in cooperation with Pertamina and the Indian National Oil Company, while ENI and British Petroleum have won two contracts in the Kufra oil fields.

06/13/05 -- Madame Suzanne Mubarak, wife of the president of the republic, stated that woman's obtaining her full rights demands adoption of various practical policies, and turning toward pragmatic, effective programs. It is absolutely necessary to help those programs for rural women which obtain them education and technical skills, and encourage them, and offer them opportunity to establish small commercial enterprises.

06/06/05 -- The Ministry of Environmental Affairs issued the first report on the state of the environment in Egypt for 2004, indicating considerable progress in the reduction of air pollutants sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, thoracic particles, ozone, and smoke, along with a noteworthy reduction in pollution levels in the Nile and oceans and lakes.

06/02/05 -- The second conference on the development of female leadership skills has demanded the full coordination of the secretary of women’s affairs and the secretary of rural affairs in implementing, at all levels of the National Party, the rural women and youth political participation encouragement project in the upcoming stage. The emphasis is being placed on communication with co-ops in order to support rural women and youth in view of advancing democracy, as well as finding the spirit of cooperation, existence, and hard work among woman and youth in the country.

04/21/05 -- Aljazeera.net has learned that Iraqis supported by the Norwegian humanitarian ministries are determined to raise a suit against a group of Iraqis possessing Norwegian citizenship, who were associated with the torture of Iraqi detainees while they were working as translators with the American army in Iraq.

04/07/05 -- Baghdad -- In a historic session of the interim National Assembly, Iraqi representatives chose Jalal Talabani as President. He will become the first Kurd to occupy that position in Iraq's history.

03/31/05 -- The newspaper Yeni Safak wrote yesterday that the foreign ministers of Egypt and the countries surrounding Iraq will hold the next round of their periodic conventions in Istanbul on April 14 and 15.

03/10/2005 -- Twenty-two members of the American Congress gave recognition to the efforts of Egypt in establishing peace and stability in the region.

In an official report, sent to the American president George Bush, they expressed the need of preserving the close Egyptian-American friendly relations established 30 years ago and the need of a program for military and economic aid.

03/04/05 -- 23 Muharram 1426 -- Prominent representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties drafted a bill for the American House of Representatives yesterday in which they requested the application of a series of practical measures to spread democracy in the world and end all existing forms of dictatorial and undemocratic governments.

03/03/05 -- A public opinion survey in Egypt shows great enthusiasm for participation in the coming presidential elections, which will be held by secret direct voting for more than one candidate. The survey, conducted by the Research Center of the Ministry Council, shows that 80% of the Egyptian citizens are very enthusiastic about their participation in the first elections for president which the country will evidence before the end of the current year and according to the amendment of Article 76 from the Constitution, made on president Mubarak’s initiative, approved by the People’s Assembly* and upon which a referendum was held.

03/02/05 -- The United States criticized several governments for committing gross human rights violations during this last year in an annual report, published by the American State Department, on human rights principles in 196 nations around the world.

03/02/05 -- Dr. Asama al-Baz, political consultant to the President of the Republic, Mr. Hosni Mubarak, confirmed yesterday through a speech at a faculty of medicine seminar at the Suez Canal University that what Egypt seeks now is a solution to the Lebanese problem and to keep peace and security in Syria and Lebanon. The problem in Lebanon, with Egyptian intervention, is on its way to solution according to al-Baz. And for the Palestinian cause, al-Baz clarified Egypt did not seek nine days for the achievement of gains from behind this case that took place for an agreement to it in the negotiations. The coexistence of the two sides, the Palestinians and the Israelis, is possible. Despite this achievement the establishment of climate of protection and a calming of the earth requires more time.

02/26/05 -- The German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder carried on negotiations with the King Abdullah II of Jordan in the German capital Berlin yesterday in connection with the situation in the Middle East, the Iraqi problem, the relations between the two countries and the ways to strengthen them. In the meantime Schroeder will arrive for one day visit in Riyadh tomorrow within the framework of his tour of the Gulf which will last a week and include the Gulf Cooperation Countries and Yemen.

02/24/05 -- In the name of the foreign ministry, spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said that his country rejects the intervention of the United States in the deliberations between it and Britain, France, and Germany concerning Iran’s nuclear program. It is possible that America is not firm in its considerations because American strategy is less productive and is lost on Israel.