BBC Monitoring weekly prospects (Middle East & N Africa) for 10 - 19 Dec 2004.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

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06-17

IRAQ/JAPAN: Some 60 Iraqi government officials from environmental and public works sectors visit for training provided by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in water quality control and sewer systems (Japanese news agency Kyodo)

08-10

SUDAN: Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa visits Khartoum to discuss Darfur crisis before heading to Morocco (Japanese news agency Kyodo)

10

EGYPT: OPEC meeting in Cairo; Russia may take part as an observer (Russian news agency Prime-Tass)

10

EGYPT: Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo begins visit at head of large ministerial delegation; first such visit by a Nigerian president in 40 years; aims to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in trade and economic domain; holds talks with counterpart Husni Mubarak on conflicts in Africa and situation in western Sudanese region of Darfur (Egyptian news agency MENA)

10

GLOBAL: UN's International Human Rights Day (BBC …