In This Issue

News - Region

ARAB LEAGUE'S MUSSA CALLS FOR ARAB INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ
"Arab League chief Amr Mussa called on Arab nations to back efforts to rebuild war-torn Iraq after talking with members of the Governing Council.. ..Arab League delegates currently in Iraq would travel to the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil [Dec 31].. ..The delegates, led by Mussa deputy Ahmed bin Helli, are the first from the league to visit Iraq since Saddam Hussein's overthrow in April. The organization gave an initial chilly reception to the new order in Iraq.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
ARAB LEAGUE BACKS IRAQ COUNCIL - GWD Sep 15, 2003

CHANCES OF GCC ADMITTING IRAQ ARE SLIM SINCE HUGE OBSTACLES REMAIN
"The chances of Iraq joining the Gulf Cooperation Council, in spite of the hype, are slimmer than none, according to experts and Kuwaiti officials.. ..While there has been much talk in the run-up to the 24th Annual GCC Summit, which opened [Dec 21] Kuwaiti officials insist the issue was never on the agenda and would not be discussed by the leaders of the six member states.. ..'What can it contribute right now to the union except a bag of problems?'.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
POST-SADDAM IRAQ CAN JOIN GCC: BAHRAIN - GWD Oct 20, 2003

ARAB STATES WARM TO IRAQI COUNCIL
"They groused that the US invasion of Iraq was a violation of international law and their secretary general warned that the US might be opening the 'door to hell' by alienating its member states. But that was back during the April invasion. This week the 22-state Arab League - so dismayed and angry at the US last spring that it seemed meaningful cooperation on Iraq wasn't possible - signaled a change in attitude by sending its first official delegation to the troubled country.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
ARAB LEAGUE BOSS COOL TOWARD IRAQI BODY - GWD Jul 21, 2003

U.S. MUM ON TALKS TO EXPLORE U.N. ROLE IN IRAQ
"U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will meet with Iraqi officials next month to explore a U.N. role in guiding Baghdad's return to self-government, but the United States is keeping silent on whether it will attend the talks.. .. While President Bush told Annan by telephone that he thought a three-way meeting was 'a good idea,' the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority administering Iraq has not responded to a U.N. invitation for the meeting, set for Jan. 19 in New York.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
ANNAN RULES OUT U.N. RETURN TO IRAQ IN NEAR FUTURE - GWD Dec 15, 2003

BAATHIST REMNANTS LOCKED IN POWER STRUGGLE
"With Saddam Hussein under arrest, a power struggle has started within the remnants of his Baathist regime. At least three rival groups are positioning themselves to fight for the control of what they call 'popular resistance'..  ..The issue is attracting broader Arab interest with some pan-Arabists, Islamists and other groups focusing on the Iraqi insurgency as the vanguard of a wider struggle against the West led by the United States.." Complete report.." Complete report..

GUNMEN SHOOT DEAD TOP IRAQI JUDGE
"A senior Iraqi judge has been shot dead in the northern city of Mosul. Police say the judge, Youssef Khoshi, was shot six times in the back by several men in a car on [Dec 22].. ..Judge Youssef Khoshi was one of the three chief investigative judges in Mosul.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
ANTI-SADDAM PROBE JUDGE MURDERED - GWD Nov 10, 2003

THOUSANDS IN IRANIAN CITY KILLED IN QUAKE
"Entire blocks of buildings lay crushed and survivors lined up blanket-wrapped bodies in the street after a devastating earthquake leveled nearly three-quarters of the Iranian city of Bam on [Dec 26], killing at least 5,000 people and injuring 30,000 others.. ..Local officials said the death toll could reach up to 12,000, though the deputy governor of Kerman province said an accurate count was impossible with many victims still trapped under the rubble.." Complete report..

SAUDI-QATARI TALKS FAIL TO RESOLVE RIFT
"Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz met the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, [Dec 21] in Kuwait but failed to resolve a dispute between the two neighbors.. ..Relations started deteriorating between Riyadh and Doha in the summer of 2002 because of a program aired by Qatar's satellite television channel Al-Jazeera, which Saudi Arabia's ruling family considered offensive. Riyadh recalled its ambassador from Doha at the end of September 2002.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
SAUDI ENVOY RECALLED FROM QATAR - GWD Sep 23, 2003
QATARI JAZEERA TV OFFENDS SAUDI ARABIA AGAIN - GWD Jul 29, 2002

FOR VIETNAM VET ANTHONY ZINNI, ANOTHER WAR ON SHAKY TERRITORY
"..Over the past year, the retired Marine Corps general has become one of the most prominent opponents of Bush administration policy on Iraq, which he now fears is drifting toward disaster.. ..Three years ago, Zinni completed a tour as chief of the Central Command, the U.S. military headquarters for the Middle East, during which he oversaw enforcement of the two "no-fly" zones in Iraq and also conducted four days of punishing airstrikes against that country in 1998. He even served briefly as a special envoy to the Middle East, mainly as a favor to his old friend and comrade Secretary of State Colin L. Powell..." Complete report..

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News - Bahrain

BAHRAIN DENIES KNOWING ABOUT THREATS TO AMERICAN INTERESTS
"Bahrain's information minister Nabil Yaqoub al-Homor said that Bahrain does not know about threats of possible attacks occurring in the country. This, however, followed an American warning of attacks against the American embassy in Manama. Al-Homor expressed conviction that the situation is satisfactory, and there is no evidence that the situation is dangerous.." Complete report..

TERRORIST FEAR FOR BAHRAIN GP
"The inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix could be at risk from a terrorist attack, the [British] Foreign Office has warned. 'We are not saying the race should not be held, but it is on the Foreign Office's radar and is under review,'.. ..The Foreign Office is particularly concerned about potential threats to places where westerners might gather - a serious concern for the event to be held on 4 April near Manama. The race will be the first F1 Grand Prix in the Middle East.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
BAHRAIN SET FOR MAIDEN GP - GWD Sep 8, 2003

BAHRAINI WOMEN PROTEST CHIRAC DECISION TO BAN HEADSCARVES
"Some 200 Bahraini women rallied [Dec 25] outside the French embassy here to express their opposition to the recent French decision to ban the Islamic hijab (headscarf) in public schools.. ..Chirac said last week the hijab, the Jewish Kippa and a cross that is of plainly excessive dimensions had no place in the precincts of state schools.." Complete report..
Also:
RALLY AGAINST FRENCH BAN ON SCARVES 

FREEDOM FOR ALL FAITHS PLEDGED
"Bahrain [Dec 24] reiterated its commitment to full freedom of worship for all residents. The declaration was made by Islamic Affairs Under-Secretary Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who described Bahrain as a pluralistic society, which tolerates and respects other faiths.. ..'The best proof of this can be seen in the fact that His Majesty King Hamad sponsored an Islamic-Christian dialogue conference last year'.." Complete report..

BAHRAIN TEAMS CHECK 'IMMORALITY'
"The ministry of information has imposed rules to check "immoral violations" in Bahrain's nightspots, minister Nabeel Al Hamer said [Dec 23]. Undercover inspection teams are being sent to hotels and clubs to make sure they comply with the rules, he told the Parliament.. ..Al Hamer said the ministry has prepared a number of plans to promote the kingdom, the Gulf financial and banking center, as a family tourism hub.." Complete report..

BAHRAIN TO SIGN EXTRADITION TREATY WITH INDIA
"Bahrain's Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Sulman Al Khalifa will pay a four-day official visit to India next month. During the visit, from January 11 to 14, he will hold talks on bilateral and trade relations with senior Indian government officials. The two countries have been discussing an extradition treaty for some time, and the pact will be signed during this visit.." Complete report..

$3.97M PUBLIC SCHOOL ON WAY
"One of India's premier international chain of schools, the Delhi Public School (DPS), is to open a school in Bahrain early next year. Bahrain-based Knowledge Management Group (KMG) has joined hands with the Delhi Public School Society (DPSS) to establish the school at a total cost of BD1.5 ($3.97) million.. ..Registration will start from the middle of next month. In the first year, the school will start with kindergarten to class five.." Complete report..

CAPITAL GOVERNORATE LAUNCHES DATA BANK IN ARABIC AND ENGLISH
"A data bank, in both Arabic and English, was launched by the Capital Governorate [Dec 23]. The data bank will include information and statistics on services provided by the governorate.." Complete report..

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News - Kuwait

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News - Oman

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News - Qatar

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY EYEING QATAR BRANCH
"Carnegie Mellon University is looking east -- specifically to the Middle East -- for new students. By next month, the Pittsburgh University expects to announce a pact for it to open an undergraduate school for business and computer students in the Persian Gulf sheikdom of Qatar.." Complete report..

SUDAN RELEASES DETAINED AL-JAZEERA CORRESPONDENT
"Sudanese authorities released [Dec 24] the Al-Jazeera television correspondent they detained in Khartoum last week, accusing him and his company of spreading false information, the Qatar-based channel said.. ..The channel did not specify if the authorities had allowed its Khartoum bureau to re-open after shutting it down [Dec 24].." Complete report..

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News - Saudi Arabia

GROUP OPPOSES SAUDI ARABIA ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
"..The bill seeks to place sanctions against the kingdom for not cooperating with the United States in the war on terror. 'The reality is, the kingdom is in a daily battle against terrorism and has cooperated fully with the United States in combating terrorism,' says the Saudi-American Forum.." Complete report..

SAUDI ARABIA AND UNITED STATES MAKE JOINT DESIGNATION ON TERROR FINANCING
"Saudi Arabia and the United States have taken steps to designate two organizations as financiers of terrorism under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999).  These organizations are the Bosnia-based Vazir and the Liechtenstein-based Hochburg AG.. ..Saudi Arabia and the United States recently formed a special task force focusing on terror financing.  Through this task force, Saudi and U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials work side by side in ongoing terror financing investigations.." Complete report..

TERROR CASH TRACED TO ILLEGAL CHARITY BOXES
"Large quantities of cash discovered on some of the suspects who were captured as part of a campaign to uproot terrorism came from unauthorized charity boxes, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.. ..'The terrorists were collecting the money from those boxes that were being put in mosques, colleges, schools and markets and carried pictures of war victims,' Al-Musaibeeh added.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
CHARITY COLLECTION BOXES BANNED - GWD Sep 22, 2003

SAUDI ARRESTS FIVE AFTER SEIZING BOMB-MAKING CDS
"Saudi authorities, facing a wave of militant attacks, have arrested five people after raiding computer shops selling compact disks containing hidden bomb-making instructions.. ..Police were questioning four owners of computer shops in the southern Jazan region and a fifth person believed to have supplied the CDs to the shops, Al-Watan newspaper said. Officials were not immediately available for comment.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
ABDULLAH VOWS TO FINISH OFF TERRORISTS - GWD Nov 10, 2003

KINGDOM WILL NOT DISCUSS IRAQI DEBT WRITE-OFF WITH GOVERNING COUNCIL: SAUD
"Saudi Arabia will not discuss any loan write-offs with Iraq's interim US-appointed government, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said [Dec 23].  He said the Kingdom would wait until Iraq had an independent government before looking into the possibility of reducing the debt.. ..Financial analysts estimate Iraq's debt at $108-$123 billion, but that could rise to as much as $166 billion if compensation claims for Baghdad's invasion of Kuwait are included - more if Iran seeks compensation for an earlier invasion by Iraq.." Complete report..

KINGDOM, US TALKS ON WTO MAKE PROGRESS
"Saudi Arabia is in the advanced stages of negotiations with the United States and is looking to enact legislation bringing the Kingdom in line with the regulations and standards of the World Trade Organization.. ..Fawaz Al-Alamy, deputy minister of commerce and industry and head of the negotiating team for the accession of Saudi Arabia to the WTO..  'Most of the issues in the area of goods and services have been resolved.. I can say that we are fairly close in our negotiations with the United States,'.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
GCC INSIGHTS: SAUDI ARABIA'S ENTRY INTO WTO ALL SET - GWD Sep 8, 2003

SAUDI CREATES NEW MINISTER TO BOOST SHURA COUNCIL
"Saudi Arabia, under pressure to reform its political system, has created a new cabinet portfolio to boost the role of the unelected parliament. The creation of the post was part of a process of 'organizational reforms' in the kingdom; the newly appointed Minister of State for Shura Council Affairs Saud al-Mathami was quoted as saying in the daily Okaz on [Dec 24].. ..'I don't have any doubt that in the future we'll have elections, at various levels including the Shura Council," he said, pointing to a series of reforms in recent months.." Complete report..
Also:
NEW MINISTER STRESSES NEED FOR GREATER CABINET-SHOURA COORDINATION
~~GulfWire Link~~
ELECTIONS IN A YEAR - GWD Oct 20, 2003
BIN-HUMAID WELCOMES DECISION TO EMPOWER SHOURA COUNCIL - GWD Dec 15, 2003

SAUD CALLS FOR POPULAR PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS
"Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal has spoken out strongly in favor of political reform. He spoke of the need for more popular participation in politics, willingness to criticize and identify weaknesses, and a recognition that the modern Arab states cannot rely on their traditional family structures to handle the modern world.. ..He added the need for internal reform has to be linked with the need to change the Arab situation and adopt a different attitude to the world not based on misconceptions that we are continually being exploited.." Complete report..
Also:
KINGDOM COMMITTED TO REFORMS: PRINCE SAUD
~~GulfWire Link~~
BANDAR COUNSELS PATIENCE ON REFORMS - GWD Dec 15, 2003

SAUDIS PETITION FOR SPEEDY REFORM
"Some 100 leading Saudi Arabians have signed a petition urging the government to speed up political reform. The document, sent to Crown Prince Abdullah, is said to partly blame Islamic militancy on the lack of popular participation in politics. It is said to repeat calls for an elected parliament, an independent judiciary and equal rights for women. A leading reformer.. ..said they wanted the ruling family to give up some of its absolute powers, to turn Saudi Arabia into a constitutional monarchy, similar to Jordan or Bahrain.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
SAUDI GROUP PRESSES CROWN PRINCE FOR REFORM - GWD Jun 23, 2003

KINGDOM TO EMBARK ON MAJOR PRIVATIZATION PROGRAM
"Saudi Arabia, which hold the world's largest proven crude oil reserves and is going through political and economic reforms, enjoys a strong trade surplus largely due to its oil exports. Buoyed by improving macroeconomic parameters, the Saudi Market TASI index has outperformed most other global indices. The Kingdom has been recording a current account surplus since 1999. The monetary policy regulated by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) has been yielding fruitful results.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
SAUDI PRIVATIZATION PACE SLAMMED - GWD Nov 3, 2003

TEMPORARY BAN ON IMPORT OF US BEEF PRODUCTS
"The Ministry of Commerce has warned customs laboratories at all entry points into the Kingdom of the recent discovery of suspected cases of mad cow disease in the United States.. ..Officials say the warning is tantamount to a temporary ban on all imports of American fresh or frozen beef products as well as live cattle until they have been cleared for human consumption. Saudi Arabia imports 70,000 tons of beef from America every year. The total value of imports ranges from SR500 ($133) million to SR1 ($266) billion.." Complete report..
Also:
TRADERS: 85% OF US BEEF IMPORTS IS FOR RE-EXPORT

ACCOUNT HOLDERS TOLD TO UPDATE PERSONAL INFO BEFORE [DEC 31]
"Many people face having their bank accounts frozen or even closed if they fail to comply with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) directive. The directive fixes Dec. 31 as the cut-off date for account holders to update personal information with their banks. There are more than three million account holders with different types of accounts in the Kingdom's nine commercial banks.." Complete report.. 
~~GulfWire Link~~
SAMA INITIATES ACTION TO CURB ILLEGAL MONEY TRANSACTIONS - GWD Jul 7, 2003

HOUSING COMPOUNDS LOSE THEIR ALLURE
"Housing compounds have incurred huge losses due to terrorist threats, especially after the blasts in Riyadh in May and November. Economists have estimated that housing compounds in Riyadh alone may have suffered losses of nearly SR400 million.. ..Housing compounds were once considered the safest option with a plethora of facilities but now foreigners consider them high-risk.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
UNPRECEDENTED SECURITY AT RIYADH COMPOUNDS - GWD Nov 17, 2003

SCHEME FOR TRAINING SAUDI NURSES LAUNCHED
"In a move to cut reliance on expatriate nurses in hospitals and clinics in the Kingdom, a national scheme for training Saudi nurses and awarding nursing diplomas to Saudi girls has been established by the Armed Forces Medical Services Department.. ..The move is intended to phase out expatriate nurses. More than 90 percent of nurses working in the country today are non-Saudis. The officials said that more nursing colleges were needed to train Saudi nurses.." Complete report..

ALVAREZ ALARMED AT SAFETY OF OFW'S IN SAUDI ARABIA
"Presidential adviser for overseas Filipino communities Heherson Alvarez has expressed alarm over the safety of thousands of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.  Alvarez asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment in drawing up contingency plans through the embassy and consulates in Saudi Arabia to help Filipino workers when the threat of terrorism worsens. There are over 600,000 Filipino workers deployed in Saudi Arabia.." Complete report..

HAJJ: SAUDI ARABIA PEGS JANUARY DEADLINE FOR VISAS
"Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Mallam Saidu Balarabe, has advised all intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2004 Hajj to ensure they present their visa requirements latest January 17, 2004 in order to avoid last minute rush.. ..Mallam Balarabe stressing that no latecomers will be entertained after the expiration of the January 17 deadline also advised pilgrims who purchased their travel documents through Federal Government approved tour operators to obtain their visas through the same operators.." Complete report..

ARBAEEN LAGOON TO BECOME SITE OF AMUSEMENT PARK
"The Arbaeen Lagoon, seen locally as an eyesore, is to be transformed into a site of an amusement park and leisure center. The Kazaa Saudi company has contracted work to begin on the project - estimated at around SR150 ($40) million - in the next few months.. ..When completed, the development is intended to operate as a stand-alone leisure center while enhancing the downtown area of Jeddah and attracting visitors. The project will take an estimated two years to complete.." Complete report..

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News - UAE

BBC WORLD WINS ZAYED PRIZE FOR ENVIRONMENT
"BBC World has been awarded the $500,000 Zayed International Prize for the Environment.. ..the award was in recognition of the distinctive leadership influencing international, regional and local policies, concepts and media and education programs in environment and sustainable development fields.." Complete report..

BRIDGING THE GENDER DIVIDE
"UAE women [Dec 23] took a major step forward in their long-standing drive to tear down barriers preventing them from taking part in decision-making on par with men. The General Women's Union (GWU) demanded their political rights in an official document presented to a symposium organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attended by several female intellectuals from the UAE and other Gulf countries. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.. ..blessed the 80-page document entitled 'The National Strategy for the Progress and Development of UAE Women'.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
EDUCATION HAS BEEN A KEY FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT - GWD May 19, 2003

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN'S ROLE IN POLITICS
"Female intellectuals and diplomats from the UAE, other Gulf states and the United Nations will speak at the seminar to be held at the foreign ministry's Emirates Institute of Diplomacy (EID). It coincides with growing signs that the local women could finally be admitted into the Federal National Council for the first time following calls for an active female political role.. .. Today's symposium, entitled 'Women and Politics' is co-organized by EID.." Complete report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
WOMEN'S COMMITTEE TO BE SET UP AT GCC KUWAIT SUMMIT - GWD Nov 3, 2003

FINDING A PLACE FOR ECOTOURISM IN THE UAE
"Few of us associate leisure tourism with environmental degradation.. .. Tourism's environmental impacts are mounting. Underestimated in the past, these are causing concern now because so many sites around the world have been spoilt; many times, resulting in destruction of the very attraction that draws people to a place.. ..And now, it's happening in the Gulf countries.." Complete report..

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Link of the Week / GulfWire Flashback - Four Years of GW

LINK OF THE WEEK

GCC SECRETARY GENERAL

<<ONE YEAR AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#177) WEEK OF DEC 30, 2002

THE SAUDIS' FIGHT TOO
"Saudi-bashing has become Washington's most popular sport. More than six decades of partnership, strong trade relations and wide-ranging strategic cooperation are being trampled in an ugly blame game... ...Any doubt that we're on the same side in this war should be laid to rest by the fact that in the past few months alone, al Qaeda has launched several major terrorist plots against Saudi government facilities and infrastructure.. ..the Saudi General Intelligence Directorate (GID) and the General Security Service (GSS) have worked closely with their U.S. counterparts..." 

<<TWO YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#128) WEEK OF DEC 31, 2001

GCC AGREES ON CUSTOMS UNION, SINGLE CURRENCY
"Leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) [Dec. 31] took a major step toward economic union and signed an agreement based on joint customs tariffs in 2003 and a single market and currency by 2010. The Gulf states also decided to increase their joint defense force to 20,000 men and strongly condemned terrorism in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.."

<<THREE YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#78) WEEK OF JAN 1, 2001

ARAB GULF STATES SEAL JOINT DEFENSE PACT 
"The pact commits the Gulf Cooperation Council member states to defend any member state victim of an external threat or danger.. The pact was to have been signed in November 1999, but defense ministers of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, their meeting in Dubai, broke up without putting their names to any agreement. Bahrain's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa opened the 21st GCC summit Friday with a call for the 'development of cooperation in defense issues, which is a guarantee for the security and stability of GCC countries and their peoples.' The GCC has approved a 70 million-dollar telecommunications project to link the military headquarters of all six countries but has yet to implement the plan, and is also examining a radar network project worth 88 million dollars.."

<<FOUR YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#25) WEEK OF DEC 27, 2000

HAPPY NEW YEAR/Y2K BUG NOTE
"..This edition of GulfWire contains several articles dealing with [information] revolution.  From proliferation of wireless, satellite telephony in the Gulf region to the use of web based technologies to improve credit card services in the UAE and air cargo tracking in Bahrain, we are irreversibly caught in a transformation that has and will continue to change the nature of business, politics, defense and society. As we pass the 01.01.00 milestone (and the Y2K bug speed bump) GulfWire will continue to focus on both the details and the larger views of the information revolution (and its impact on the Gulf region) in our effort to give you the information tools you need in your Gulf related enterprise.."

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