To eliminate American pretexts against Syria, Palestinian groups propose closing offices
Syria-USA, Politics, 5/8/2003

Palestinian groups in Damascus expressed their readiness to close their offices in the Syrian capital in a step aiming at dismantling the American pretexts against Syria.

Palestinian sources said that the "Palestinian groups in Damascus have started to take practical measures to freez their activity on the Syrian arena, in a step by it to dismantle the pretext on which the US administration has used to practice political pressure against Syria."

The Palestinian sources added that "the measures taken by the groups came according to its political reading and assessment on the sensitivity of the phase and the difficult conditions besieging the region after the American occupation of Iraq, and that Syria is the US administration's next target."

The sources stressed that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are among the groups which will freeze their activity but will continue the struggle against the occupation on the Palestinian territories.

Meantime, the secretary general of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine -- general command, Ahmad Jibril said in press statements to Journalists in Damascus that the Front is ready to close its offices in Damascus, if this will be in the interest of Syrian policy.

Jibril denied that the Syrian government had officially asked the Palestinian groups to close their offices in Damascus, adding "but as organizations, we found that this matter alleviates the repressive campaign against Syria under current conditions, these offices will be of no value for us, since every house in the camps is a house for the Palestinian issue."

For his part, the secretary general of the Democratic Front For the Liberation of Palestine, Nayef Hawatemah, said that he hopes that Syria will not respond to the American pressures. He stressed the Front's care to maintain Syria's security. He indicated that this issue was discussed with the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara before Powell's visit to Damascus and also contacts were made after the end of the visit, but he refused to get involved in the details.

Hawatemah explained that if the Syrian government asks for the closure of the office, the Palestinians will not "put the carriage before the horse."

Previous Stories:
  On Powell's visit to Syria, Lebanon   (5/5/2003)
  Briefing by Powell in Damascus today   (5/3/2003)
  Powell in Damascus calls for 'understanding' of the new situation, reminds of Syrian accountability law   (5/3/2003)

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