On Arafat's visit to Damascus

In statements to the Saudi daily Okaz issued on Tuesday, Palestinian and Syrian sources expected that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will visit Damascus soon to convene a summit with President Bashar al-Assad.

These sources explained that such a visit has become " more nearer to take place" than before due to the continued Palestinian stand in rejecting to comply with the American and Israeli demands to give up Palestinian supremacy over the city of Jerusalem.

The sources added that the rejection of the Palestinian government to give up Arab rights had minimized areas of traditional differences between Syria and Arafat. A matter which pushed hopes forward towards holding a long- waited visit to Damascus.