Damascus invites Marwan al-Barghouthi
Well-informed Palestinian sources in Damascus have noted that there are "positive signs " towards the improvement of the relations between Damascus and the Palestinian National Movement and "the Fatah Movement" led by Yasser Arafat.
These sources indicated that the Baath party, the ruling party in Syria has recently extended an invitation to the " United leadership of the Intifada " inside Palestine including the representative of Fatah Marwan al-Barghouthi to visit Damascus.
Worthy mentioning Damascus had refused to received Abu Ammar despite the several mediations carried out by Arab states, because of " the great worry " after he had signed the Oslo agreement in 1993 and his violation of coordination with Syria, a matter which resulted in " non- confidence." The sources told the London-based al-Hayat daily in its Thursday's issue that there are five signs for " detente in the relations between Damascus and the Palestinian Authority. The first is a Syrian initiative to offer US $ 7 million in support of the Palestinian Intifada despite the fact the "confrontation states", Arab states which are in a state of war with Israel, including Syria, are exempted from providing financial support. The second Syria's halt of criticizing the Oslo agreement despite the fact that Syria has many question marks on it. The third is adopting a political address in support of the steadfastness of the Palestinian Authority and the uprising. The fourth the consent of the Syrian government on permitting Arafat to cross its airspace in his way back from Moscow several weeks ago. And the fifth Syrian officials receiving delegates for President Yasser Arafat and officials at the palestinian Authority.
Syrian sources told al-Hayat that relations between Syria and the Palestinian government are improving "according to Arafat's steadfastness," noting that "Syria is ready to coordinate concerning any stance agreed on by President Arafat, under the conditions he will not back track this stance and change his mind."
