Shaath: Arafat visits Damascus next Wednesday

The Palestinian minister of planing and international co-operation Nabeel Shaath announced on Wednesday that the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will visit Damascus on September 19.

Shaath told reporters that " Consultations were made on Wednesday with the Syrian officials and as a result of President al-Assad' s preoccupation of visiting Yemen in the mid of this month ( September), a date was set for Arafat's visit to Damascus next Wednesday." Nabil Abu Rudinah, the advisor of the Palestinian President announced that Arafat announced he had decised to postpone his visit which was due on Wednesday and yesterday ( Thursday) to Syria because of the attacks in the USA.

Abu Rudinah added " Because of the current conditions the visit of President Arafat to Damascus was postponed for several day."

On Tuesday, Abu Rudinah said that Arafat will discuss with the Syrian leadership latest developments of conditions in the Palestinian territories, especially amid continued policy of Israeli assassination, killing and destruction acts against the Palestinian people."