Arafat in Damascus today

News reports quoted Palestinian sources on Monday as saying that the chairman of the Palestinian authority Yasser Arafat will visit Syria today ( Tuesday).

Former chairman of the Palestinian national council Khaled al-Fahoum said that Arafat, during this visit, will hold talks with the Syrian leadership and other Palestinian leaders whose headquarters station in Damascus.

In Gaza, Palestinian officials said that this visit will be due today ( Tuesday).

However, news reports underlined the importance of Syrian- Palestinian meetings and the steps taken by Syria towards the Palestinian side including the positive change in the Syrian media address towards the Palestinian question and its president Yasser Arafat, opening Damascus's doors before the Palestinian officials at various levels to the extent that tens of Palestinian delegations had visited Damascus during the few past months.

All these Syrian measures were also coupled with Syria's recognition of the Palestinian passport and opening the door before accepting Palestinian students (not living in Syria) in the Syrian universities and the landing of the first Palestinian plane at a Syrian airport carrying a large delegation of various specialization by the end of August (took part in the activities of the Damascus International fair). However, the positive progress in the Syrian- Palestinian relations is attributed to the change on the foreign relations strategy adopted by Syria in her inter- Arab and regional relations.