Omran: Syria did not cancel Arafat's visit

Syria's minister of information Adnan Omran has denied that Syria canceled the visit of Yasser Arafat which was due to Damascus on Tuesday. The minister said that Syria was informed about the postponement of Arafat's visit just two hours from its date.

In statements to Reuters and to Monte Carlo radio, Omran explained that one who read the Syrian papers issued on Tuesday will realize through its articles that good preparations have been made for this visit on the hope to attain the set objectives so as to serve the interests of the Palestinian people and their heroic Intifada.

The Minister explained that it is not the first time the Palestinian side cancels this visit. It was set on September 12 and this date was postponed in the last minutes and without giving due reasons for the postponement. The minister added that also Tuesday's ( September 25) date was postponed without giving any justification but news reports linked between the date set to Arafat to meet with the Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres, so as his visit to Damascus was canceled.

Commenting on statements made by certain Palestinian officials, the minister said that Syria which is concerned to principles and mobilization of Arab potentials for the sake of the Palestinians and restoring back their rights will not be involved in creating differences because there are those who want to create illusions for giving more concessions.

He continued that Syria was and will be, together with her Arab sisters with the Palestinian people in their just struggle to restore back complete rights which provide for Israel's complete withdrawal from the occupied territories until June 4, 1967 border line, the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as a capital.