On postponing the Arafat visit to Damascus

The Israeli daily Haartez on Wednesday quoted a source in the Palestinian Authority as saying that the Americans were not pleased to have Arafat visit Syria. The visit which was due on Tuesday was delayed for fears that this visit will stand against convening a meeting between Arafat and the Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres on Wednesday. The source added that a third party asked the Syrians to cancel this visit at the request of the Americans.

Palestinian officials strongly denied Syrian official reports which said that the visit was canceled at the request of the Palestinian authority because of an Israeli pressure to postpone it before Arafat- Peres meeting.

The Minister of planning in the Palestinian authority Nabeel Abu Rudunah said that the Syrians might have internal reasons to postpone the visit. Reasons which are similar to those of Peres to postpone several meetings that he was due to hold with Arafat.

However, a high ranking Palestinian source said that the two Syrian and Palestinian sides were pleased to postpone the visit for the time being so as the American will complete formation of their alliance.

The source added that this visit has advantages and disadvantages for the two sides.

Palestinian sources said that Arafat had postponed the visit so as he will not be considered as standing with the radical camp in the Middle East.