Syrian- Palestinian contacts resumed

The Israeli Hebrew language radio on Monday quoted the Palestinian al-Ayam ( days) paper as saying that Syrian- Palestinian contacts have been resumed recently and that the International planning official at the Palestinian authority Nabil Shaath will arrive on Saturday in Damascus to take part in the sessions of the foreign ministers of the Arab states.

The Israeli radio added that Shaath might meet with the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

Meantime, the radio said that Palestinian officials who had earlier prepared for the visit of the chairman of the Palestinian territories Yasser Arafat to Damascus, the visit which was canceled in the last moments, said in more than one occasion that Arafat will meet with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during this year.