Patriotic Union of Kurdistan chief to visit Damascus next week

Sources in the Iraqi opposition told ArabicNews.com that the chief of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talabani, will visit Damascus next week to hold talks with high-ranking Syrian officials.

The sources said that an agreement between the PUK and Syria was reached that Talabani's visit should coincide with the visit of a high-ranking Iranian official to Damascus -- President Mohammad Khatami or Vice-President Hassan Habibi.

The sources said the representative of the PUK in Damascus left on Tuesday for northern Iraq to arrange for Talabani's visit which will be his first in more than two years.

The sources added that the talks will be important after a period of disputes due to Damascus lack of political support to the PUK during its fighting with the Kurdish Democratic Party in August 1996.