Palestinian delegation to visit Damascus

The advisor Palestinian President Yasser Arafat Ahmad al-Teibi has said that, "During our meeting with President Hafez al-Assad in Amman on Monday, President al-Assad and his foreign minister, Farouk al-Sharaa, extended to us an invitation to visit Damascus."

Al-Teibi added that no date was fixed yet for the visit, "But I am confident that this visit will be made very soon."

In a statement to Israel Radio on Wednesday, al-Teibi added, "I do not think there were attempts to hold a meeting between Yasser Arafat and President al-Assad." He indicated that the two men had met in the past, adding, "I think there is the possibility for their meeting in the future also."

Al-Teibi asserted that Syrian-Palestinian relations are fraternal. He added, "We highly appreciate the role played by Syria in supporting the rights of the Palestinian people."

Replying to a question on a deep rift between Syria and the Palestinian government, al-Teibi said, "This is not a precise description," noting that there are Palestinian ministerial delegations that visited Damascus as well as members of the PLO executive committee.

Al-Teibi added, "These relations will continue and are becoming improved."