By Xinhua,
Damascus : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday underlined the necessity to more efforts to realize a national unity among the Palestinians, the official SANA news agency reported.
“National unity among Palestinians is the only way for them to regain rights and achieve aspirations in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,” Assad was quoted as saying while meeting with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The two leaders discussed the situation on the Palestinian territories and the peace process, as well as means of achieving the Palestinian national unity through dialogue, SANA said.
Assad reiterated that Syria, in its capacity as head of the Arab Summit for this year, supports the Palestinian rights and every effort to realize the higher interest of the Arab nation.
Abbas hailed the role of Syria and the efforts of Assad as president of the Arab Summit in boosting the Arab solidarity, achieving the Palestinian unity and bolstering the fair causes of the Palestinian people.
Abbas also underlined the commitment of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) to the Arab summit resolutions in the interest of the Palestinian people and the Arab nation.
After the talks, Abbas’ spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdineh said “viewpoints between Presidents Assad and Abbas were identical, President Abbas briefed Syrian President Assad on the negotiations on the Palestinian-Israeli track and the initiative regarding the national comprehensive dialogue.”
He added that the Palestinian National Authority is ready to implement the initiative of President Abbas, based on the Yemeni initiative, which later became an Arab decision during Damascus Summit held in March.
On the indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation, Abu Rdineh said Abbas had stressed to Assad that any progress on this track could boost the Palestinian stance in the negotiations with Israel.
Earlier in the day, Abu Rdineh ruled out the possibility that Abbas would meet any Hamas official during his ongoing two-day visit in Syria. Hamas politburo and its chief Khaled Mashaal are based in Damascus.
“President Abbas’ program has no appointments except meeting with President Bashar al-Assad,” said Abu Rdineh, adding that Abbas would not meet with leaders of other Palestinian factions as well.
Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah movement fought against each other in the Gaza Strip in June 2007 and the fighting ended with Hamas taking over the territory.