By Xinhua,
Damascus : Visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held talks here on Monday with Syria-based leaders of Palestinian groups, excluding Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal.
Abbas held separate meetings with chief of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine Nayef Hawatmeh, and Maher Taher of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to independent Syria News website.
On Sunday, Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdineh ruled out the possibility that Abbas would meet any Hamas official during his two-day visit to Syria.
Abbas, who arrived in Damascus Sunday, held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem.
The two sides discussed the reconciliation efforts between Abbas’ Fatah movement and Hamas, which took over the Gaza Strip in an armed conflict with Abbas’ forces last year.
Assad urged during his talks with Abbas for more efforts to realize national unity among the Palestinians, saying “national unity among Palestinians is the only way for them to regain rights.”
The Syrian foreign minister also underlined the unity of Palestinian ranks as a guarantee of its legitimate national rights.
“We seek a common ground for launching a Palestinian dialogue to bridge the gap and unite the Palestinian ranks,” Muallem said after meeting with Abbas.