Arafat to visit Syria

It has been announced that the Palestinian leader will visit Syria next month.

It will be the first such visit since Mr Arafat signed peace accords with Israel eight years ago.

Palestinian officials said the visit would focus on coordinating policy towards Israel.

Mr Arafat had a meeting with the Syrian leader, Bashar Al-Assad, on Tuesday, during the Arab summit in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

Relations between the Palestinians and Syria have been strained since the peace accord with Israel were signed.

But President Assad told the summit that Syria was now offering its hand to the Palestinians and that the past should be forgotten.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service