Damascus, Asharq Al-Awsat – Palestinian sources have told Asharq al-Awsat that President Mahmud Abbas (Abu-Mazin) did not ask Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to pressure the Hamas movement into reaching an agreement at the Cairo-sponsored talks and said Abu-Mazin asked Syria to play a role in strengthening the inter-Palestinian dialogue and that Syria has a role in this and is carrying it out.

The sources called the reports that the Palestinian President had asked Syria to pressure Hamas as “inaccurate” and said the aim of his visit to Damascus and Arab countries ” was to bring views closer in connection with the dialogue and not to ask for pressure” and pointed out that Cairo promised to draft a document to be issued by the anticipated meeting between Fatah and Hamas in Cairo, which is expected to be held on 25 October.

The proposed document will call for the formation of a national unity government that undertakes to follow up implementation of the remaining clauses in the document which includes several basic principles and these are the restructuring of the security organs, preparations for elections, and restructuring of the PLO.