DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday underlined the necessity of intensifying  efforts to realize the Palestinian unity, saying "national unity among Palestinians is the only way for them to regain rights and achieve aspirations in the establishment of a Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as its capital."

President al-Assad held two meetings with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas on the situation in Palestine and the peace process.

Talks during the meetings dealt with means of achieving the Palestinian national unity through dialogue.

President al-Assad reiterated that Syria, in its capacity as Head of the Arab Summit for this year, supports the Palestinian rights and every effort that is being exerted to realize the higher interests of the Arab nation.

Talks also concentrated on the Arab situation and the Syrian-Palestinian bilateral relations. President Abbas hailed the role played by Syria and the efforts of President al-Assad, in his capacity as President of the Arab Summit, in boosting the Arab solidarity, achieving the Palestinian unity and backing the fair causes of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian Authority President underlined the commitment of the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the Arab summit resolutions in the interests of the Palestinian people and the Arab nation.

Vice President Farouk al-Shara and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem attended the meeting.

The visit of Abbas comes as a continuation of what has been agreed upon during the Arab Summit of Damascus on issues that concern the Syrian and Palestinian people as well as the Arab nation.

Later, President al-Assad held a luncheon banquet in honor of President Abbas and his accompanying delegation.

The official spokesperson of President Abbas Nabil Abu Rodaina said in a statement to reporters "viewpoints between Presidents al-Assad and Abbas were identical, based on Damascus Arab Summit resolutions, national common interests and the pan-Arab interest."

" President Abbas briefed Syrian President al-Assad, in his capacity as President of the Arab Summit, on the situation of negotiations on the Palestinian-Israeli track and the initiative launched regarding the national comprehensive dialogue," Abu Rodaina said.

He added the Palestinian Authority is ready to implement the initiative of President Abbas, based on the Yemeni initiative which later became an Arab decision during Damascus Summit.

On the indirect peace negotiations between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation, Abu Rodaina said President Abbas had stressed to President al-Assad that any progress on this track could boosts the Palestinian stance in the negotiations with Israel.

Mazen