Azerbaijan, Baku, October 5 / Trend , U.Sadikhova /
Postponing President Mahmoud Abbas's visit to Syria will adversely affect relations between the leadership of the Palestinian Administration and Damascus, said Ziad al Asali, President of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP).
"It is not a positive development for sure and it is bound to have an impact on relations between Palestinian leadership and present Syrian leadership, al Asali told Trend by telephone from Washington. As in the past it is too early to tell about strategic impact on these relations".
Head of the Palestinian National Autonomy Mahmoud Abbas's visit to Damascus, scheduled for early this week, was postponed to a later date, ITAR-TASS reported with reference to the Al Jazeera television.
The main reason for refusal is not yet known, but it is supposed that this is due to the unexpected decision of the Palestinian leadership to refuse from the discussion at the meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva regarding the report of the South African judge Richard Goldstone, investigating war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
The refusal from the visit to Damascus can have a negative impact on negotiations with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which are held through the mediation of Egypt.
Al Asali considers that reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah will less likely to happen soon because of the sponsorship of Syria to the position of Hamas and to re-point а public disapproval.
"Again with Syria there will be distance clearly now between both administrations till they figure out readjustment for their strategic relations," Al Asali said.
On Sunday, the Syrian leadership criticized the decision of the Palestinian delegation to the UN to refuse from discussion over Goldstone's report accusing Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the 22-day operation in the Gaza Strip, which began in late December of last year.
The Syrian leadership supports Hamas's military resistance against Israel, despite the fact that Abbas's moderate administration in the West Bank is in favor of resolving the conflict with Israel through international dialogue. Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas politburo, also lives in Syria.
During recent talks in Cairo with the Egyptian leadership, Mashaal mentioned the possibility of signing an agreement with Fatah in October to create a national government, which will include the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and will last until the presidential election next year.