Abbas will not meet Hamas chief in Syria

On a two-day trip beginning Saturday, Abbas will meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and leaders of various Palestinian factions who are based in Syria, said the official in his office, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday.

But contrary to speculation last week that Hamas and Fatah might be on the verge of a breakthrough on forming a government of national unity, he will not meet with Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal, the official said.

On Friday, officials in the Gaza Strip said mediators were seeking to bring Abbas and Meshaal together in a bid to defuse the deadly power struggle between their rival parties.

A source close to Abbas said then that the moderate Palestinian president had been invited by Assad to visit Damascus and that he was "not against a meeting with Meshaal."

The official gave no reason Wednesday as to why the two would not meet.

After his trip to Damascus, Abbas will head to Lebanon for a two-day visit, beginning on Monday.

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