Envoys hold secret talks with Mesha'al in Syria

Damascus: Envoys of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been holding secret talks with the exiled militant Hamas leader in Syria, Khalid Mesha'al, to prepare for Abbas's visit to Damascus, a senior Hamas official said on Saturday.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau in the Syrian capital, said the visit was expected early next week. Abbas would also meet Syrian officials, Abu Marzouk said.

"I hope his [Abbas'] meetings in Damascus would be constructive and lead to solving all outstanding problems that have broken the dialogue in the past," Abu Marzouk said in an interview with the Associated Press.