Source: Assad ready to intensify talks

RAMALLAH, West Bank, July 5 (UPI) -- Syrian President Bashar Assad is ready to pick up the pace of talks with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, a source says.

The unidentified source within the Assad administration said the president was prepared to work toward increasing Palestinian unity when Abbas arrives in Syria for a diplomatic visit, the Palestine News Agency WAFA reported Saturday.

Abbas is to arrive in Syria Sunday and Assad will use the visit to work with him on the formation of an independent Palestinian state.

Abbas has maintained the stance that to work toward Palestinian unity, Hamas must first accept all the international community's demands regarding peaceful relations in the region.

WAFA said Abbas also has called on the militant group to reach an agreement in which Hamas would agree not to further damage other countries' opinion of the Palestinian community.