King Abdullah's visit to Damascus within days will boost Saudi-Syrian relations, Arab solidarity and joint Arab work, Syrian officials said. The Syrian government has prepared an extensive schedule of talks during the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' visit, the officials said, noting the grim circumstances in the Arab region and the need for practical solutions to emerge. The visit offers an opportunity to discuss developments regarding the Middle East peace process, Palestinian affairs – especially in view of the upcoming Palestinian dialogue in Cairo – and the situations in Lebanon and Iraq, the officials said. Earlier this month, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad attended the launch ceremony of King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (Kaust) and had a lengthy discussion with the King. Last week, Syrian Minister of Information Muhsin Bilal visited Jeddah and handed over to Minister of Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Khoja a message from Al
