The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) political bureau head Farouq Qadoumi said the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died of poisoning, the official Palestinian daily al Hayat al Jadeeda said Sunday.

Qadoumi made the remarks when he arrived in Syria Saturday evening on a short visit for talks with Syrian officials, said the paper.

"I realized this when I visited him and there are results that we have not received yet," he told reporters upon arrival.

He, meanwhile, affirmed that the Palestinian leadership was a collective one and no one would monopolize it and "we will not allow this."

Qadoumi said his visit was aimed at enhancing coordination and cooperation with Syria and Lebanon.

How to promote negotiations to establish a comprehensive and permanent peace based on the Arab Peace Initiative, ratified at the Beirut Summit in 2002, would also top his visit agenda, the official added.

Source: Xinhua