Amman  - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is to visit Jordan on Friday as part of ongoing efforts to repair pan-Arab ties which received a deep blow during the recent Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, the royal court announced Thursday.

Discussions between al-Assad and Jordan's King Abdullah II would focus on "ongoing efforts aimed at working out a unified Arab stand versus common challenges," the royal court said in a statement.

Officials said the two Arab leaders were also expected to discuss latest developments in the region, including the rise of a right-wing government in Israel and the Egypt-brokered Palestinian reconciliation talks which were wound up in Cairo earlier Thursday without tangible results.

Al-Assad's planned visit comes in the run-up to the regular Arab League summit in Doha at the end of March. (dpa)